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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.

Reckonable income limits:

The period 1^st January 2010 to 31 December 2010 is the reference period for the academic year 2011/2012

The income limits that apply to tuition students relate to the fee elements only.

A tuition student does not qualify for any maintenance grant.

* To be eligible for the special rate of maintenance an applicant’s reckonable income on 31st December 2010 must include an eligible payment listed in Schedule 2

** Increments which may be applied to the relevant income limits.

Maintenance Grant Rates 2011/2012:

Special Rate of Maintenance Grant

For the award of a special rate of maintenance grant in respect of the 2011/12 academic year, a candidates reckonable income (for the period 1 January, 2010 to 31 December 2010, the tax year 2010) shall not exceed: -

·   €22,703

o        income disregards (as set out in article 21 (4) of this Scheme)

o        Child Dependant Increase (C.D.I.), where paid by the Department of Social Protection

As at 31 December 2010, 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
• Deserted Wife's Allowance
• 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 or Surviving Civil Partners (Non-Contributory) Pension

SOCIAL INSURANCE PAYMENTS

• Carer’s Benefit
• One Parent Family Payment
• Deserted Wife's Benefit
• 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 or Surviving Civil Partners (Contributory) Pension
• State Pension (Transition)

DESIGNATED PROGRAMMES

• Back to Education Allowance
• 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

• Family Income Supplement (FIS)
• 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.