John Gormley
Ceist:562 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Education and Science the scholarships or funding available for Irish post graduate students who wish to study abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12563/00]
Written Answers. - Post-Graduate Students.
My Department funds a small number of scholarships, awarded in respect of attendance at the European University Institute, Florence, a post-graduate research university established by the member states of the European Union. Details of the scholarships, and the conditions attached to their award, are available from the student support unit, Department of Education and Science, Portlaoise Road, Tullamore, County Offaly.
Scholarships are offered to post-graduate students in fields of study by several countries in accordance with bilateral agreements concluded with such countries. Academic scholarships for a period of eight months are available in respect of Austria, Australia, Belgium, China, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Russia, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. It is also open to post-graduates to apply for summer scholarships with a duration of two to four weeks in Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Russia.
In the case of academic scholarships, fees and maintenance grants are paid by the host country. In the case of summer scholarships financial assistance is also provided by the host country. It generally covers the cost of the course and a small subsistence grant.
These offers are advertised, on behalf of my Department, by the Government Information Services and are also circulated to all universities and other third level institutions by my Department. Application forms for these scholarships are available from my Department's international section, Marlborough Street, Dublin 1.
The scope of the student support schemes does not provide assistance towards attendance at postgraduate courses outside Ireland. However, the Deputy may be aware that section 21 of the Finance Act, 2000, provides for the introduction of tax relief for postgraduate fees paid in publicly funded colleges here and in other EU member states as well as in private colleges in this State. This new relief, which will apply at the standard rate of tax, will be available to full-time and part time post-graduate students and will include distance education courses offered by publicly funded colleges in other EU member states. Further details and conditions are available from the student support unit of my Department.