Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 January 2023
547. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason that a student (details supplied) did not get the full SUSI grant; if this could be looked into further; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4342/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, progression, previous academic attainment and means.
The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine.
To satisfy the terms and conditions of the scheme in relation to progression, a student must be moving from year to year within a course, having successfully completed the previous year or be transferring from one course to another where the award for the subsequent course is of a higher level than the previous course.
Generally speaking, a grant will not be paid to a student for a repeat period of study on the same course, or for a different course at the same level, irrespective of whether or not a grant was paid previously. The objective of this policy is to help as many students as possible to obtain one qualification at each level of study. However, once a student progresses to a course at a higher level or completes the equivalent period of study on a new course, the student may be eligible for student grant assistance for the remainder of the course. Article 15(7) of the Student Grant Scheme 2022 refers.
My officials have advised me that the student referred to by the Deputy submitted an appeal of his application to SUSI on 16th August 2022 and was awarded 7/9ths proportional grant on 23rd August 2022 as records received under data sharing agreements indicated that he was previously registered on a PLC Level 5 course for 2 months in the 2021/2022 academic year.
Additional documentation was received from the student on 25th October and 04th November 2022 including a letter from the Further Education Institute confirming the student had withdrawn from the PLC on the 15th September 2021. SUSI reviewed the student’s application and issued a revised award letter of 8/9ths proportional grant as only one month of repeat period of study was required.
