Postgraduate Grants

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 €22,703 respectively. Investing in National Ambition: A strategy for funding higher education stated “The removal of maintenance supports for postgraduate students is of particular concern and there is a real risk that some socio-economic groups could be locked out of a range of professions such as teaching as a result.”

The programme for a Partnership Government contained a commitment “to increase support for postgraduates with a particular focus on those from low income households.” USI welcome the introduction of the full maintenance grant worth almost €6,000 from September 2017 for 1,100 postgraduate students in the lowest income category. However, USI call on the Government to fully reinstate postgraduate grants to all those who would be eligible for a postgraduate grant in Budget 2018.

  • Costing: €53 million
  • Responsibility: The Department for Education and Skills, The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform