14,000 students apply for 'hardship' grant as cost of accommodation set to rise across country

Around 14,000 third-level students have applied for "hardship grants" to fund rises in rents.

The fund for assisting students is worth €14m a year, and aims to help people who have financial difficulties while in college.

According to the Irish Times, 14,000 people have now applied for the payment.

The average payment in the past couple of years was between €500 and almost €1,000.

Protests were called after UCD made a decision to rise its rents by rising by 4% for each of the next three years.

Similar action has taken place at NUIG and UCC where there 3% and 4% rises.

The UCC Students’ Union “simply cannot stand by and support” such dramatic rent increases, according to a statement issued by the union.

“These students are demanding that the 3% rent increase be reversed and that a rent freeze on all UCC-owned accommodation be put in place for a period of three years.

A spokesman for UCC said that the university’s campus accommodation rates are significantly below rates provided by private operators.

“UCC has already committed to review the applicability of the 2020/21 increase for students in receipt of student assistance funding,” the spokesman said.