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An Initiative of the Higher Education Authority (HEA)
studentfinance.ie Home
  1. Student Grant
  2. Quick guide to the SUSI grant process
  3. Step 1 : Check what type of applicant you are
  4. Step 2: Check your Residency Status
  5. Step 3: Check your Nationality & Related Status
  6. Step 4: Check reckonable income limits
  7. Grant Levels
  8. Check your Documentation
  9. Contact the SUSI Support Desk
  10. Continuing Students
  11. Change of Circumstances
  12. New Grant Applications for 2013-14
Student Grant
Step 4: Check reckonable income limits

Applicants must satisfy a means test to determine whether they are entitled to a grant in the first instance and also to determine the level and rate of grant for which they are eligible.

What is Reckonable Income?

Reckonable income for student grant purposes is gross income from all sources, whether it arises in Ireland or abroad.

In calculating reckonable income, the awarding authority shall consider income from all sources, whether it arises in the State or not, including income under the following headings—
  1. Income from employment (including benefit-in-kind and directorships),
  2. Social welfare payments,
  3. Payments from other government departments or state agencies,
  4. Self-employment or farming,
  5. Rental and other income from land and property,
  6. Income from pensions other than the social welfare state pension,
  7. Income from savings, deposit accounts and investments,
  8. Income from maintenance arrangements,
  9. Lump sum payments from retirement and redundancy,
  10. Income from the disposal of assets or rights,
  11. Gifts and inheritances,
  12. Income from other sources not mentioned above.

The income taken into account is gross income before any deductions such as PAYE, income tax, capital gains tax, capital acquisitions tax, PRSI and so on.

Whose Income is Considered?

This will depend on the type of applicant you are as follows:

1. Independent Students –
An Independent student will have his/her own income taken into account as well as that of his or her spouse, civil partner or cohabitant.
2. Dependent Students –
With regards to dependent students, the student’s and parent’s incomes are taken into account with the following exceptions:
Divorced and Separated Parents
With regards to divorced or separated parents, the income of the applicant and that of the parent with whom he or she lives will be taken into account. If parents are separated but remain residing in the same house as the applicant, both incomes should be taken into account.
Deceased and Estranged Parents
If the awarding authority is satisfied that the student has no living parent or is irreconcilably estranged from both parents, a dependent student may be exempted from having parents’ income taken into account.
Foster Parents
With regards to foster children, the income of the foster parents is not taken into account in calculating reckonable income.

What is the Reference Period?

For this academic year 2013/14, the reference period will be the 1st January to 31st December 2012.

If the business year differs from the tax year, we look at the income in the business accounts for the period which ends between 1st January 2012 and 31st December 2012.

What Income is disregarded?

Certain payments are disregarded when calculating reckonable income. These are known as income disregards:

  • Child Benefit
  • Family Income Supplement
  • Disability Allowance (where paid to the applicant)
  • Blind Pension (where paid to the applicant)
  • One Parent Family Payments (Means Tested) (where paid to the applicant)
  • Guardian’s Payment
  • Foster Care Allowance
  • Domiciliary Care Allowance
  • Carer’s Allowance
  • Student Assistance Fund
  • Student grant
  • Compensation for a personal injury

There are other deductions allowed which are detailed here.

For the purposes of determining the reckonable income of an applicant, the aggregate of any of the following shall be deducted—

  1. in respect of income from employment, employment-related expenses as approved by the Revenue Commissioners, or equivalent;
  2. income from employment which represents holiday earnings outside of term time, subject to a maximum limit set out in Part B of Schedule 1;
  3. maintenance payments made under a legally enforceable arrangement to a separated spouse, as approved by the Revenue Commissioners;
  4. contributions to pension schemes and pension or retirement products, within the limits allowed by the Revenue commissioners; and
  5. overtime payments earned in the reference period that are not recurring payments.

What are the Reckonable Income Limits?

To be eligible for a grant, the applicant’s reckonable income must be established. There are a variety of limits in respect of the allowable income depending on the adjustments/increments which are applicable in a particular case. Reckonable income limits are available here.

Are there any Adjustments/Increments applied to the Reckonable Income Limits?

There are two scenarios whereby increments may be applied to the reckonable income limits:

1. Number of dependent children
The income limits are adjusted in respect of the number of dependent children in a home.
2. Number of full time students
Additional increments may be applied to the income limits in Table A for Maintenance and Fee Grants where another relevant person(s) is attending a full-time course of study of at least one year’s duration as specified in the Scheme.

These additional increments are outlined in Schedule 1 of the Scheme.

What Documentary Evidence do I need?

The documentary evidence required for income will depend on your situation and is listed at Schedule 5 of the Scheme.

Who is eligible for Special Rate of Grant?

There is a special rate of grant available for eligible students whose income is below a threshold (currently) €22,703. This special rate provides a top up on the normal grant award.

The conditions to qualify for the special rate of grant are:

  1. Student must qualify for the ordinary rate of grant.
  2. Total reckonable income must not exceed €22,703.
  3. On the 31st December 2011, the reckonable income must include an eligible long-term payment prescribed under the scheme.

In addition, it is important to note that the reckonable income for the special rate only is net of the Child Dependant increase (CDI) where paid by the Department of Social Protection.

When can you have a Change of Circumstances in relation to Reckonable Income?

If you or your family have had a change in reckonable income after the reference period that is permanent and likely to last for the duration of your course, then your eligibility for the grant may be assessed or re-assessed to reflect the change in income. It will be based on revised income rather than income for the year ended 31st December 2012.

All income is re-assessed and not just the income of the person who experiences the negative change. Awards or adjustments will be made with effect from the month in which the change in circumstances occurs.

More information on changes of circumstances are available here.

Can you have a Change of Circumstances for the Special Rate of Grant?

If you meet the income threshold for the special rate and do not have one of the eligible payments as at the 31st December 2012 but you subsequently acquire one of the eligible payments (other than Jobseeker’s Allowance or Jobseeker’s Benefit), then a change of circumstances in relation to the special rate of grant may be applied.

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