Laois ex-Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley has advice for students

Laois Offaly TD Brian Stanley has issued advice to students to looming deadline to apply for grants to support themselves while at third leve.

The now-independent Republican, who is facing his own General Election decision deadline, has taken to social media to update applicants on the SUSI deadlines and requirements when applying.

The TD says that online applications for a student grant in the 2024/25 academic year close on Thursday, 7 November 2024.

"All students who still wish to apply for a student grant in academic year 2024/25 should be advised of this closing date. If a student has started an application but not yet completed it, they should do so before the closing date," he posted.

He said students who wish to make an application after the online closing date must satisfy one of the following criteria -
• Their course commences in 2025 prior to the end of the 2024/25 academic year.
• They have had a change in circumstances under one or more of the following criteria:
o Reckonable income;
o Number of dependent children;
o Relevant persons commencing an approved course;
o Normal residence;
o Nationality or immigration status; and/or
o Change of course or institution
• They experienced extenuating circumstances that adversely affected their ability to make an application prior to the closing date of 7 November 2024.

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If a student would like to request a late application under one of the above criteria, Dep Stanley says they can do so by completing a late application request form and emailing it to lateapplications@susi.ie.  He adds that the forms can be found on www.susi.ie after the closing date.

The former Sinn Féin TD says has yet to declare if he will run in the General Election which is likely to take place in November 2024. He resigned from the party after an investigation.