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118 COLLEGE STUDENTS who applied for grants from the new national authority last year are still awaiting a decision on their application – even after the college year has finished.
Officials from the City of Dublin VEC, which manages the new Student Universal Support Ireland, says applications from over a hundred students for the 2012-13 academic year still have not been wrapped up.
Rulings on whether those students are entitled to a grant are still pending, Jacinta Stewart from CDVEC told the Oireachtas education committee this afternoon.
The delay in reaching a final decision for those students leaves them in academic limbo – as their colleges will not release their first year exam results until their fees for the first year have been settled.
This, in turn, means those students do not know whether they may have to sit repeat exams later this summer, or potentially repeat their full college year. They are also unable to apply for a renewal of their grant for the coming academic year.
SUSI received 69,683 grant applications from first-year students last year, awarding grants to 39,524 applicants – including 4,260 on appeal – and rejecting 30,041 others, either because they did not meet the criteria or their applications were withdrawn.
543 students whose applications were refused are currently the subject of appeal.
SUSI’s figures for the number of rejected applications also include cases where the student was not considered to have submitted all documentation – with reports of some cases where students claimed they were never asked to submit extra details to SUSI, and had their application closed as a result.
Stewart added that SUSI now had data-sharing arrangements with a number of other bodies, including the Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Social Protection, so that applicants will no longer have to approach those bodies seeking extra documents for their application.
Other changes to this year’s process included asking students for their bank payment details at the start of the process, instead of asking them for payment details at the end of the process after their application had been approved.
SUSI paid out almost €160 million in grants to applicants last year, out of a total national budget of around €350 million.
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Disgraceful. Would these students have a legal case against SUSI at this stage?
Conor
I don’t think they can take a case against a computer programe.
The article doesn’t give a reason for the delay with these 118 students, there are probably a variety of potential reasons.
I am one of the 118. I have finished my degree and can’t get my results at the moment because I am still waiting to get an answer from SUSI so that I can pay my fees.
At first, I was angry at the college but its not their fault that the new grant system is failing miserably. It means that I cannot apply for work until my fees are paid and I have my results- So I am left jobless with one solution- to sign on. In order to be able to sign on, a letter was needed from the college to say that I had finished in third level but I couldn’t get that because I had not paid fees.
I can’t complain about the Irish education system, I have qualified with a business degree (hopefully) and have only minor bills to pay. Most other countries don’t afford their citizens the same opportunities.
I bet Jacinta’s jacket cost more than most of the grants paid out!
@ Carcu – I agree. Who are these people we allow play God? Wait for decision before you get your results!!!!! Wonder have THEY ever done first year exams and if so surely they must feel some empathy with students. Disgusting.
Please temper your comments , you don’t want to be hurting her feelings. This won’t get sorted if she goes on an extended sick leave for emotional abuse ….
I am one of those students still waiting for a reply. I have spent the year filling out the same forms over and over again. Apparently they have all of my information now and yet I am still waiting. I don’t know whether or not I can continue my education and yet I’m expected to just sit around and patiently wait for a response?
“SUSI paid out a total of €160million worth of grants out of a total national budget of €350million”
Says it all…. Joke
FAO: Who ever is in charge of this, remove your thumb from your pampered arse and sort it out.
I bet Enda and Co NEVER wait for payments this is pathetic.
Can’t believe this what a joke. After Christmas they said be lucky if you hear back by this Christmas. I feel for those still waiting I was going to apply for a grant until I heard about springboard. Its a disgrace that ready to work graduates are having to go back on the dole there is enough on it as it is. Students work very hard to get into employment not to go on the dole.
Take SUSI to courts!
The CEO of SUSI, Jacinta Stewart, was on a salary scale of €127,588 to €145,952 while she was City of Dublin VEC chief executive in 2011. I wonder what she is now receiving at SUSI? I suppose that salaries go up in line with Peter’s Principle promotions for this one-time teacher. A bit like Enda!
Michael Martin, the leader of Fianna Fail is another former teacher.The whole country seems to be run by people who used to be teachers but who have moved on to doing something else which is more highly paid. I wonder however if they have the necessary management and financial skills and experience to run large organisations. This is a scandal but the numbers involved are relatively small so it should be possible to sort it out quickly.
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