Financial plan is key to keeping focus on studies

With the right planning, finances should not be an obstacle to getting a higher education.

Although there have been many headlines in recent weeks and months about problems with the student grants system, many of the problems in the first year of the Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) service should hopefully be overcome for the next college year.

As well as maintenance grants, which are available to a range of levels depending on family income and distance from home to college, numerous other supports are available.