Question to the Minister for Education and Skills (Jan O’Sullivan, TD)
To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there are grants or other forms of financial assistance available to help persons meet the costs of part-time study; and if she will make a statement on the matter. – Jerry Buttimer
For WRITTEN ANSWER on Tuesday, 20 January 2015.
REPLY
Tax relief is available in respect of fees for part-time courses. Students can contact the Revenue Commissioners for details or go on line at www.revenue.ie. Full details of this relief are available from the Revenue Commissioners.
Under the Student Grant Scheme, an approved course is defined as a full-time undergraduate course of at least two years duration or a full-time postgraduate course of not less than one year duration pursued in an approved institution. In order to be considered for a grant a student is required, under Section 8 (1) (b) of the Student Support Act 2011, to be pursuing a full-time course.
There are no plans at present to extend the scope of the student grant scheme to part-time courses, in the State or in another EU Member State.