Student Universal Support Ireland, the national student grant awarding body, is urging students who have yet to submit their applications for student grant funding for the 2016/17 academic year to do so ASAP. The deadline for applications is this Friday, July 8th.
SUSI is currently in its fifth year of operations and opened its 2016/17 online application system, for new and renewal student grants, on April 5th. This was almost three weeks earlier than in 2015/16, and to-date SUSI has received 70,000 applications.
Graham Doyle, Head of Communications & Customer Service with SUSI, has the following message for students: “We are expecting to receive approximately 110,000 applications for the 2016/17 academic year. We have received 70,000 applications to-date and we would urge students to apply before the deadline of July 8th to ensure that their applications receive priority”.
The national awarding authority has already awarded grants to 37,000 students for 2016/17, including almost 8,000 new students, the first time that such applications have been awarded so early. Mr. Doyle added: “We have changed our process this year and are awarding new applicants earlier than ever before. In previous years, Leaving Certificate students had to wait until they received their Leaving Certificate results and CAO offers late in August before we could award them. However, this year, based on learning from previous years, we are awarding students to the courses that they have identified in their applications to us, as soon as possible. We have already awarded almost 8,000 such students which is great news.
Grant eligibility reckoner
I would encourage students who are thinking of applying for a student grant to visit our website www.susi.ie where they can review information about the eligibility criteria for student grant funding. In particular, they should use our online ‘grant eligibility reckoner’ where they can quickly, and easily, self-assess whether they may/may not be entitled to a student grant.”
Students are also encouraged to use their own SUSI ‘online application trackers’, where they can track the progress of their applications and confirm that documentation has been received without having to contact SUSI directly.
Local assistance
Michael Fitzmaurice TD has offered the services of his constituency staff to Students experiencing difficulties with their application. Deputy Fitzmaurice said “Anyone who is having difficulty with the application process or who has any problems in connection with the paperwork please contact my constituency office for assistance. The number is 090-6628479”