2026-01-29

84. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of applicants who applied for SUSI grants in each of the years between 2020 and 2025; the number that were unsuccessful in their applications; the measures he will enact to the appeals process to maximise the number of applicants who are successful; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7344/26]

Why do SUSI grants show a steady yearly rate of difference between funds awarded and funds paid? Given the consistent numbers being refused SUSI grants annually - with the largest number of refusals being on the grounds of insufficient documentation to confirm eligibility - will the Minister introduce reforms to reduce the rate of refusal?

Over €351 million has been allocated for students supports and related activities this year. In addition, it is estimated that the free fees initiative costs for the current academic year will be in the order of €450 million. That is just shy of €1 billion in student supports in the current year alone. When we are engaged in budget planning and negotiations, student supports are the primary item on the agenda and take up the lion's share of available moneys. Significant moneys and effort are being put into supporting students across a very wide range of needs and areas. Taken together, the allocation figures I have just given reflect the Government’s continued commitment to ensuring student access. Access is the fundamental premise here. We want to create maximum opportunity for people and that means access. Nobody should be deterred from going to college because of the cost involved. If people feel deterred, I very much want to hear about it in order to figure out why and to get into the permutations of each individual case such that I can fix any loopholes or anomalies in the system. The student grant scheme, with which the Deputy is very familiar, provides assistance to students attending courses. A part-time fee scheme was introduced last year in respect of a number of undergraduate courses. This provides fees support to eligible part-time students for the first time. Previously, part-time students were outside of the system. Just under 80% of applicants are successful every year. The Deputy's question is about those who are not successful, but it is worth pointing out that around 79% of applicants are successful. The vast majority of students who apply actually succeed and are awarded grants. In the context of the 20% who do not get grants, 3% to 4% of those students pull their applications themselves. For whatever reason, they withdraw their applications and leave college. That is one issue. There are a number of other reasons that I will get into when I make my supplementary reply.

In 2023 and 2024, approximately 22% were unsuccessful. In the subsequent academic year, the figure was 21%. There seems to be a percentage that is common across the years. I am given to understand that SUSI is a demand-based scheme. In other words, whatever moneys are not spent are handed back. Is there a cap on the number of SUSI grants that can be paid out or is the fund indefinite in nature? While I welcome the year-on-year drop in the numbers refused due to the increase in the household income threshold, I am still concerned about the number of applicants being refused due to a lack of documentation and, more generally, the number of refusals and grants not paid out. Mature students who are 23 or older have no choice, due to the housing crisis, but to live at home. They are being unfairly treated because they are being assessed on the basis of their parents' income, despite the fact that they are trying to live independently. What can be done about that?

SUSI operates an appeals process. It continues to refine its processes. I have asked it to do that. We ran advertisement campaigns last summer for the first time. I initiated that because some students were not aware of their eligibility for the grant. The income thresholds are now very high. They are up to €120,000 for certain grants, which was unheard of previously. Some families on middle incomes may not have been aware that they were eligible for grants. As a result, we ran advertising campaigns to make sure that they found out. In terms of the reasons students may not succeed in getting grants, sometimes they are in receipt of other State grants. For example, if a student is receiving the back to education allowance from the Department of Social Protection, he or she cannot be paid on the double. Another reason is if an applicant does not progress. If students get to a certain point and drop out of the course, fail exams or do not progress for various reasons, they obviously cannot get grants. In addition, grants are not awarded if the course selected is not eligible. There are various courses, some of which are outside the system and would not be eligible. Another reason for refusal is if students have been studying for beyond the maximum period. Students who have been studying for a number of years and have exceeded their allowable term will not be awarded SUSI grants. Likewise, those who are in receipt of scholarships or bursaries from somewhere else will not be awarded grants.

I have the figures in front of me. A total of 4,924 applicants were refused because they were over the income threshold. However, the means test applies to the previous year and does not take into account things like job losses, although I am aware that there is a fund for people to whom that happens. One of the main reasons for refusal is insufficient documentation to confirm eligibility. Within that, many applicants from the North are not able to access SUSI because they do not conform and do not have the right documentation. That is a big concern. A total of 5,373 applicants were in that bracket, up from 5,064. It is a big concern. What can be done for those applicants? I am particularly concerned about those trying to claim independence from their parents who cannot do so because their parents will not give them a letter because they are not talking to each other. It is a big concern.

I understand the issue the Deputy raises about mature students and returning emigrants. Deputy Roche has tabled a question on that matter to which I will respond to in more detail later. In terms of documentation, that is a difficult issue. I am sure the Deputy is not suggesting that we should give grants out without any application process or robust checks. It is taxpayer's money that we are talking about. The last question I answered was about the MySUSI project which went over budget and I am sure we would all agree that we need to get value for money and be prudent and robust when it comes to taxpayer's money. Obviously, certain documentation is required. If students are not providing it, that is a Catch-22 situation. They cannot really get their grant until they provide the documentation and I would not expect the system to work any other way, frankly. What we can do is provide guidance. We have online wizards and I intend to continue to improve and streamline that process and provide information earlier. As I mentioned, we ran advertisement campaigns last year in the various media to make sure students knew what they had to do and knew how to get the grant. The Deputy mentioned that some students miss out because of income. The income levels are now at €120,000. As a result, the children of Members of this House can now avail of SUSI grants. That was not the case historically. We have gone right into the squeezed middle and beyond to a situation where 80% of households are now eligible for some kind of SUSI grant. That is historic.