Phil Hogan
Ceist:1080 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Health and Children if there are changes in grant assistance to students attending nursing courses in the UK; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16279/02]
Written Answers. - Nursing Courses.
The UK Department of Health has notified my Department of a number of changes made to the NHS bursary eligibility rules for overseas applicants to diploma level nursing and midwifery courses. The UK authorities have extended the residence conditions that had previously applied to other students to those applying to study nursing and midwifery at DipHE level.
This means that to qualify for support under the new terms of the NHS bursary scheme those applying for diploma level courses will have to have been ordinarily resident in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man throughout the three years preceding the first day of the first academic year of the course, other than for the purpose of receiving full-time education; have settled status in the UK within the meaning of the Immigration Act 1971 on the first day of the first academic year of the course; and be ordinarily resident in the UK on the first day of the first academic year of the course.
There are a number of exceptions to these criteria. (I) Migrant workers from within the European Economic Area who have taken up residence and employment in the UK and have been ordinarily resident in the EEA for the three years preceding the first day of the first academic year of the course, other than for the purpose of receiving full-time education, will remain eligible for the bursary and tuition fees. The EEA is defined as the European Community and, subject to the conditions laid down in the EEA agreement, the area comprised by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, including Svalbard. (II) Applicants from within the EU, but not the wider EEA, who do not meet the foregoing criteria will not be eligible for the NHS bursary. They will however receive tuition fee support. (III) Special arrangements apply to refugees, individuals granted exceptional leave to enter or remain in the UK, and UK nationals absent from the UK due to temporary employment abroad.
Applicants who do not meet the foregoing residence criteria and who fall outside the exceptions defined at (I)-(III), will not be eligible for NHS bursary support. Diploma course students who meet the residence criteria will continue to receive the non-means tested bursary.
The effect of these changes is to harmonise the rules for NHS funded students studying at degree and DipHE level. It brings diploma level students into line with all other students in higher education in the UK.