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Each full-time tertiary student is entitled to a state payment of € 250 in the current academic year following the agreement on a Covid-related assistance fund of € 50 million.
Divided among the 200,000 full-time third-level students, the 50 million euros equals 250 euros each.
Final decisions on how to allocate the money have yet to be made, but discussions center on a supplement for SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) scholars and a partial refund of fees for all other students.
It is part of a larger package of supports for higher and higher education announced in today’s budget. General aid for the higher education sector is around 200 million euros higher than last year.
With the pandemic expected to trigger more graduate studies, there is also support for students seeking master’s degrees and other higher qualifications.
Tuition scholarships for postgraduate students will increase from € 2,000 to € 3,500 in September 2021 and the entry fee threshold to qualify for the scholarships will increase from € 31,500 to € 54,240.
Graduate students suffered greatly in the financial crisis of a decade ago, when support from the state was drastically reduced, and this is the first significant step in improving their position.
Approximately 200 most disadvantaged students will benefit from an additional € 1.5 million in the 1916 Scholarship Fund, which was created to encourage the participation of sectors of society that are significantly under-represented in higher education.
The Budget also takes into account the need for more spaces for students next year, as a result of the impact of Covid on those who drop out of school.
All the places created this year will be maintained, and an additional 2,700 will also be created to meet the demand in 2021. It also foresees the additional need for SUSI scholarships with an additional 20 million euros to support support for another 4,000 students.
There is also € 8 million for the state training and higher education agency Solas to support community learning among disadvantaged educational groups, while the July stimulus package will also be boosted to support more training places.
A € 3,000 incentive for employers to hire apprentices will be extended until the end of June. Almost 1,000 employers have already taken advantage of it.
The package also includes 15 million euros for a higher education minor works plan.
Online editors
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