A number of constituents have been in touch regarding the backlog of 52,430 claims to Student Universal Support Ireland, or SUSI, the new centralised grant awarding authority for third level grants. Last week I asked the minister whether he was aware of backlog, how it was allowed to build up; and what is being done about it.

Here’s an edited version of his response.

All new applications for the 2012/13 academic year are being processed and paid by SUSI, but continuing students who are renewing their grant for attendance on an existing course with their existing awarding authority (ie. a local authority or a VEC) will continue to have their applications processed and paid by the relevant grant awarding authority.

Measures introduced to increase the number of applications being processed and paid include the following:

• Staffing levels in SUSI have been substantially increased in recent weeks, with an additional 20 staff members processing the documentation received from students, and extra staff have also been assigned to SUSI head office to work on continually improving the processes and speeding up processing times.
• SUSI has engaged with USI in relation to communicating to students the need to send in all documentation required to complete their application.
• A moderator is now in place on www.boards.ie to address issues raised by applicants through this forum.
• SUSI have commenced three additional waves of SMS and e-mail communications to encourage students who are awaiting responses from SUSI to get in contact quickly and with the correct documentation.
• SUSI have also put in place an additional call out service to students requesting them to submit their final course acceptance form.
• SUSI has also posted the top ten reasons on why students’ documentation packs are incomplete on the www.cdvec.ie and the www.susi.ie websites.
• In addition my Department has requested that the Higher Education Authority once again request institutions to show flexibility and consideration, as most have done in the past, to students who may be awaiting a decision on their grant application or payment of grants. The Higher Education Authority has also requested institutions to consider not withdrawing facilities such as library or exam access, given that those students are awaiting decisions on their grant applications.
• In relation to information been provided to students by the SUSI helpdesk the deputy will appreciate that the SUSI helpdesk have received some 174,977 calls and some 30,746 e-mail queries to the SUSI helpdesk since it went live on the 13th February 2012. SUSI is seeking to constantly improve the information available both online and from its helpdesk email and telephone services.

Hopefully the efforts to get this sorted will mean the backlog  gets pushed through as soon as possible. If you are having trouble with a SUSI application, here’s the contact details for the support desk.

Telephone 0761 08 7874

Email: support@susi.cdvec.ie

Available 9.00am – 8.00 Mon/Fri

Available 10.00am – 1.00pm Saturdays

Facebook.com/susisupport