Deirdre Clune
Ceist:723 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Education and Science the financial assistance, if any, available for Irish third level students studying abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21595/98]
Written Answers. - Student Support Schemes.
In 1996, the third level maintenance grants schemes were extended to include full-time undergraduate courses of not less than two years duration, pursued in a university or third-level institution which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds, in another EU member state. Courses in colleges of further and higher education, which are at higher national diploma level or higher, are also covered under the schemes.
As the Deputy may be aware, among the changes to the tuition fee arrangements in the UK, with effect from the 1998-99 academic year, the UK authorities are introducing an annual tuition fee of up to £1,000. However, all EU students will be eligible for grant assistance from the UK authorities towards their undergraduate tuition fees, subject to the same conditions including means testing as will be applied to UK students. Irish students must apply for assistance, to their appropriate UK local education authority.
At postgraduate level, a small number of postgraduate scholarships and fellowships for study abroad are awarded annually by foreign Governments to Irish students who are engaged in, or have completed, a course of third-level education. These would be mainly in EU countries and also in Switzerland, China, Japan and Australia. My Deparment also awards a small number of scholarships to postgraduate students studying at the European University Institute in Florence.