Tag: susi

  • Students Turn to SVP To Bridge Gaps in Government College Funding

    Students Turn to SVP To Bridge Gaps in Government College Funding

    Students receiving Government grants are still turning to charitable assistance to meet the costs of university, with the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SVP) reporting that its education bursaries support over 2,000 students.

    SVP said its Education and Training bursary fund had provided over €3 million towards expenses including books, laptops, course fees, travel, and accommodation. Individual grants typically range from €500 to €3,000, depending on circumstances and local funding.

    Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) administers the State’s student grant scheme, providing eligible students with support towards fees and living costs. According to its website, SUSI has received over 100,000 applications so far this academic year and awarded funding to over 71,000 students.

    A Trinity College Dublin medical student who receives both SUSI and SVP support, speaking on condition of anonymity, said covering the upfront costs of starting college was difficult.

    “The initial upfront cost is a bit of a shocker; the main challenges I found were buying the education materials like laptops, lab coats, which I needed for the lab, and that wasn’t cheap, and purchasing clothes to wear, because in school you have the safety net of wearing the uniform, but I wouldn’t have had enough normal clothes to wear,” the student said.

    Although the student receives SUSI, they said the timing of payments made expenses particularly challenging. SVP assistance helped them cover these costs. “The SVP stepped in early in my education, but I know people have to drop out of college due to financial difficulties.”

    The student learned about SVP bursaries through their family, which had received assistance since the student was 12. SVP later helped pay for their HPAT preparation through MedEntry.

    HPAT is a standardised admissions exam required for entry into undergraduate medicine in Ireland and other select postgraduate healthcare courses.

    “From the age of 12, they gave us food vouchers regularly, and from that we were on their radar. They helped cover a portion of my MedEntry to help me get into medicine itself,” they said.

    The student described having to work full-time hours alongside their course, which affected their studies and opportunities to participate in college life.

    “I worked until fourth year, and had to leave placements early to go to work, and working every weekend has an impact on your social life and general wellbeing. If I were to keep working, it would undoubtedly negatively affect my grades. I worked more in the past, so I didn’t have to in final med.”

    Ann Cuffe Fitzgerald, who chairs the SVP Higher Education and Training Bursary Committee, said travel, equipment, and accommodation were recurring reasons students sought help. “Accommodation, travel, and tech are our three biggies,” she said.

    Fitzgerald emphasised how some courses bring substantial specialist expenses.

    “When they ask for assistance from us, a lot of it is equipment costs. We had a fellow doing third-year carpentry, and the list of tools he had to buy for his course was nearly 2,000 euros worth.”

    Food costs also remain a concern.

    “I do think food poverty is still an issue for our students. We have always felt you should at least be able to buy a roll and a cup of tea from the canteen with our bursaries,” she said.

    Fitzgerald explained that SVP considers applicants’ individual circumstances alongside their financial needs.

    “We react as quickly as we can. We listen very hard to the circumstances of the individual. The students seeking help from us are mainly those who don’t qualify for SUSI or need extra support beyond SUSI.”

    SVP assistance is organised through local volunteer groups, known as conferences, which can provide ongoing friendship and support to students and their families.

    The Trinity medical student said unexpected household expenses also stretched their college budget, with financial support, work and savings helping them manage.

    SUSI allows reassessment following changes in circumstances, including reduced household income. However, the student and Fitzgerald described financial pressures that persist despite grant support, particularly when course demands limit the capacity to do paid work.

    SUSI and TU Dublin Students’ Union did not respond to requests for comment.

    Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union was also unavailable for interview at this time.

    Academic integrity declaration: I conducted all interviews and reporting for this article.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • ‘I’m everything from an agony-aunt to a SUSI advisor’ – life as a student representative

    ‘I’m everything from an agony-aunt to a SUSI advisor’ – life as a student representative

    Luke Daly has been in office at Blanchardstown Institute of Technology (ITB) as the Vice-President of the Student’s Union since July 2018, after successfully running for office in March. While Mark Doyle has been in office as the Entertainments Officer since July, after winning the vote of his peers in the spring.

    What inspired you to run for office as a student representative?

    Luke: “I would say I ran for all the wrong reasons really! I didn’t like what was being done within ITB. I ran out of spite to be honest! There is so much happening around health, both mental and sexual, that I wanted to make a change to the approach.

    LukeDaly_CreditToReisCaffrey
    Luke Daly // Reis Caffery

    “I am not trying to reinvent the wheel but simply to freshen up what was being done.”

     Mark: “I was inspired after being in the college for the past three years and seeing the things that were being done both right and wrong. I felt I could make a difference to these things from an experienced student’s point of view.”

     What does day-to-day work as a vice-president entail?

    Luke: “What doesn’t it entail would be a better question. I am everything from an agony-aunt to a SUSI-advisor! One of the main things is something called case work, which is where I make a file or record of someone with a problem, put simply.

    “One evening I might have someone come into the office saying they can’t obtain a SUSI grant because, for example, their parents are separated and they can’t prove they are. The next day someone could walk in and say they are suicidal and can’t cope.

    “We have devised a great support system in here though with student welfare, diversity and inclusiveness absolutely paramount. We are organising campaigns such as disability awareness week, and KISS [Keep It Safe and Sexy] week along with the rebranding of our Mental Health week to Health and Wellbeing week, where we are telling people to focus on themselves more rather than telling others to get help.” 

    Mark: “Basically I am in charge of both on and off campus social events, such as mystery tours and other fun events such as Blind Dates and Karaoke nights.

    “I have to try to create a buzz on campus and give students something to look forward to.”

    Do you feel this work can help your future job applications?

    Luke: “Well, I don’t know anyone who has been successful in office who has not gone on to do well in their post-academic life. I just completed a business degree and plan to run again next year.

    “I also ran a society for three years while in college which can only be good for a C.V. or resume!”

    Mark: “I have a lot of experience in the bar industry over the past few years and naturally have a huge interest in social events.

    “I hope to finish my business degree and potentially move onto an event management role in the future!”

    MarkDoyle_CreditToLaurenYates
    Mark Doyle// Lauren Yates

    How has working as a vice-president shaped your character?

    Luke: “That is actually a difficult question to answer. I believe I’ve become more direct! I have a lot of stuff to get done in a short time-frame which has forced me to become more focused and direct in my daily schedule.

    “I’ve become more able to talk to strangers and people in general which is a great thing to have as a person. I’m also more mouthy and cheeky! I’m not afraid to ask ‘Why?’ when I am told ‘No’.”

    Mark: “I personally struggled with public speaking and presentations and this role has certainly helped improve that over the first few months of working the job.

    “Organisation is key to this work so I’ve definitely seen improvements in my own personal organisation skills in my own life.”

    What would you say to someone who is considering running for a similar position?

    Luke: “You are not paid enough! You have to be willing to put in a 60-hour week without any overtime. You might find yourself cancelling personal appointments for day-to-day workings in the office.

    “On the other hand, it is very personally fulfilling. As they say ‘Grab life by the balls!’ I would absolutely encourage someone to go for it.”

    Mark: ”I would say that hearing what your fellow students are trying to tell you is essential, but also at the same time sometimes making a decision they may not agree with, but is best for them can be difficult but part of the job.

    “It is a job that demands a lot but is ultimately very rewarding.”

  • 10.5% percent of SUSI grants refused in 2017

    10.5% percent of SUSI grants refused in 2017

    Just over 90,000 students received a college grant between January 2017 and September 2017 according to figures released by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI).

    Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that between January 2017 and September 2017, 100,955 students applied for the grant. A total of 10,623 applicants were refused. These applications include two separate academic terms; including the academic year ending 2016/17 and the academic year that has just begun.

    SUSI offers funding to eligible students in approved full-time third level education in Ireland.  In some cases, they can also provide funding for students studying outside the state.

    Students are assessed on either their parent/guardian’s income if they are living at home and under 23 years of age or their own income if they are over 23 years of age and living alone.

    Nineteen-year old Olivia McGrath was one of the 10,623 students who was refused the grant in the last number of months.

    Currently in her second year of Communication and Creative Media in Dundalk Institute of Technology (DKIT), Olivia received the SUSI grant in first year to pay for her college fees.  She did not receive a maintenance grant which helps students pay for extras such as supplies and transport.

    20171105_122937
    DKIT. Source: Chris Kelly


    “Both my parents work but nothing fancy,” she said.  “One is a cashier and the other works in a pub. If I want to do something it’s up to me to get it done.”

    Olivia was refused the grant in second year as her parents’ gross income was slightly higher than the previous year. She also believes living within 45 kilometres of DKIT made her less likely to receive it.

    The college could offer little help and Olivia was at the point where she was considering deferring for a year to work and save money when she found help from an unlikely source.

    Her grandmother encouraged her to contact the college chaplain Fr. Allen. After her first meeting, they had agreed on a flexible arrangement where she would receive small amounts of money as she needed it which could be paid back over a “reasonable amount of time” at a very low interstate rate.

    “It’s not a widely broadcast service,” she said.  “They aren’t a banking service and can’t give students large amounts of money, but for someone like me who was just on the edge and didn’t want the debt of a large loan it was perfect.”

    In cases where grants are refused, Olivia believes that there should be more engagement between the applicant and the grant authority and that cases should be reviewed on an individual basis.  

    “There are some things you can’t put on paper and they don’t take that into account. Everyone’s situation is different and I know I’m luckier than some people.”

    By Cara Croke and Chris Kelly