‘Telling the Real Story’ is a research study which I have just completed that sought to capture the current challenges experienced by third-level students and their families. 1,022 students and many parents from across the country have contributed to create a real-time portrayal of how it is for them.
The information gathered is deeply concerning and demonstrates the need for urgent government intervention to address the financial stress and anxiety that over 77% of students surveyed and their families are experiencing.
Over 80% of respondents tell us they are concerned or extremely concerned that they won’t have enough money to go to or remain at college. They then went on to tell us story after story of how the SUSI Grant System either excluded them or was not sufficient to cover the costs of their third-level education.
To quote one student “This is no country for the children of hard working parents. I worry about my parents health. They work long hours, never take care of themselves and always put us first yet after all that, their son will most likely not be able to afford to attend third-level education.”
This student like many others are excluded because SUSI is assessed on Gross Income rather than Nett Income. The income tax, USC, PRSI as well as the mortgage/rent payments, the accommodation costs paid in the previous year all lumped in as if these households have this money available to meet the highest fees in the EU, rent, food, travel, books, phone and other costs.
Government must make this a fairer system by calculating on Nett income and introducing flexibility to enable SUSI to respond to the real time financial situations of households. This is now more now more important than ever because over 50% of students tell us they have not been able to get work this summer. They were counting on this work to pay for college.
Of all mature students refused a SUSI grant, over 24% was because they were assessed on their parents income. Another 23% did not apply because they knew their parent’s income was over the threshold. One student tells her story “I am a lone parent in my early thirties with a ten year old daughter. Last year I had to move back in with my parents because I could not afford the rent I was paying. I want to do a course at Sligo IT but have been refused SUSI based on my parents income. Without SUSI I cannot afford to go”. The system must be changed so that mature students have their income assessed independently from their parents.
Uncertainty and affordability of accommodation featured heavily for the parents and students we spoke with. One parent outlined “My daughter is going to Mary I and my concern is that colleges need to let us know what their plan is for after Christmas. We are faced with accommodation charges of €6,000 for three weeks before Christmas. If after Christmas is the same i.e. one week per month then I will be paying €1,000 per week for only six weeks accommodation.”
The exclusion of part-time students and those doing on-line courses from SUSI was big concern particularly for parents of with teenagers with disabilities. A mother from Mayo wrote “I have four college age children, two in attendance and two highly intelligent autistic sons who cannot get SUSI to do on-line courses. They should have a right to pursue their education like the other two.” Building flexibility into the system to enable people of all abilities to follow the pathways most suited to them is imperative.
Almost 65% of students told us the SUSI grant is not adequate to meet costs associated with college. SUSI has not been increased since 2012. Even a 10% increase, as called for by the USI, could make all the difference. This would require an investment of just over €16 million.
Uncertainty, accommodation affordability, loss of summer jobs, high fees, lack of career guidance and decades of chronic underfunding for Higher Level institutions have all collided to produce a perfect storm for third level education. Government must listen and introduce immediate measures to stop students dropping out of their courses or joining the unemployment queues.
Read the survey results here.
Video: Speaking with Pat Kenny on Newstalk Radio on on August 20, 2020.
