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Third Level Education

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 July 2020

Thursday, 23 July 2020

Ceisteanna (165)

Rose Conway-Walsh

Ceist:

165. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on whether many third-level students and prospective third-level students are unjustly categorised as mature dependents in the SUSI grants system; her further views on matters (details supplied) in relation to same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17796/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The decision on eligibility for student grant applications is a matter for the centralised grant awarding authority, SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland).

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.

When considering whether a student meets the conditions to be assessed independently of his or her parents, the grant awarding authority (SUSI) is obliged to satisfy itself beyond doubt that an acceptable degree of proof of independent living in the relevant period has been submitted by the grant applicant. The onus is on the grant applicant to provide the necessary documentary evidence as requested by the grant awarding authority.

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.

Further information regarding class of applicant (independent or dependent) and the types of documentation accepted as evidence of living independently from parents is available from SUSI’s website: https://susi.ie/eligibility/applicant-class/

If the student in question considers that he has been unjustly refused a student grant or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, he may appeal this decision to SUSI within the statutory time limit of 30 days of his decision letter.

Where an individual applicant has an appeal turned down in writing by SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted online by the applicant to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board within the required timeframe of 30 days.

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