It’s not too late to apply for a college grant, but do it now

FOR any student who has not already made an application to SUSI, and who wishes to do so, it is essential to begin the application process immediately.

Any application received at this point may experience some delays in processing, but, if a student feels they may qualify for this means-tested support, and are considering entering higher or further education, then it is time to get going.

Applications should be made even if a student has not fully decided if they will accept a place on a higher or further education course. A student who is eligible for a grant, may bring it with them if they choose to study abroad.

Potential applicants should first visit the eligibility reckoner on susi.ie, where they can enter personal information about nationality, income, education history, etc, and get an indication of whether or not they are likely to qualify for a grant.

Students who decide to go ahead with an application, should complete the process online at susi.ie, and ensure they provide accurate information.

Applicants should take care to check the PPS numbers of the whole family and enlist the help of a parent to avoid mistakes. Any error can cause frustrating delays to payments. Once the online application is complete,

susi.ie will notify applicants of any documentation they will be required to submit. It is essential that applicants collect and forward requested documents as soon as possible.

Once submitted, applications can be tracked online.

If applicants have questions or difficulties, at any stage in the application process, they should contact the SUSI helpdesk by phone, email, Facebook or Twitter. Opening hours are Monday to Friday, 9am-5.30pm.

A representative of SUSI will also be answering queries on the NPCpp Leaving Cert Helpline - 1800 265 165.

All applicants will be assessed on gross income, from all sources for the period January 1 2017 to December 31 2017. They will be assessed as either a ‘dependant’ or ‘independent’ applicant.

A ‘dependant’ applicant is assessed on the income of their parents or legal guardians while an ‘independent’ applicant is assessed on their own income and that of their spouse/civil partner or cohabitant.

The income threshold that is applied to a household differs depending on factors such as the number of children in the household, the number of those children currently attending college and type of courses the applicant intends to pursue, i.e. post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) course or undergraduate.

Income thresholds range from €23,500 to €64,700, the maximum being for a household with more than eight children and with at least one of them attending further or higher education.

Depending on income, the amount awarded may vary from 100pc maintenance and 100pc student contribution, to no maintenance and 50pc student fees contribution.