For student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students.
A student may be assessed as an independent student (i.e. assessed without reference to parental income and address) if he/she has attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an approved course, and is not ordinarily resident with his/her parents from the previous 1st October. Otherwise, he/she would be assessed as a dependent student, i.e. assessed with reference to parental income and address.
A student’s status for grant purposes is defined at their first point of entry to an approved further or higher education course or at their point of re-entry to an approved course following a break in studies of at least three years, and continues to apply for the duration of their studies.
However, there are points at which a student may reclassify from a dependent student to an independent student. These are where he/she:
- Progresses from further education to higher education.
- Is returning following a 3 year break in studies.
- Is returning as a "second chance" student after a five year break in studies.
The decision on eligibility for student grant applications is a matter for the centralised grant awarding authority, SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland).
In order for SUSI to be satisfied that an applicant meets the criteria to be classed as an Independent student, documentary evidence of their independent residence is requested and an indicative list of accepted documents is sent to the applicant.
If the applicant is unable to submit evidence that their tenancy is registered with the Residential Tenancy Board or that they are in receipt of Rent Allowance or Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) then they can submit one or more of the other following documents listed,
- A Local Authority lease agreement or a letter confirming their rental under the Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) or any Government housing scheme/arrangement. Private housing lease agreements will not be accepted.
- A letter on headed paper from a Rental Agency confirming their tenancy;
- A utility bill or statement of top-ups for pay as you go utility meters in their own name, for example; landline telephone, fixed broadband, gas, electricity, cable/satellite television, home heating, waste, mortgage statements or property tax letters. SUSI does not accept mobile telephone bills. If the utility bills in the household are in the applicant’s spouse's name, they are required to provide their marriage certificate with the utility bill. If they are co-habiting, SUSI will accept utility bills in their partner's name covering the relevant period along with correspondence issued to the applicant, at the same address and covering the relevant period e.g. bank statement or Statement of Liability/P21 or equivalent if sourced from outside the State; and/or
- Official documentation posted to the applicant at their address and relating to their residence there. For example, a letter from a Department of Social Protection confirming Rent Allowance at this address or a letter from any Government department confirming they are living independently from their parents. Please note, SUSI does not accept bank statements alone for this purpose.
If an applicant is unable to provide one of the listed accepted documents and their application is refused and if the applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to SUSI in accordance with Section 20(2) of the Student Support Act 2011.
Applicants who do not meet the criteria to be assessed as an independent student for grant purposes, or who cannot supply the necessary documentation to establish independent living for the required period, may still apply to SUSI to have their grant eligibility assessed as a dependent student. The relevant information, including details of parental income, would be required by SUSI to determine grant eligibility as a dependent student.
Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by an appeals officer in SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal may be submitted to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board within the required timeframe (i.e. not later than 30 days after the notification of the determination of the appeals officer to the applicant). Such appeals can be made by the appellant on line via www.studentgrantappeals.ie.
Housing Assistance Payment, Rent Supplement and Rental Accommodation Scheme are income disregards for student grant purposes and are not included in the means test. This treatment, along with other provisions of the scheme, ensures that those students most in need receive supports commensurate with their needs.
As in any statutory scheme, a core principle of the student grant scheme is that there is consistency of approach and an equitable treatment for applicants as part of the means assessment process. All applications are assessed nationally with reference to the terms and conditions of the relevant student grant scheme. The terms and conditions of funding are applied impartially to all applicants.
Apart from the Student Grant Scheme, students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund (SAF). Students can apply for the SAF to help with either temporary or ongoing financial difficulties and can be assisted towards their rent, childcare costs, transport costs, medical costs and books/class materials. This Fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis and assists students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Details of this fund are available from the Access Office in the third level institution attended.
