Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless has welcomed a significant increase in applications to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) following the expansion of eligibility criteria under Budget 2025. He strongly encourages students and their families to visit susi.ie to determine their grant eligibility.
Over 7,500 more applications have been received so far this year compared with the same period in 2024, putting SUSI on course for close to 110,000 grant submissions. Undergraduate students from households with reckonable income below €115,000 may now qualify for financial support under the revised thresholds.
Budget 2025 introduced a range of enhancements to the Student Grant Scheme, including:
- Raising the special rate maintenance grant threshold from €26,200 to €27,400.
- Increasing all other maintenance and student contribution thresholds by 15%.
- Boosting the income deduction for student earnings outside term time from €7,925 to €8,424 for 2025/26.
- Expanding eligibility to certain immigration permissions, such as those under the Regularisation Scheme and parents of Irish-born children.
- Upping the income thresholds for the Postgraduate Fee Contribution and Part-Time Fee Scheme to €64,315.
In the 2023/24 academic year, approximately 65,500 students had their Student Contribution paid in full or in part through SUSI. Recent budgets have significantly increased maintenance grant rates and income thresholds, alongside targeted supports for apprentices, postgraduates and vulnerable groups. The Free Fees Initiative continues to cover tuition for over 140,000 students annually without means testing.
“I’m delighted to see an increase in student applications this year,” Minister Lawless said. “These changes are about making education more accessible and helping students pursue their educational ambitions. SUSI will continue to take applications for support up to November, and I would strongly urge students and parents to visit www.susi.ie for further information.”
Students planning to attend further or higher education in the 2025/26 academic year should check susi.ie to see if they are eligible and to submit their applications before the November deadline.
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