Donal Carey
Ceist:123 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Education if he will outline the grounds on which mature students can get fee/maintenance grants for third level education at the present time.
Written Answers. - Mature Student Grants.
Under the existing higher education grants scheme mature students must satisfy the same eligibility requirements as all other students in relation to residence, attainments in the leaving certificate examination and reckonable income. These include obtaining two Cs in the higher level papers at the leaving certificate examination and their parents income coming within the income limits prescribed in the scheme.
The Deputy will be aware that as already announced, under the 1992 higher education grants scheme mature students, who will secure a place in a third level institution, will be regarded as satisfying the academic attainments for the award of a grant and they will be assessed on the basis of their own, and, if married, their spouse's income.