Higher Education Grants
Meath County Council & Administration of the Department of Education and Science Higher Education Grant Scheme
Meath County Council administers the Department of Education and Science Higher Education Grant Scheme at local level.
You can apply for the Higher Education Grants Scheme if you are a student undertaking an approved full-time undergraduate course of at least two years in duration or a full-time postgraduate course. You must satisfy criteria determined by the Department of Education & Science in order to qualify for the grant. This includes academic attainment and a means test.
Budget 2011: Changes Affecting Rates of Grants Awarded
Please download the following document for information on changes announced in Budget 2011 affecting rates of grants awarded: Budget 2011: Changes to Rates of Grants
What You Need to Know
- How to Apply
- How the Scheme Operates
- Criteria to Apply
- Supporting Documentation
- Income Limits
- Rates of Grant
- Distance Checker
- Grant Office Contact Details
You need to complete a grant application form and return it to us. Applications must be received by 28th October 2011.
New students can also apply online. The Higher Education Grant application form and notes will be available online shortly at: Student Finance: Grant Application Forms
New Students
Students who are applying for a Grant for the first time need to complete a grant application form and return it to us. Application forms can be downloaded by clicking the following link: Student Grant Application Form 2011/ 2012 .
New students may also apply for the grant online.
Application forms, guidance notes including details on how to apply for a grant online are available on www.studentfinance.ie
Completed applications must be received by 28th October 2011
Existing Students:
Students Renewing their Higher Education Grant
Please click on the following link to download your Student Grant Review Form 2011 - 2012
For further information please visit www.studentfinance.ie or see below.
How the Scheme operates:
Please note that County Meath VEC administers the following Schemes on behalf of the Department of Education & Science. The Meath VEC offices are located at Abbey Road, Navan, Co Meath. Telephone No 046/9021447
- VEC Scholarship Scheme - for Honours Degree Courses
- TLT Maintenance Grant Scheme for Trainees - for higher Certificate and Ordinary Degree Level Courses
- PLC Scheme - for approved Level 5/6 courses in PLC Colleges - students cannot be grant aided for attending Degree Courses in PLC Colleges.
Criteria to Apply for Academic Year 2011
Please be advised that criteria is determined nationally by the Department of Education & Science
- Students and Parents must be Resident in County Meath from 1st October 2010
- Be at least 17 years of age on or before 1st January 2011 and in the case of the Post Leaving Cert Scheme be at least 16 years of age on commencement of the course - LONG ORIGINAL BIRTH CERTIFICATES FOR STUDENTS MUST BE SUPPLIED
- Must secure a place on an approved full-time course
- Must hold E.U. nationality - refer to Nationality Clause of the Schemes for other requirements.
Criteria to be made eligible
Means Tested - Income:
- Must conform to income limits set out by Department of Education & Science
- Total gross income of the student and Parents/Guardians for the financial year 2010 - 1st January to 31st December 2010. (We need to see income for full 52 weeks. )
Supporting Documentation
Main categories:
- PAYE earners
- Social Welfare income
- Self-employed people
For PAYE Earners please view the following document:
No Need to Contact Revenue for your P21!
Income Documents Required:
PAYE:
- P60 for parents/applicants for all employments from employers showing number of weeks - we need to see 52 weeks of income for 2010.
- P21 from Revenue Commissioners - (leaflets available on how to apply on-line)
- P45 from employer if employment ceased
Social Welfare & HSE Payments
- Statement from Social Welfare confirming the type of payment parents/students were in receipt of for year ended 2010, showing personal rate, adult dependent rate and CDA. (This can take up to 6 weeks)
- Letter from HSE if they were in receipt of Supplementary Welfare Allowance or Rent Allowance for year ended 31/12/2010. (This can take up to 6 weeks)
Self-Employed
- Certified Accounts for each business including Rental Income, Adjusted Profit & Loss Account, Balance Sheet, Capital Account for any 12 month period ending between 1/1/2010 and 31/12/2010
- Notice of Assessment from Revenue Commissioners for year ending 31/12 2010
Other Income
- Statements from relevant Institutions re: Investments, Interest, Dividends, SSIA Interest and Government share received for year ended 31/12/2010
- Where parents are separated we need to see: Maintenance/Separation/Divorce Decree and proof of maintenance payments received in 2010 or sworn Affidavit before Commission for Oaths
Income Limits
Income Limits for Standard Grant - 2011
Reckonable Income Limits for maintenance and fee grants for the2011/12
academic year
The period 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2010 is the reference period for the academic year 2011/12.
The income limits that apply to tuition students relate to the fee elements only. A tuition student does not qualify for any maintenance grant.
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Income limits for Maintenance and Fee grants — Table A |
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To qualify for: Number of dependent children: |
Maintenance: Special Rate* Fee elements: 100% Tuition Fees 100% Student Contribution Field Trip |
Maintenance: 100% Standard Rate Fee elements: 100% Tuition Fees 100% Student Contribution Field Trip |
Maintenance: 75% Standard Rate Fee elements: 100% Tuition Fees 100% Student Contribution Field Trip |
Maintenance: 50% Standard Rate Fee elements: 100% Tuition Fees 100% Student Contribution Field Trip |
Maintenance: 25% Standard Rate Fee elements: 100% Tuition Fees 100% Student Contribution Field Trip |
Maintenance: Not payable Fee elements: 50% Tuition Fees 100% Student Contribution Field Trip — Not payable |
Maintenance: Not payable Fee elements: Tuition Fees Not payable 50% Student Contribution Field Trip — Not payable |
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Less than 4 |
€22,703 |
€41,110 |
€42,235 |
€44,720 |
€47,205 |
€51,380 |
€55,920 |
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4—7 |
€22,703 |
€45,165 |
€46,415 |
€49,145 |
€51,880 |
€56,460 |
€61,440 |
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8 or more |
€22,703 |
€49,045 |
€50,400 |
€53,360 |
€56,320 |
€61,295 |
€66,700 |
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Additional increments that may be applied to the income limits in Table A for Maintenance & Fee Grants — Table B ** |
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+ increment for each additional relevant person |
€0 |
+€4,980 |
+€4,815 |
+€4,815 |
+€4,815 |
+€4,980 |
+€4,980 |
* To be eligible for the special rate of maintenance an applicant’s reckonable income on 31 December 2010 must include an eligible payment listed in Schedule 2
** Increments which may be applied to the relevant income limits:
In the 2011/12 academic year, where the applicant plus one or more relevant persons are attending an approved course for the purposes of this Scheme or a full-time course of at least one year’s duration in further or higher education and training in the State or any other Member State leading to a major award at Levels 5 to 10, of the framework of qualifycations or to an equivalent qualifycation made by a recognised awarding body in the State or in another Member State, the reckonable income limits for each of the rates of grant in Table A may be increased by an additional increment as identified in Table B.
Holiday Earnings:
An allowance of €3,809, in respect of income earned in the reference period but outside of the approved institution's term time, is deductible from the applicant's earnings.
Rates of Maintenance Grant
The rates of the maintenance grant for 2011/2012 are:
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Rates |
Non-Adjacent Rate |
Adjacent Rate |
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Special Rate maintenance |
6,100 euro |
2,445 euro |
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Full maintenance (100%) |
3,120 euro |
1,250 euro |
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Part maintenance (75%) |
2,340 euro |
940 euro |
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Part maintenance (50%) |
1,560 euro |
625 euro |
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Part maintenance (25%) |
780 euro |
315 euro |
The adjacent rate of maintenance grant is payable where the student lives 45 kms (28 miles) or less from the college he/she plans to attend. The non-adjacent rate applies to everyone else. To check the distance from your place of residence to the college you plan to attend, please visit http://www.meathcocosystems.ie/heg
Special Rate of Maintenance Grant
To be eligible for a Top-Up Grant, Parents/Guardians/Mature Students must have been in receipt of an eligible Social Welfare Payment at 31/12/2010. See Higher Education Grant Scheme 2011 for list of eligible payments or Department of Education website www.education.ie for further details.
Candidates must qualify for the ordinary maintenance grant for the academic year 2011/2012 and total reckonable income in the tax year January to December 2010 must not exceed €22,703 net of Child Dependant Allowances and standard exclusions.
Independent mature candidates/Dependent students:
Candidates who were ordinarily resident with their parents from October 1 of the year prior to entry or re-entry to an approved course, are considered dependent on their parents and their income is assessed together with their parents income(s). Independent mature candidates are candidates over 23 who live separately from their parents from October 1 of the year prior to entry or re-entry to an approved course. They are assessed on their own income.
For further information please visit www.education.ie
