About 60,000 students in line for increased grants starting from this week

About 60,000 third-level students are in line for increased grants as changes to the sums on offer kick in from this week.

Some college students will get up to €342 in extra funding between now and May, according to Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris.

He also highlighted how maintenance grants for post-graduate students are to return for the first time in 13 years.

He also said there is a need to look at how cost-of-living measures brought in by the Government for third-level students could be “potentially be made more permanent reductions as we go forward”.

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However, he added: “There’s a long way to go before the next budget.”

Mr Harris said he is “very aware that the cost of college is significant for many families across Ireland”, adding that this is why college fees were reduced by at least €1,000 for about 100,000 people in the last budget.

Mr Harris said that people in receipt of student grants will start to see an increase.

“For some that can mean a total of €342 between now and May and a total increase of €615 in their grant rate for the year.

“For others, it will see the return of post-graduate maintenance grants at all levels for the first time since the economic crash.”

He said this will “put €2,384 into the pocket of those postgrads who will become eligible for the highest rate of increase between now and May”.

Mr Harris also announced a once-off increase to the Student Assistance Fund of €1,476,541, bringing the total investment to more than €19 million.

This fund is designed to support students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds with ongoing needs for financial support and provide emergency financial assistance for other students.

Mr Harris also encouraged parents who pay for rental accommodation for their college-going children to avail of the €750 renter’s tax credit.

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