Phone: 01 6183057 or 045 880980 | Mobile: 087 288 1000 | Email: aine.brady@oireachtas.ie
July 2008 – Increase in Student Grant Income Limits announced
Deputy Aine Brady has been informed by the Minister for Education, Batt O'Keeffe TD, of details of the increased income limits for student maintenance grants, which will come into effect from the commencement of the 2008/09 academic year.
'These increases in the income limits will serve to ensure that students from families on low to middle incomes will continue to benefit from State support towards the living costs associated with participation in third-level education."
'The top limit for grant eligibility, where there are less than four dependent children, has been increased from €48,335 to €49,690, ensuring that over 56,000 students from households with moderate incomes will not have to pay the student service charge.'
'In addition, for some 13,000 students in receipt of the higher, special rate of maintenance grant, the annual income threshold is being substantially increased by 11.6% from €18,055 to €20,147 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.'
'Details of Grants that are available for Students in Third level are available on website www.studentfinance.ie . A booklet, produced by the Department of Education on the range of financial available for students is available on www.education.ie . Further information can also be obtained from Kildare VEC on 045 988000 or Kildare County Council on 045 980200.' concluded Deputy Brady who stated that the Student Support Bill which was passed by Dail Eireann earlier this year will enable the VEC's to process all the Third Level Grant Applications from September 2009 onwards. Existing arrangements will continue to be aplied for grant applications for 2008/2009 academic year.
Appendix
2008 Student Maintenance Grant Schemes
INCOME LIMITS
Reckonable Income Limits for the purposes of the Standard Rate of Maintenance Grant for the 2008/09 academic year:
| No. of Dependent Children | Full Maintenance and Full Fees | Part Maintenance (75%) and Full Fees | Part Maintenance (50%) and Full Fees | Part Maintenance (25%) and Full Fees | Part Tuition Fees (50%) only* |
| Less than 4 | €39,760 | €42,235 | €44,720 | €47,205 | €49,690 |
| 4-7 | €43,680 | €46,415 | €49,145 | €51,880 | €54,605 |
| 8 or more | €47,430 | €50,400 | €53,360 | €56,320 | €59,280 |
*Full Student Service Charge is paid where income is at or below this level.
+In the 2008/09 academic year, where 2 or more children (or the candidate's parent) are pursuing approved courses of study, the reckonable income limits may be increased by €4,815 where there are 2 such children, €9,630 where there are 3 such children and so on, by increments of €4,815.
Reckonable Income Limits for the purposes of the Special Rate of Maintenance Grant for the 2008/09 academic year: €20,147
+The candidate's reckonable income must include one of the qualifying social welfare payments listed in the schemes.
RATES OF GRANT
Standard Rates of Maintenance Grant applicable for 2008:
| Non-Adjacent Rate | Adjacent Rate | |
| Full Maintenance | €3,420 | €1,370 |
| Part Maintenance (75%) | €2,565 | € 1,030 |
| Part Maintenance (50%) | €1,710 | € 685 |
| Part Maintenance (25%) | € 855 | € 345 |
Special Rate of Maintenance Grant applicable for 2008:
| Non-Adjacent Rate | Adjacent Rate | |
| Full Special Rate | €6,690 | €2,680 |
| Of which top-up represents | €3,270 | €1,310 |
+The adjacent rate of maintenance grant applies to a grantholder whose normal residence is 24 kilometres or less from the college which s/he is attending. The non-adjacent rate of maintenance grant is payable in all other cases, including in the case of all mature candidates who qualify, having been assessed either as a dependent or independent mature candidate.