As per Article 13(3) of the Student Grant Scheme 2024, as an independent mature student the applicant must be:
• 23 years of age or over on 1st January of the year when they first enter/re-enter further or higher education, and
• They must have been living independently from their parents/legal guardians from the October in the year prior to their first point of entry/re-entry into further or higher education and will be required to provide evidence of this.
An applicant’s classification is defined at their first point of entry or re-entry to an approved further or higher education course and will continue for the duration of their studies. A dependent student can only be reclassified following a three year break in their studies as per Article 13(5) of the scheme.
I have been advised that the student referred to by the Deputy was under 23 years of age at their first point of entry to an approved higher education course in the 2018/2019 academic year and, therefore, classed as a dependent student under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme. This is irrespective of whether they had applied for or were in receipt of grant funding previously.
The student did not have the required three-year break in studies to be reclassified as an independent student prior to starting their course in the 2024/2025 academic year.
A letter was sent to the student by SUSI on 23 August 2024 advising that their application had been cancelled and to re-apply as a dependent student to be assessed with reference to their parents/legal guardians’ income. The student has not re-applied for student grant funding for the 2024/2025 academic year.
