Postgraduate students can now apply for a student grant under new changes to the application system.

Students can now apply for the scheme which is open for the 2017-2018 academic year.

Mature students, who previously dropped out, will now also get a second chance within a five year time frame.

SUSI say they're expecting more than 105,000 applications, with their advice being to get in early. 

Disadvantaged students

On Monday, The Minister for Education, Richard Bruton announced the launch of the Student Grant Scheme for 2017, which will provide €380m in student supports. 

The scheme highlights a number of improvements for some of the most disadvantaged students. The scheme will benefit more than 80,000 students. 

The changes to the scheme come under the Confidence & Supply Agreement between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, where they promised to increase financial supports for post graduate students with a particular focus on those from low income households.

Among some of the biggest changes to the scheme are maintenance grants which will support 1,100 of the most disadvantaged postgraduate student.

Mature Students

There is also a change to the "Second Chance" provision which will allow mature students who previously dropped out to complete a PLC programme within the five year break period. 

Speaking about the launch of the new grant scheme, Bruton said "Education has a unique capacity to break down the cycles of disadvantage.

"I secured additional funding in Budget 2017 which has allowed me to extend the student grant scheme to 1,100 Post Graduate students.

"This marks the delivery of a key commitment in the Action Plan for Education, which aims to make the Irish education and training service the best in Europe within a decade. 

Minister Bruton has urged students to get in their submissions early "I would encourage students who think they might be eligible for support to submit their online applications to SUSI as soon as possible to ensure that they are processed as quickly as possible.”