Higher Education Minister Simon Harris has confirmed that college maintenance grants for third-level students will increase from today.
It was confirmed during September’s Budget that the rates for students receiving grants from SUSI would increase by between 10 and 14%.
The maintenance grant, which is given out to students to help cover living expenses, is mean-tested. The amount of money a person receives decreases based on their family’s financial situation.
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From January 2, students in receipt of the special rate of maintenance will receive an extra €476 between January and May if they are on the non-adjacent rate. This is when their college is more than 30km away from their normal residency. Students on the special rate grant will receive an extra €201 if they are on the adjacent rate.
Those on the standard full maintenance band one will receive an extra €251 (non-adjacent) or €110 (adjacent rate), while those on band two of the part maintenance grant will benefit by an extra €137 (non-adjacent) or €62 (adjacent).
Grant recipients eligible to receive band three of the part maintenance grant will receive an extra €96 (non-adjacent) or €45 (adjacent) between now and May, while those in band four will receive €53 (non-adjacent) or €28 (adjacent).
The increases will be broken down over five payments between January and May.
Minister Harris said that he accepts that the cost of education “remains a challenge for many in this country”.
“The student maintenance grant is incredibly important for thousands of students and their families across the country,” he said.
“But we also recognised that it needed to be improved to help with the challenges of inflationary pressures and a cost of living crisis.
“That’s why I’m delighted to announce that effective from today the student maintenance grant rates will increase by between 10 and 14%.
“It is my job as Minister to ensure every person, regardless of their background, has the same opportunity to access further and higher education.
“That is why we reduced the contribution fee by €1,000 for all undergraduate students eligible for free fees, and effective from today we are increasing all student maintenance grant payments by at least 10%.”
The increased student maintenance grants were part of a suite of measures secured by Minister Harris during the Budget.
The undergraduate student contribution fee for eligible higher education students was reduced by €1,000 for this academic year.
Fees for the 2023/24 academic year will be reduced by €500.
In December, thousands of students received a double grant payment.
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