§ Mr. BeggsTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) further education and (b) higher education bursaries are available to students studying in Northern Ireland. [132788]
§ Jane KennedyThe payment of further and higher education bursaries is determined by demand. All Northern Ireland domiciled students whose family incomes are less than £20,000 are eligible to apply for bursaries of up to £2,000. These bursaries are payable to eligible NI students studying in Northern Ireland, elsewhere in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.
Figures relating to students studying in NI in receipt of a bursary are currently not available. However, in the 2002–03 academic year, bursaries were awarded to (a) 415 in further education and (b) 11,959 students studying in higher education in the UK and Republic of Ireland.