COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF ARTS-CULTURE- GAEILGE-EDUCATION AND LIBRARIES SPC

Monday, November 22, 2010

HEADED ITEM NO.2

Update on Higher Education Grants - Academic Year 2010-2011

The Higher Education Grants Scheme provides financial assistance to eligible students in approved third level colleges.  All applications are means tested.  

During the 2009/2010 academic year approximately 1,200 students were grant assisted in respect of Maintenance and/or Fees.  A total of € 4.6 million was paid out in Higher Education Grants during the 2009 financial year.  The value of awards made is recoupable from the Department of Education and Skills while the administrative costs are borne by the Council.

The 2010 Higher Education Grants Scheme was issued by the Department of Education & Science in May 2010 and was adoption (as a reserved function of the Council) in June 2010.

The following is a summary of the changes made to the 2010  Student Maintenance Grant Schemes

Reckonable Income limits : The income limits for entitlement to all rates of support remained unchanged for students in receipt of the standard rates of grant. The income thresholds for families where two or more children are pursuing a course of study listed in the schemes also remained unchanged from the 2009 schemes.

The annual income threshold for the special rate of maintenance grant was increased from €22,308 to €22,703 in line with the relevant social welfare comparators (in order to ensure that students from families on the lowest incomes continue to qualify for maximum rates of grant).

 Rates of Grant : The current rates, as announced in Budget 2010, continue to apply up to the end of 2010.    Since 2008, the rates of student grant are considered as part of the annual Government Budget process in common with other welfare and income support measures. Therefore, any adjustment in the rates of student grant from January 2011 will be considered in the context of the forthcoming Budget.

Student Service Charge & Maximum Fee Limit :    The Student Service Charge  (Registration Fee) remained unchanged for the current academic year- up to a maximum of €1,500. 

Terms and conditions of the Schemes:     

  1. Some social welfare allowances, including the Back to Education Allowance and the One Parent Family Payment (except where paid to the candidate) which had previously been excluded in the means-testing process, is  now included as reckonable income in assessing eligibility for student grants.
  2. A tax adjustment for farm stock relief is now disregarded in calculating reckonable income for means-testing purposes.
  3. The residency requirement in the State for grant eligibility was increased from one year to three out of the past five years for the student.
  4. The duration of the break in studies required for re-entry as an independently assessed mature student was increased from one year to three years.
  5. Wording in respect of certain categories in the Nationality clause have been updated.
  6. There have been changes in relation to the time limits for making an appeal.
  7. In addition, as previously announced in the Budget, from September 2010 all new applicants who are in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance for all schemes, and the VTOS allowances for those pursuing PLC     courses, will be ineligible for maintenance grants.

The following is a summary of the relevant statistics for the current academic year.

New Applications Renewals Granted New Granted Renewal Ineligible
850 922 255 561 248

As of 17th November 2010, a total of €805,897 has been paid for the current academic year (Sep/Nov 2010 only).  First maintenance payments of € 377,932 has been paid to 640 students which is a mix of new and renewal applicants.  Payments totalling €121,200 have also been made to those students who are eligible for Special Maintenance. Fee payment of €306,765 as invoiced has been made in respect of tuition and registration fees. Further payments of fees will continue as invoices are received from the Colleges. 

Table below shows the current financial situation and a comparison to last year’s payments. 

Full Financial Year 2009 (Jan-Dec) Amount Paid Academic Year (Sep-Nov) 2009 Amount Paid
  €4,599,750       €612,751  
Full Financial Year 2010 (Jan to end October) Amount Paid Academic Year (Sep-Nov) 2010 Amount Paid
  €3,735,237       €805,897