Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
1483. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the estimated full-year cost of ensuring that the maintenance grants for both undergraduate and postgraduate students are increased by 10%; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41488/22]
View answerThe main support to students attending higher education is the Student Grant Scheme. Under the Student Grant Scheme, eligible candidates may receive funding, provided they are attending an approved course at an approved institution and meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those which relate to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment (progression) and means.
Under the scheme, students must be attending approved full-time courses. All full-time undergraduate and post-graduate students who meet the criteria under the Student Grant Scheme are in receipt of a grant.
The student maintenance grant is a contribution towards the living costs of a student. It is not intended to cover the full costs of attending college. The student grant scheme does however, provide for different levels of maintenance support, depending on means. Grants are also provided at adjacent and non-adjacent rates. The higher non-adjacent rates are intended to provide additional support to those students who may be living away from home.
The estimated cost of increasing the 2022/23 Maintenance Grant rates by 10% would be in the region of €15 million. This figure is estimated using the number of applicants who received a maintenance grant for the 2021/22 academic year.
