Galway’s students are still feeling the pinch of recession, and relying on State help to tide them over during hard times.
New figures reveal that more than a three-quarters of a million euro was paid through a hardship fund to students attending Galway’s two third level institutes.
Education Minister Richard Bruton said some €759,498 was dispersed to third level students in Galway through the Student Assistance Fund.
That included some €485,954 to students of NUI Galway, and some €273,544 for students of Galway Mayo Institute of Technology.
The hardship pay-outs relate to the academic year 2014-2015.
Minister Bruton said the Student Assistance Fund, “provides financial supports to students who are experiencing short-term or ongoing financial difficulties.”
The fund is administered locally within each higher education institution, he said, and the monies are provided on an annual basis to each institution by the Higher Education Authority.
During the 2014-2015 academic year, some €6.6 million was paid out by the State, to hard-pressed students under this scheme.
It amounted to €8.35 million nationally in 2013-2014; €11 million the previous year and 9 million the year before that.
GMIT said its students cannot use the fund for tuition fees or to cover student loans. “The objective of this fund is to assist students in a sensitive and compassionate manner who might otherwise, because of financial reasons suffer hardship or be unable to continue their third level studies. The fund is intended to tackle educational disadvantage by providing financial support to enable students to fully benefit from their third level studies,” GMIT said.
It is to be used to pay for day-to-day expenses that are necessary to allow them to participate in third level, including rent, transport, food, medical costs, books, and childcare costs. Receipts must be submitted.
“Some students find themselves experiencing financial hardship despite penny counting during their time in the University,” said NUIG Students Union.
It added the fund is designed to “tackle disadvantage by enabling students to fully benefit from their studies.”
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