Pleased to sign a Statutory Instrument today paving the way for a major expansion of access to Government grants for students. The paper I signed increases the number of part-time courses eligible for the SUSI grant scheme by over 40, from 64 to 111.

Working part-time is important for so many students, and I’m delighted to announce they can now earn more while they study – and still qualify for grant assistance – as I am increasing the earnings disregard to just under E8,500, from E7,925 to E8,424, for all students.

We know the cost of going to college can be very difficult for families and every year these costs have been increasing. This is why we have now expanded the SUSI scheme, significantly increasing the threshold to assist students and their families.

Undergraduate students whose reckonable income is under €115,000 may now be eligible for support.

Budget 2025 provided significant improvements to existing supports under the Student Grant Scheme, other improvements from September 2025 for eligible students will include:

· An increase in the income threshold to the special rate of grant from €26,200 to €27,400 in line with increases in social welfare rates;

· An increase in all other income thresholds by at least 15