The Student Grant Scheme is a Universal Scheme and the rules including the means testing of reckonable income are applied to all students on an equal basis who make an application.
In general, for student grant purposes students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on their parent(s) or legal guardian(s), or as independent mature students.
A student may be assessed as an independent student if:-
• they have attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry or re-entry to an approved further education course or an approved higher education course and;
• have not been ordinarily resident with their parent(s) from the previous 1st October.
Otherwise, they are assessed as a dependent student i.e. assessed with reference to parental income.
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 the awarding authority SUSI to have their grant eligibility assessed as a dependent student.
Mature Students living at home may have benefitted by recent improvements to the Scheme:-
• This academic year all income thresholds to receive a student grant increased, with standard rate thresholds increasing by at least 15%.
• In Budget 2026 I introduced the first permanent reduction in the Student Contribution of €500. Families whose household income is under €115,000 this academic year can also receive a €500 grant towards their student contribution. The threshold for this grant will also increase in September to €120,000.
The Student Grant Scheme is reviewed annually and the Department of Social Protection are consulted as necessary regarding any relevant changes. However, as the Deputy will appreciate any changes are subject to the annual estimates process.
