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It is not too late to apply to the Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) grant scheme, but any students who think they may be eligible and who have not already done so, should not delay.
Susi is a state agency and the main source of state financial assistance for students attending further or higher education.
Eligible students in further education, such as those doing a Post-Leaving Cert (PLC) course, receive a maintenance grant only, while undergraduate students may qualify for both fees and maintenance support.
Improvements this year are delivering financial support, or an increased level of support, for more families, including those with incomes of €100,000 and more.
One significant change entitles undergraduates in families with an income of €62,000-€100,000 (the limit is higher for families with more than four children) to a permanent €500 reduction in the €3,000-a-year student contribution.
At the same time, the threshold for the 50pc student contribution grant – where the State pays half the €3,000 – increased, from €55,240 to €62,000.
There is still plenty of time to submit an application, even if you haven’t yet accepted an offer. Applicants can supply the details of the course they hope to study and, if necessary, update their course choice online later.
Susi will remain open until late autumn/early winter, usually early November, and there will also be an option to submit a late application after the normal closing date.
It is in students’ best interests to apply as early as possible to get certainty about their entitlements, and start receiving payments as early as possible.
Students who intend to study in the UK or Europe can be awarded the maintenance grant on approved courses. The fee grant is not available to students studying outside the State.
There are a number of criteria applicants need to meet in order to be awarded a grant. The fundamental one is household income. Other criteria include nationality and residency in Ireland, the course the applicant is planning to do, and the type of applicant they are (dependent, mature dependent or independent). Students who think they may be eligible should check out the ‘Eligibility Indicator’ on susi.ie where they can also find additional information on grants.
This is to ensure students with disabilities have the necessary assistance and equipment to enable them to successfully complete their chosen course of study.
Eligible students on an approved course can receive assistance from Post Leaving Cert (PLC) to doctoral level.
Supports such as assistive technology equipment and software, non-medical helpers (e.g. notetakers, personal assistants), academic learning support and transport support.
Students should register with the disability officer or access officer at their college to avail of these supports.
This provides financial support to full- or part-time students in higher education who are experiencing financial difficulties.
The Student Assistance Fund (SAF) is there to help students with books and class materials, rent, heating and lighting bills, food, essential travel, childcare costs, medical difficulties and family difficulties.
The SAF is designed to provide financial support in addition to the Susi grant, but tuition fees and registration fees are not covered by it. This fund is not available to students in further education or doing PLC courses. A student in financial difficulty should contact the access or student services office in their college or university. The SAF is administered on a strictly confidential basis.
The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has complained that support from SAF can take a number of weeks to be processed. This can be particularly problematic for students who need immediate financial assistance for emergency accommodation in extenuating circumstances. The possibility of an emergency student accommodation fund to top up SAF is under consideration as part of the Budget deliberations, but any decision would not be made until October.
The 1916 Bursary Fund provides funding of €1,500-€5,000 a year to encourage participation and access by students who are most socio-economically disadvantaged and from groups most under-represented in higher education.
This usually means that the student lives in an area of urban or rural disadvantage where not many people from that area go on to third-level education and/or is from an under-represented group in higher education such as students with a disability, students who are carers and students from ethnic minorities.
Applicants must qualify for the Susi special rate of grant or be in receipt of a Department of Social Protection (DSP) long-term means-tested social welfare payment.
Applications can be made online on participating colleges’ websites up until the closing date of October 20 at 5pm. Each college has a limited number of bursaries, awarded to eligible applicants who present the greatest need. See studentfinance.ie.
A number of organisations, including the National Council for the Blind Ireland and the Society of St Vincent de Paul offer scholarships or bursaries to students. See studentfinance.ie
Colleges also offer a range of scholarships to their students.
