New Grant application facility for 2012: SUSI

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Student Finance has info on the new grant application facility for 2012:

http://www.studentfinance.ie/mp9540/new-grant-applications-for-2012-13/index.html

All new grant applicants will apply via the website and grant payments will be made monthly into a designated bank account.

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The new grant awarding agency SUSI has sent out some interim info for anyone who is interested:

The “SUSI Support” desk, to take email enquiries at support@susi.cdvec.ie and telephone queries on 0761 08 7874, will be available to students/ potential students from March and will be available late evenings and Saturdays when the online application system is launched in May.

I would like to draw your attention to a short Q&A published on www.studentfinance.ie which may be of assistance in responding to local enquiries.

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I've put together an information sheet giving some info on the grant for 2012: It might come in useful.

Grants for Education 2012

From Sept 2012 a new agency, Student Universal Support Ireland will take over the awarding of all new grants. Application to SUSI is online from www.studentfinance.ie and will be open in May 2012.
You can contact SUSI on 0761 08 7874 or email them at support@susi.cdvec.ie

Reckonable Income limits for the Maintenance & Fee Grants 2012.

Types of Grant: Grants can cover fulltime third level and FETAC 5/6 courses.

Maintenance grants are payments to students to cover the costs of participating in education. From September 2012 they will be made on a pro-rata monthly basis directly into a students bank account.
Fee grants are a once-off payment of €2,500 (from Sept 2012) paid on behalf of an eligible student directly to the college to cover the student registration charge. Fee grants can, in some cases cover other charges associated with education at the discretion of SUSI.

Family income limits
The means test for a maintenance or fee grant in 2012/2013 is based on your family's income for the previous full tax year (2011). The income limits for a maintenance grant are set out below.

Number of Dependent Children Full Maintenance Part Maintenance (75%) Part Maintenance (50%) Part Maintenance (25%) Exempt from student contribution *Exempt from 50% student contribution
Less than 4 €41,110 €42,235 €44,720 €47,205 €51,380 €55,920
4 to 7 €45,165 €46,415 €49,145 €51,880 €56,460 €61,440
8 or more €49,045 €50,400 €53,360 €56,320 €61,295 €66,700
* Full student contribution is paid where income is at or below this level.

Other family members in college: The income limits are increased if more than one family member is in college. See www.studentfinance.ie for more details.

Application Process: Students will apply online to SUSI giving details of their circumstances. SUSI will make an initial assessment of eligibility and will contact the student for documentation to support their claim.

Documentation required for the grant can include:
• Birth Cert.
• Residency & Proof of Address.
• DSP (Social Welfare) or HSE cert of income for the previous tax year.
• P60, P45, P21 PAYE Balancing Statement.
• Pension entitlement info
• Income from employment including self –employment
• Details of pension or redundancy lump sums.
• Gifts, Inheritances, Income from Land or other property.
• Any other source of income

Rates of Grant
Non-Adjacent Rate Adjacent Rate
Full Maintenance €3,025 €1,215
Part Maintenance (75%) €2,270 €940
Part Maintenance (50%) €1,515 €605
Part Maintenance (25%) €755 €315


The non adjacent rate is only paid to students whose chosen course is more than 45km from their normal residence. This applies to all students including mature students.

Special Rate of Maintenance Grant
Disadvantaged students who meet a number of conditions can qualify for special rates of the maintenance grant.
Special Rate of Grant Total Grant
Non-Adjacent €5,915
Adjacent €2,377

In order to be eligible for these ‘top-up’ rates, your reckonable income must be at or below a certain limit, (in 2011 the limit was €22,703), and must also include at least one of a range of social welfare payments including Jobseekers Allowance, Jobseekers Benefit and One-Parent Family Payment. Disability payments may also be included.

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And for post grad students:

Changes in Budget 2012- Post grad funding
No maintenance grants will be paid for new entrants on postgraduate courses from the 2012-13 academic year. Fee grants (described below) will continue to be paid for those postgraduate students who would previously have qualified for the special rate of grant.
In addition, based on their means, a further 4,000 postgraduate students will get a €2,000 fee contribution grant. The income threshold for this payment (which will be lower than the standard grant threshold) has not yet been determined.
Fee grants
A fee grant can cover any of the following 3 elements:
• All or part of the student contribution
• Costs of essential field trips
• All or part of a student’s tuition fees (but not if covered by the Free Fees Scheme)

More information is available from:
Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI)
Tel: 0761 08 7874
Email: support@susi.cdvec.ie

Higher Education Equity of Access
Department of Education and Skills
Portlaoise Road
Tullamore
Co. Offaly
Ireland
Tel:+353 (0)57 9325317
Fax:+353 (0)57 9325435
Homepage: http://www.education.ie/

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A video information tutorial on completing the new SUSI online application is now available on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/susisupport/app_352257601489477

john 08

hi paperclip. i have been on job seekers benefits for over the past year. what documents should i get to show my years income and where do i go about getting it ?? any info would be greatly appreciated. thank you.

Fatboydim

ask your SWLO to give you a statement of payments for 2011.

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What FBD said.

Call into your local DSP office and ask them for a cert detailing what you received in 2011. If you were employed at any point in 2011 you will also need to provide documentary evidence of income from this. A P21 balancing statement, P60 or P45 is usually required.

blondiexox

john 08 wrote: »

hi paperclip. i have been on job seekers benefits for over the past year. what documents should i get to show my years income and where do i go about getting it ?? any info would be greatly appreciated. thank you.

Hi, you can request this form online now.

https://www.welfare.ie/EN/ContactUs/Pages/jajbstatement.aspx

Hope this helps.

john 08

thanx for the replies. i filled out the online form.