Grant application forms for the academic year 2011/2012 are now available. If you think you are eligible for the student grant, you should apply for it as soon as possible. You do not have to wait until you receive an offer of a place or enroll in college. Your eligibility can only be determined when we receive your fully completed application.

If you wish to apply for a maintenance grant through Co Laois VEC, you are welcome to phone us or call in to us at the address below where we will go through the form with you. As this is a particularly busy time, queries by telephone or in person are only taken between 10am and 12pm each day.

Please note that the closing date for receipt of completed grant applications is 31st August 2011.

The Grant form can be downloaded by clicking on the links below. It is strongly recommended that applicants also download and read the Guidance Notes before completing the form.

If you have accepted your place on an approved full time undergraduate or postgraduate course in Ireland for 2011-12 and have applied for a student grant for 2011-12 you will need to complete an FA1 form.

FA1 Form

CHANGES TO STUDENT GRANTS AS A RESULT OF BUDGET 2011

Three measures were announced in Budget 2011 relating to the student grant schemes:

Reduction in overall rates of grant

• A reduction of 4% is to be applied to the rates of all student grants.
• This reduction applies to all existing grant holders and to new grant holders alike.
• The implementation date is January 2011.

B: Qualifying distance criterion for non-adjacent rate of grant

• The qualifying distance criterion for entitlement to the higher non-adjacent rate of grant (distance from home to the higher education institution) has been changed from 15 miles (24 kilometres) to 45 kilometres.
• This measure applies to all students.
• The implementation date is the start of the 2011-2012 academic year.

C: Automatic entitlement of mature students to non-adjacent rate of grant.

• The automatic entitlement of mature students to the higher non-adjacent rate of payment has been removed.
• The implementation date is the start of the 2011-2012 academic year.

Maintenance Grant Rates 2011/2012

Family income limits: The means test for a maintenance grant in 2011/2012 is based on your family's income for the last full tax year. For further information on grants please go to www.studentfinance.ie