Means testing of Maintenance Grants

Maintenance grants are subject to means testing, in every case, on the basis of the contributors' income as well as that of the student.

Calculating the Reduction on Account of Contributor's Income 

The amount of the grant is reduced by the amount shown below with reference to the total net income of the contributors in respect of maintenance grants in all cases

Net income          £	Reduction         £	Net income         £	Reduction        £
16,795	0	40,000	3,868
17,000	34	41,000	4,034
18,000	201	42,000	4,201
19,000	368	43,000	4,368
20,000	534	44,000	4,534
21,000	701	45,000	4,701
22,000	868	46,000	4,868
23,000	1,034	47,000	5,034
24,000	1,201	48,000	5,201
25,000	1,368	49,000	5,368
26,000	1,534	50,000	5,534
27,000	1,701	51,000	5,701
28,000	1,868	52,000	5,868
29,000	2,034	53,000	6,034
30,000	2,201	54,000	6,201
31,000	2,368	55,000	6,368
32,000	2,534	56,000	6,534
33,000	2,701	57,000	6,701
34,000	2,868	58,000	6,868
35,000	3,034	59,000	7,034
36,000	3,201	60,000	7,200
37,000	3,368	61,000	7,200
38,000	3,534	61,790	7,200
39,000	3,701	61,795	7,200

For intermediate amounts, the reduction is calculated as follows:- 

• Where net income exceeds £16,795 the amount of the grant is further reduced by £1 for each £6 of the contributor’ net income above the relevant amount specified in the above table
• Where the grant reduction causes the maintenance grant to fall below the base grant of £300, the student will be entitled to a maintenance grant of £300 per annum unless the total income of contributors exceeds £61,795 as specified in the above table

Means Testing of Student Income for the Calculation of Maintenance Grants 

Reduction on Account of Student's Income 

If the student has unearned income in the academic year, the grant is reduced by £1 for every £1 by which the income in the academic year exceeds the relevant amount specified below:

Category of income	£
Any scholarship, studentship, exhibition or award of a similar kind bestowed on the student in respect of the course (in pursuance of a sponsorship scheme or otherwise), except an award under these Regulations	8,000
Any payment made by the student's employer, where the student is released by the employer to attend the course	8,000
Pension	3,300
Trust income	2,000
Other unearned income (except income received by the student from renting out his or her own home)	900

Income falling within the following categories will not be taken into account for the purpose of determining the amount of the grant:

• remuneration for employment
• disability pension not subject to income tax
• payments covenanted by a parent or guardian of the student
• payments for an educational purpose, other than to meet:
  • tuition fees
  • expenses for which an allowance is made in respect of disability
  • living and course expenses
  • child benefit in respect of dependent children of the student
  • payments made under:
    • the action scheme of the European Community for the Mobility of University Students (“ERASMUS”)
    • the European Commission programme for foreign language competence (“LINGUA”)
    • payments made to the student out of access funds held by the institution which he or she is attending.

The 'parent or guardian', in relation to a student, includes any person (other than a public authority) who has parental responsibility for him or her, or would have parental responsibility for him or her if he or she were under the age of 18.

Contribution towards Tuition Fees where Family Income exceeds £112,000 

The universal contribution of £2,500 towards annual tuition fees is increased by 35% of that part of total gross income that exceeds £112,000 per annum, up to the full cost of tuition fees. 

If there is more than one student from a family attending College/University at the same time, the level of income above which the additional 35% becomes payable is increased by £19,285 per student. 

This additional contribution is payable by the student and/or contributors and is not covered by the loan scheme operated by the Department.