The estimated cost of increasing the reckonable income limit for special rate of maintenance grant and removing the social protection long-term payment for post-graduate students is estimated to cost c€18.9m. This is based on post-graduate student figures for the academic year 2022/2023, and 100% of post-graduate students receiving the maximum special rate of maintenance of €6971 per academic year plus an uplift to the maximum of €6270 in fee contribution. However, this is a demand led scheme and a change of this nature may lead to an increase in the numbers of students applying for support.
In advance of Budget 2024 this autumn, and as I did last year, I will be publishing an options paper which will set out various possible measures to address the cost of education.
I am doing this in order to facilitate public discussion on the various choices available to amend student supports. I will have regard to options on increasing maintenance grants for post-graduate students, when making proposals in the context of budget discussions.