Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 9 September 2024
2012. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the basis on which persons undertaking part-time or online study can avail of student support; whether the means test takes into account parental income or only the part-time earnings of the student themselves; and the number of students likely to be eligible under these provisions, in tabular form. [35849/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI was delighted to launch the new Part Time Fee Scheme for Specified Undergraduate Courses recently, which came into effect from September 1st, 2024.
This is the first time, under the Student Support Act, that fee support will be available for students studying part-time. Fee support will be provided to eligible part-time students attending specified publicly funded undergraduate courses leading to a major award.
There are 62 part-time courses identified as being eligible for this scheme for the 2024/25 academic year, encompassing both in-person and hybrid (part in-person, part online) provision. Eligible courses must have an average of between 30 and 50 credits (ECTS) per year.
Eligibility will be subject to meeting nationality, progression and residency criteria, similar to the existing Student Grant Scheme.
This Scheme is means tested and a student’s total reckonable household income must fall below specific income thresholds. The threshold for the 2024/25 academic year is €55,924.
For student grants purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents/ legal guardian or as independent mature students.
A student may be assessed as an independent mature student if they have reached the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an approved course or of re-entry following a break in studies of at least three years and is not ordinarily resident with their parents from the previous October. Otherwise, they would continue to be assessed on the basis of parental income.
As an independent student, the student’s income and that of their spouse, civil partner or co-habitant is included in the income calculation.
A deduction of up to a maximum amount of €7,925 of student earnings during the previous calendar year can be deducted from reckonable income.
The data which the deputy is requesting for the 2024/25 academic year is currently not available. However, the most recent data available show that SUSI have received 262 applications. The current average processing time for part-time applications is 2 weeks.
My Department, is committed to monitoring and evaluating the scheme during the pilot stage of this new initiative. It is expected that the number of students studying part time will increase over time because of the greater flexibility it offers. This is an important new initiative which will open the doors of higher education to many groups who cannot participate in full time programmes.
