STUDENT GRANT SCHEME 2015/16
Information for students who have applied for the Student Grant Scheme for 2015/16.
The Student Grant Scheme is the main financial support available for eligible students attending fulltime programmes at UCD. It is overseen by the Department of Education and Skills and is
administered by SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland), local authorities and Education and
Training Boards (ETBs). Since May 2012 all new applicants to the Scheme apply to SUSIonly.
The closing date for students renewing their applications to SUSI is 13 June 2015 and for new
applications it is 1 August 2015. Students who were in receipt of the Scheme prior to 2012-2013
remain with their original grant awarding body if they are on the same programme.
It is the students responsibility to ensure that your grant application, whether renewal or first time,
is complete and fully submitted to your respective grant awarding body within the deadline.
Further details on the Student Grant Scheme, including how to check eligibility and how to apply, are
available here;
Student Universal Support Ireland
Student Finance
The Grant Process - How it works
New Students: The Grant Process - how it works for SUSI Grant Holders
This section applies to first time SUSI applicants and returning applicants who have re-applied to
SUSI to renew a grant. (If you are already in receipt of a Student Grant from a Local Authority or ETB
please see the section below).
If you have been offered a place in UCD and have applied to SUSI for a grant you will be asked to
input your 13 digit SUSI application code in the Personal details section of the registration process
when you go online to register.
If you are a SUSI Grant Holder you do not need to notify UCD of your grant approval status. SUSI will
notify UCD directly if you are eligible for a grant, whether first-time or renewal.
If your SUSI grant application is approved SUSI will notify UCD which will allow Administrative
Services to credit your account for the approved amount. An invoice for those fees will then be
issued to SUSI for payment.
When SUSI has paid this fee to UCD, and where a refund may be due (for example, if you have
already paid some or all of your fees), this will be automatically processed.
Continuing Students: The Grant Process - how it works for Student Grant Scheme
If you are renewing a Student Grant from a Local Authority or ETB you should submit any grant
award letters to theStudent Desk in the Tierney Building.
Administrative Services credits your account for the amount shown on the grant approval letter and
sends an invoice to the Local Authority or ETB for payment.
If the grant includes a maintenance payment this will be paid either directly to your bank account
from your grant awarding body or by cheque, sent to UCD and issued by the Student Desk in the
Tierney Building. If you receive maintenance by cheque you will be notified by e mail when it is ready
to be collected. Emails will be sent to your UCD Connect account.
Maintenance cheques will not be posted to you unless you are on official ERASMUS or on placement
away from UCD. Written confirmation of this is required from the programme director.
Maintenance cheques must be collected by you in person. You must hold a valid UCard.
Entitlement to a Grant
For further information about entitlement to a SUSI Grant or a Student Grant, rates of grants and
Grants Means Testing please check the Student Finance website or SUSI.
Notification to the University of Grant Entitlement
If you are a SUSI grant applicant you will not need to notify UCD of your grant approval status. SUSI
will notify UCD directly. However, if you have been offered a place in UCD and have applied to SUSI
for a grant you will be asked for your 13 digit Alpha numeric SUSI number in the Personal details
section of the registration process when you go online to register.
If you are a continuing UCD student who is in receipt of a student grant from your local authority or
ETB you should submit official notification from your grant issuing body of the grant renewal to the
Student Desk, Ground Floor, Tierney Building, Belfield, UCD, Dublin 4.
What must I pay?
Please note that the Student Grant Scheme does not cover the Student Centre Levy of €247 and all
students are liable for this amount. Also, depending on the rate of grant awarded, it may not cover
the full Student Contribution Charge for undergraduates , tuition fees for graduate students or other
fees not covered under the Student Grant Scheme.
As an incoming student registering to a full-time undergraduate programme who has made an
application for the Student Grant Scheme and whose tuition fees are fully covered by the Free Fees
Initiative you should pay a minimum of one third of the Student Centre Levy by 7 September 2015.
The remaining two thirds of the Student Centre Levy should be paid by 31 January 2016. The Student
Centre Levy for 2015-2016 is €247.
As a continuing undergraduate student whose tuition fees are fully covered by the Free Fees
Initiative and is in receipt of an existing grant through S.U.S.I., local authority or ETB you should pay
a minimum of one third of the Student Centre Levy and Debt Carry Over (if applicable) by 8
September 2015. The remaining two thirds of the Student Centre Levy and Debt Carry over are due
in full by 31 January 2016.
Further information about Student Contribution Charge and the Student Centre Levy.
For 2015-2016 a graduate student with Student Grant funding on a programme of two
semesters should pay a minimum of half the Student Centre Levy plus half of any other fees and
charges not covered by the grant by 7 September 2015 with the balance of charges due by 31
January 2016.
For 2015-2016 a graduate student with Student Grant funding on a programme of three
semesters should pay a minimum of one third of the Student Centre Levy plus one third of any other
fees and charges not covered by the grant on the following dates: 7 September 2015, 18 January
2016 and 17 May 2016.
If you are registering to full-time graduate programmes and have already paid a deposit towards
your fees and have registering for a programme where the total tuition fee will be paid by The
Student Grant you need not pay the Student Centre levy as the deposit will cover this payment.
Refunds – Student Grant Holders
If you are due a refund of fees paid due to your approval for The Student Grant it will be processed
only after UCD has received the fee from the relevant grant-awarding body. Where a payment has
been made by a credit or debit card it will be rebated online*, otherwise a cheque will be sent to
your registered home address.
The main changes to the 2015 Student Grant Scheme are as follows:
Payments included as “income disregards”
The following are included as income disregards when calculating reckonable income for the
purposes of the 2015/16 Student Grant Scheme:
·
Department of Education and Skills Third Level Bursary Scheme,
·
Exceptional Needs Payments,
·
Household Benefits Package,
·
Housing Assistance Payment,
·
Independent Living Allowance for Young People in Residential Care,
·
Jobseekers Allowance Transition (where paid to the applicant),
·
Mortgage Interest Supplement,
·
Rent Supplement,
·
Water Conservation Grant.
Eligible payments for the special rate of grant
The following are now included as eligible payments for the special rate of grant:
·
Jobseekers Allowance Transition – This change will enable one-parent families affected by the
Department of Social Protection changes to the One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) scheme, to retain
their current entitlement to student grants.
·
Independent Living Allowance for Young People in Residential Care - The inclusion of this
payment reflects the treatment of allowances in respect of young people in foster care.
Student Contribution
Although the student contribution is being increased by €250 to €3,000 for the 2015/16 academic
year, undergraduate students who qualify for the grant will continue to have the student
contribution paid on their behalf.