Students fear third level grants will be delayed

STUDENTS have been urged to apply for maintenance grants in the usual manner, although qualifying income thresholds have yet to be decided.

The Department of Education yesterday rejected claims that grants would be delayed.

It is hoping to reach agreement shortly with the Department of Finance on the cut-off figures and the amounts payable.

But Union of Students in Ireland (USI) president Colm Hamrogue said a telephone survey of the country’s 33 Vocational Education Committees, (VECs), which handle most grant applications, found that 21 of the 29 which replied did not yet have application forms from the Department of Education.

He warned that students may have to fork out the €800 registration fee, normally covered if they qualify for the grant, unless their applications are cleared when they start college in September or October. He said low income students depend on prompt processing of grants and payment at the start of the autumn term, when accommodation deposits must be paid.

“This time last year, grant schemes were agreed and applications were being processed but before thousands of students start applying, we’re already nearly a month behind,” he said.

“If local authorities are delayed in processing their application, the poorest students will be forced to pay up-front fees of nearly €800, or be refused a student card, denying them access to essential college facilities like libraries and computer rooms,” Mr Hamrogue said.

But, he warned, the ultimate outcome could be that financial stresses will force more students to drop out of college altogether unless Education Minister Mary Hanafin moves to avert the looming crisis.

A spokesperson for the minister was unable to explain the delay last night but advised students to apply as normal and not to panic.

“We don’t envisage any delay in the payment of grants, the local authorities and VECs have the forms, and ourselves and the Department of Finance hope to agree the details shortly,” she said.

Around 57,000 students benefited from last year’s grant fund of almost €216 million, which has been increased by around €12.5m this year. Ms Hanafin recently announced that the country’s 33 VECs will have sole responsibility for administering grants, in an effort to provide a more efficient service for applicants.

Research published yesterday showed that students spend an average of €121 a month socialising and going out but their biggest outlay is the average €250 paid for accommodation.

Apart from grants for those who qualify, part-time work is the main way in which college students fund their studies and their lifestyle. The survey conducted for Bank of Ireland to launch their 2006 third level student banking package showed that 41% cited evening and weekend jobs as their largest source of income, followed by almost one-third who rely on their parents for finance.

Most students earn €300 a month and almost half of those with jobs work 10 to 20 hours a week.