New higher education funding for underrepresented and disadvantaged students
Will Deis Education To Encourage Measures, Groups Underrepresented Schools Given Supports New Among Students Higher To Picture Access Stock Be From The
Disadvantaged third-level students will now be eligible to receive funding under a new scheme aimed at increasing participation in the sector.
The €2m announced on Friday will assist people with disabilities, lone parents, mature students, and further education award holders in accessing higher education.
Among the supports included in the scheme announced on Friday are:
- 50 bursaries of €5,000 per student to be provided for the most disadvantaged students;
- A new three-year stream of funding to support Traveller and Roma participation in higher education;
- Those on certain existing scholarships can retain the funding for additional courses including graduate entry medicine.
Additional measures are being considered to promote transition from further to higher education for the Traveller and Roma communities.
Deis schools will also be provided with supports under the scheme which aim to encourage students from underrepresented groups to access higher education.
The measures form part of the new national access plan which is set to be published later this year. €5m was allocated towards the plan in Budget 2022 which already dedicated €3m to “enhance opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities and autistic students to access higher education this year”.
“Education is for everyone and yet there remains significant cohorts not represented in higher education,” said Higher Education Minister Simon Harris.
“We also must ensure we help diversify our professions too. That is why I am particularly pleased that we are allowing certain scholarship holders continue their bursaries for graduate-entry medicine courses.”
However, the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) said the supports announced today are “ultimately not a win".
“While it is positive to see a focus on improving access to education among marginalised groups, it is a direct acknowledgement by Government that higher education in Ireland is not accessible to all,” USI stated.
“Rather than removing the cost barriers for the groups that they have recognised are at a financial disadvantage, they are merely offering a minority of those students the opportunity to access education through these scholarships.”
It said it is a “demonstration of the systemic problems that have been caused by Government’s refusal to tackle the root causes of the significant cost of higher education in Ireland”.