No rise in student grant payments

MORE than 60,000 students must survive on the same grant levels again in the next college year despite rising costs and fewer part-time work opportunities.

Tánaiste Mary Coughlan yesterday announced details of the income thresholds to qualify for maintenance grants next autumn and the amounts payable for eligible students.

But although they are largely unchanged from this year’s levels, as revealed by the Irish Examiner last week, the number of qualifying students may increase by several thousand as a result of the continued drop in incomes and a rise in unemployment since grant applications opened last year.

The Department of Education bill for student supports is expected to top €320 million this year, despite Ms Coughlan’s predecessor as education minister, Batt O’Keeffe, reducing the amounts payable to students by 5% from January. This is offset by an estimated 5,000 more students qualifying for grants in the current college year, bringing the number to around 62,000.

“Leaving income limits unchanged, despite a fall in average earnings, means that students from families on low-to-middle incomes will continue to be eligible for important financial help from the Government in covering the costs of third-level education,” she said.

The only income cut-off to increase will be for students seeking the maximum grant rate of €6,690, now available for families earning up to €22,703 a year – up €395 from last year.

The minimum grant of €345 for students at college near home is available to those from homes with an income of up to €47,205.

All students with family earnings up to €51,380 will have the student registration fee of up to €1,500 paid.

Ms Coughlan said publication of the grant details and a more user-friendly application form more than two months earlier than last year should allow students get their grant entitlement on time. Earlier this month, more than 3,500 students were still awaiting a grant decision but most of the delays were because the relevant local council or Vocational Educational Committee (VEC) was still awaiting important documents to support the application.

The Union of Students in Ireland said efforts to speed up the grants process was commendable but said further cuts in payments could lead to fewer students from poorer backgrounds completing their higher education.

“Any changes to student grants are now linked to social welfare rates, but another 5% cut next January could be the difference between staying at college or not. There is less part-time work around for students and, although rents may be falling, books and other costs are going up all the time,” said USI president Peter Mannion.

The Tánaiste said speedier grant payments should also be facilitated by advances from her department to councils and VECs, after some had difficulty paying grants on time because of their own funding shortages. All students who have applied for college places will be contacted directly to encourage them to apply early for grants.