THE student grant application process is now open for the 2021/22 academic year.
The priority application dates are Thursday June 10th for grant renewal applications and Thursday July 8th for new grant applications.
If you did not receive a student grant from Susi in the 2020/21 academic year, you will need to make a new grant application if you meet the criteria this year.
You can make a new application or renew your grant by logging onto Student Universal Support Ireland website (www.susi.ie). You can also access your 2021/2022 application though the website.
Students should submit their applications as early as possible. You will need your Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) and an email address and phone number to apply online. There is an application tracker in the online system to check the progress of applications at any stage.
To facilitate in the completion of the grant form, the following information will be required:
Your CAO or UCAS number (if you have one),
PPSN numbers for yourself, your parent(s)/legal guardian(s), spouse, civil partner or cohabitant, as applicable,
Income details for 2020 for yourself (if any), your parent(s)/legal guardian(s), spouse, civil partner or cohabitant, as applicable.
The application form comprises the following six sections:
Section A – Personal details (of applicant);
Section B – Nationality & Residency (of applicant);
Section C – Course details, previous education and other sources of financial support (of Applicant);
Section D – Personal details (of parent(s)/legal guardian(s), spouse, civil partner or cohabitant, as applicable);
Section E – Dependent children and relevant persons (of the household);
Section F – Income (of Applicant, parent(s)/legal guardian(s), spouse, civil partner or cohabitant, as applicable).
The following information is required when calculating your reckonable income:
Gross income earned in 2020, including any benefits-in-kind, from all Irish and foreign employments;
Social welfare income other than child benefit;
Self employment income(losses), including farming income (losses) earned at any time during 2020, (there are adjustments for capital interest paid, family wages etc.);
All rental income earned (after allowable expenses);
The gross amount of all interest or income earned from savings, deposit accounts and personal loans made by you and any investments (stocks, shares, bonds, securities and dividends) in 2020;
Income from maintenance payments;
Lump sum payment received during 2020 from retirement or redundancy;
Income from disposal of assets and rights;
Gifts or inheritances.
The reckonable income limits are increased to take account of the number of dependant children.
The limit can also be adjusted depending on the number of persons within the household who are attending a full-time course of study in further or higher education, in accordance with the Student Grant Scheme.
A deduction can be made for holiday earnings earned outside term time for an applicant who was in education and also employed during the previous year (two weeks at Christmas, two weeks at Easter and 12 weeks during the summer, June-August, are normally allowed, holiday pay earned outside these periods maybe allowed by the grant awarding authority on receipt of a letter from the school/college confirming the exact dates of term).
Some students may have received the pandemic unemployment payment during the summer months of 2020.This income has to be included as reckonable income unlike wages earned in the same period which would normally be disregarded for grant purposes.
Income limits for maintenance grant and full fee grant
The family income limits for eligibility for a maintenance grant in 2021-2022 are set out below. These income limits are applied after your means are assessed.
A partial fee grant can also be granted, this grant can be 50% tuition fees and 100% student contribution of 50% student contribution. Grants amounts vary depending on the distance from the college over 45kms and under 45kms.
If you have any queries regarding any of the above contact FDC’s Ann Marie Hurley, Patrick’s Quay, Bandon, -023 8841744 or email [email protected].
