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Grants range from a grant of full maintenance and full fees to a grant of half fees only. The criteria for eligibility for a grant is set out in the Scheme.

Tuition fees are not payable in respect of approved courses in Britain or in other EU Member States. A grant may not be paid to candidates who already hold an undergraduate degree and are pursuing a second qualification at the same level. Once approved for the Scheme this authority issues payment of the successful candidate's maintenance grant in three equal instalments as early as possible in each of the three terms. Payment of fees is made upon receipt of an original invoice from the college addressed to this Authority. All payments are sent directly to the Registration/Fees office in the College.

Income Limits:

Reckonable Income Limits for the ordinary rates of grant+ for the period 1 January, 2009 to 31 December 2009 (the tax year 2009)

*Full Student Service Charge is paid where income is at or below this level.

+In the 2010/11 academic year where 2 or more children (or the candidate's parent) are pursuing a course of study listed below the reckonable income limits may be increased by €4,980 where there are 2 such children, €9,960 where there are 3 such children and so on, by increments of €4,980.

Maintenance Grant Rates 2010/2011:

Special Rate of Maintenance Grant

For the award of a special rate of maintenance grant in respect of the 2010/11 academic year, a candidates reckonable income (for the period 1 January, 2009 to 31 December 2009, the tax year 2009) shall not exceed: -

·   €22,703

o        net of Child Dependant Increase (C.D.I.) paid by the Department of Social and Family Affairs

o        net of standard exclusions (as set out in Clause 1 of this Scheme)

As at 31 December 2009, this reckonable income must include one of the social welfare payments listed below.

SOCIAL ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS

• Blind Person’s Pension
• Carer’s Allowance
• One Parent Family Payment
• Disability Allowance
• Farm Assist
• Jobseeker’s Allowance (where held for 391 days or more)
• State Pension (Non-Contributory)
• Guardian’s Payment (Non-Contributory)
• Pre-retirement allowance
• Widow’s/Widower’s (Non-Contributory) Pension

SOCIAL INSURANCE PAYMENTS

• Carer’s Benefit
• One Parent Family Payment
• Invalidity pension
• Incapacity Supplement
• Occupational Injuries Death Benefit (Orphan’s pension)
• Occupational Injuries Death Benefit (pension for a widow or widower)
• State Pension (Contributory)
• Guardian’s Payment (Contributory)
• Jobseeker’s Benefit (continuous for at least 12 months)
• Widow’s/Widower’s (Contributory) Pension
• State Pension (Transition)

FAMILY INCOME SUPPLEMENT (FIS)

DESIGNATED PROGRAMMES

• Back to Work Allowance (Employees)
• Back to Work Enterprise Allowance
• Community Employment Scheme
• Rural Social Scheme 
• FÁS Training Programmes, including Apprenticeships
• Part time job incentive scheme
• Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS)

OTHERS

• In receipt of payments under the Fáilte Ireland Skills Programme equivalent to a social welfare payment;
• In receipt of payments under the FIT (Fastrack to IT) initiative equivalent to a social welfare payment;
• Participants on a training course approved by a Government Department, State Agency or Area Partnership and who were in receipt of an eligible payment prior to progressing to the programme;
• Grant aided employees in social economy enterprises;
• In receipt of payments under the Senior Traveller Training Centre programmes.

Special Rate of Maintenance Grant 2010/11