Minister Harris announces student maintenance grant increases

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation, and Science Simon Harris has announced that college maintenance grants for third-level students will increase from today.

The changes, which were agreed upon as part of Budget 2023, will see the Special and Band 1 maintenance grant rates increase by 14%, and all other maintenance grant rates by 10%. Students will see their rates increase proportionally, with students in the 2023/2024 academic year seeing the full benefit of the rate increase.

From January 2, students in receipt of the special rate of maintenance will receive an extra €476 between January and May if they are on the non-adjacent rate. This is when their college is more than 30km away from their normal residency. Students on the special rate grant will receive an extra €201 if they are on the adjacent rate.

Those on the standard full maintenance band one will receive an extra €251 (non-adjacent) or €110 (adjacent rate), while those on band two of the part maintenance grant will benefit by an extra €137 (non-adjacent) or €62 (adjacent).

Grant recipients eligible to receive band three of the part maintenance grant will receive an extra €96 (non-adjacent) or €45 (adjacent) between now and May, while those in band four will receive €53 (non-adjacent) or €28 (adjacent).

The increases will be broken down over five payments between January and May.

Speaking today, Minister Harris said: “The student maintenance grant is incredibly important for thousands of students and their families across the country.

“But we also recognised that it needed to be improved to help with the challenges of inflationary pressures and a cost of living crisis.

“That’s why I’m delighted to announce that effective from today the student maintenance grant rates will increase by between 10 and 14%.”

The increases come on top of other measures introduced to help students as part of Budget 2023.

In December, eligible PLC, undergraduate and postgraduate students who receive the Special Rate of the grant were paid the equivalent of one extra monthly maintenance grant payment.

The undergraduate student contribution fee for eligible higher education students was also reduced by €1,000 for this academic year.

Minister Harris added: “It is my job as Minister to ensure every person, regardless of their background, has the same opportunity to access further and higher education.

“That is why we reduced the contribution fee by €1,000 for all undergraduate students eligible for free fees, and effective from today we are increasing all student maintenance grant payments by at least 10 percent. It is why the government reduced public transport fees too.

“I know the cost of education remains a challenge for many in this country, but I am determined to continue introducing measures to ensure no one is left behind because they can’t afford to follow their educational goals.”

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