Thousands fret over student grants


THOUSANDS of students still do not know if they will get higher education maintenance grants in the current academic year -- even though some have already finished their studies.

Startling new figures show that 3,436 applicants are still awaiting decisions by vocational education committees (VEC) on their grant applications.

The figures for the VECs are on top of the 1,960 applications that local authorities were still considering at the end of March.

The figures were described last night as "astonishing" by incoming Union of Students in Ireland president Gary Redmond, who said there were "horror" stories this year of vulnerable students who were in serious hardship because of delays in getting their grants.

He said UCD lectures had already finished for most.

The Department of Education and Science said there was a 30pc increase in applications for grants this year -- up from 43,267 at the end of January 2009 to 55,833 at the end of January this year.

The means-tested grants are worth up to €3,250 a year, depending on family income.

A spokesman said many of the applications awaiting decisions were late applications and documentation was pending.

Delays

However, other sources pointed out that the delays were also caused by the ban on staff recruitment and by the go-slow by the unions involved.

Education Minister Mary Coughlan, who has promised a more efficient system, said a number of improvements were being made to ensure that students get their grants on time for the coming academic year. These include:

  • New more user-friendly grant application form for 2010/11.
  • Downloadable student grant application form.
  • New payments process, including advance payments to awarding authorities.

The Tanaiste confirmed that income limits to qualify for maintenance grants and payment of the student services charge were to remain unchanged, despite the downward trend in average earnings.

Details of the schemes and application forms will be available on www.studentfinance.ie.

- John Walshe

Irish Independent