INISHOWEN Ógra Fianna
Fáil has called for an end to the hardship caused by
the late payment of higher education grants.
Currently, the grant application process takes place
in August and September. But Ógra says this gives
Donegal County Council or the Vocational Education
Committee very little time to process the
applications.
The local youth wing of Fianna Fáil says this leads
to some cash-strapped students having to pay their
college registration fees and accommodation deposits
up front.
“At a time when college students are stressed trying
to organise accommodation for college and especially
for those who are embarking on their first year of
college with all the pressure that brings, financial
worries shouldn’t be added to the burden,
particularly when they are entitled to a maintenance
grant," said Inishowen Ógra sectretary Kevin Kelly.
“Our proposal is that the process should be started
in February, in conjunction with the CAO application
process. Instead of having a disjointed system where
students have to apply for college in February and
then apply for the maintenance grant in August, we
could have a system where the forms for the
maintenance grant are sent out alongside the CAO
application forms.
"As the means test is based on the previous year’s
income, all the relevant documentation should be
available for a February application."
One of the reasons for the August date is to ensure
that any change in circumstances is taken into
account when eligibility for the maintenance grant
is being determined. But Ógra says this would be
easily solved with a Change of Circumstances form.
Ógra recently met with the Fianna Fáil Seanad
spokesperson on Education and Science, Senator
Cecilia Keaveney to discuss their proposals.
Senator Cecilia Keaveney said: “I believe it is
vital that we do all we can to ensure our young
people can go to college confident that they will
not have to bear a large financial burden." |
