Social Welfare for Under 26

Jul 5, 2017

For the Government to set the rate for all people under the age 26s set at the minimum adult rate of €188 per week. The current social welfare rates for under 26 year olds (introduced in Budget 2014) is a financial penalty for unemployed graduates and youths in...

Counselling Services

Jul 5, 2017

For the Government to invest in third level mental health counselling and to ring-fence €3m for student counselling and supports per annum Ireland has some of the highest levels of participation in third-level education within the EU. The importance of promoting...

Mental Health Funding

Jul 5, 2017

For the Government to ring-fence funding of €37.5m annually and to put emphasis on local 24/7 crisis intervention services. USI calls on the Government to produce a detailed, time-lined action plan to continue the reform of mental health supports improving the mental...

Grants

Jul 5, 2017

Proposal: For the Government to commit to part-time and further education students receiving the same supports that would be available to full-time students in similar circumstances and make a hardship fund available for students who are studying part-time and in...

Student Assistance Fund

Jul 5, 2017

For the Government to begin the phased restoration of the SAF to €11m over the next three Budgets. USI welcomes the additional allocation of €1million in the Budget 2016, but it is clear that this figure does not meet the needs required of SAF in our HEIs and a phased...

Postgraduate Grants

Jul 5, 2017

For the Government to fully reinstate the postgraduate grant in Budget 2018. The postgraduate maintenance grant was abolished in Budget 2012 and replaced by a postgraduate fee contribution of between €2,000 and €6,270 depending on income with thresholds of €31,500 and...

Grant Adjacency Rates

Jul 5, 2017

For the Government to  reverse the decision taken in Budget 2011 and decrease the qualifying criteria for the non-adjacent rate of the grant from 45km to 24km. The current qualifying distance of 45km intends to take into account a reasonable distance which students...

Grants Thresholds

Jul 5, 2017

For the Government to commit to increasing the threshold and allocation given through the Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) grant scheme.  The DIT Campus Life survey details the on average the total cost to attend third level education in Dublin, with the total...

Support and Funding for Part-Time and Further Education Students

Jul 5, 2017

For the Government to commit to part-time and further education students receiving the same supports that would be available to full-time students in similar circumstances and make a hardship fund available for students who are studying part-time and in further...