Students seeking maintenance grants and financial aid for the 2016/2017 academic year have until Friday to make applications on the

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The facility opened on April 5th, almost three weeks earlier than last year, and has received some 70,000 applications so far for the 2016/2017 academic year.

The national student grant awarding body is expecting to receive 110,000 applications for the 2016/17 academic year.

This year is the first time that applications have been awarded so early  and grants have already been awarded to 37,000 students for 2016/17, including almost 8,000 new students.

Head of communications at Susi, Graham Doyle, said: “We have changed our process this year and are awarding new applicants earlier than ever before. In previous years, Leaving Certificate students had to wait until they received their Leaving Certificate results and CAO offers late in August before we could award them.

“However, this year, based on learning from previous years, we are awarding students to the courses that they have identified in their applications to us, as soon as possible.”

Students who are thinking of applying are advised to visit the susi.ie website where they can review information about eligibility criteria for student grant funding.

The website also features a Grant Eligibility Reckoner tool which allows students to assess whether they may be eligible for a grant.

Applicants can track their applications and confirm that documentation has been received without having to contact Susi directly