SUSI Grant. Is 'Reckonable Income', Gross or Net?

[Tadaima]

I am seeing and hearing clashing information about the SUSI grant. On Citizens Information, I read;

"Your reckonable income is the total amount of your net family income. This is income from all sources (including most social welfare payments) after tax, PRSI and USC have been deducted."

But on the SUSI website it says:
"The income calculation is based on gross income from all sources for the previous calendar year."

I've 3 in college. It's killing me, even though I saved for 20 years for it.

 

[Premos]

You can deduct pension contribution I believe.

 

[ClubMan]

On Citizens Information, I read;

"Your reckonable income is the total amount of your net family income. This is income from all sources (including most social welfare payments) after tax, PRSI and USC have been deducted."

Where? I see this:

Student Grant Scheme

This page explains the Student Grant Scheme (also called the SUSI Grant). Find out how to apply for a grant and the grant rates.

www.citizensinformation.ie

SUSI looks at all ’reckonable income’ when assessing your student grant application. Reckonable income is gross income from all sources. Some social welfare payments and financial support payments are excluded - see more details on reckonable income on the SUSI website and in the Student Grant Scheme 2024 (pdf).

 

[ClubMan]

You can deduct pension contribution I believe.

SUSI Income

How does income affect my eligibility for a grant?

www.susi.ie

Further deductions can be made, as follows:​

• ...
• contributions to pension schemes and pension or retirement products, paid in the reference period only, within the limits allowed by Revenue.
• ...

 

[Towger]

"paid in the reference period only" is important. They are not interested in pension payments paid in the current year, set against the previous years tax.

 

[Tadaima]

I was on the wrong Citizens Information page, it seems @ClubMan. So it is gross income. Deducting the pension payments might help.

 

[50andOut]

Was there any change to the reckonable income limits? I didn't see any mention of it, but thought I had read a few weeks back it was due to increase

2024 Income limits to be eligible for Contribution grant (no maintenance):

SUSI GRANT LEVELS 2024	€
Full Contribution	55,924
Half Contribution	62,000
€500	100,000

Note for OP - these bands are then increased +€4,950 per additional person attending a full-time course.

 

[ClubMan]

Was there any change to the reckonable income limits? I didn't see any mention of it, but thought I had read a few weeks back it was due to increase

2024 Income limits to be eligible for Contribution grant (no maintenance):

SUSI GRANT LEVELS 2024	€
Full Contribution	55,924
Half Contribution	62,000
€500	100,000

Note for OP - these bands are then increased +€4,950 per additional person attending a full-time course.

(Some of?) the 2023/2024 income limits are detailed here if that helps?

SUSI is now open for new applications for academic year 2023/24 | SUSI

www.susi.ie

 

[50andOut]

No, I already have the current info, specifically asking if its changed/increased going forward


The full listing of current grants and income limits is here:

Undergraduate Income Thresholds and Grant Award Rates

What are the SUSI grant award rates and income thresholds for Undergraduate students

www.susi.ie

 

[ClubMan]

No, I already have the current info, specifically asking if its changed/increased going forward

What exactly do you mean? For the 2024/5 academic year the income limits on 2003 income are published. They obviously haven't published anything for 2025/6 or later yet. What exactly are you looking for?

 

[JimmyB99]

@50andOut

Good news/bad news

The good is that I understand your question! - the bad is that there has been no increase announced in respect of the income threshold for 2025.

 

[Allpartied]

@50andOut

Good news/bad news

The good is that I understand your question! - the bad is that there has been no increase announced in respect of the income threshold for 2025.

Budget 2025: How do students benefit? - Limerick Voice

Undergrad student fees will be reduced by €1000, leaving fees at €2000 in total for the academic year .

limerickvoice.com

This article quotes a 15% increase in SUSI thresholds.
But I cannot find it anywhere else.

 

[JimmyB99]

Well, if it's true, that's news to me! How can one find out if true or not? You'd figure that the Dept of Further & Higher Ed would have been all over this?

 

[Tadaima]

Yes, I think they just kept student fees at €2000 (€3000 minus €1000 reduction—same as last year and the year before), but the budget didn't change the SUSI grant thresholds, despite the rumours.

 

[ClubMan]

Budget 2025

Budget 2025 was announced on Tuesday, 1 October 2024. This page provides a summary of the main budget measures and will be updated regularly.

www.citizensinformation.ie

Student contributions

The student contribution fee will be reduced by €1,000 for students in the 2024/2025 academic year.

The apprenticeship fee contribution will be reduced by 33%.

The postgraduate fee contribution grant will increase from €4,000 to €5,000.

Student grants and thresholds

Student grant rates will increase by 15% (September 2025).

The income threshold for the special rate of maintenance grant will increase from €26,200 to €27,400 (September 2025).

The postgraduate fee contribution threshold and the Student Part-Time Fee Scheme threshold will increase to match the new 100 per cent Student Contribution threshold of €64,315 (September 2025).