The deadline for student grant applications has now expired.

Submissions received after midnight last night will now be considered 'late' and won't be given priority by assessors.

The cut-off time was extended after online processing system Susi experienced technical difficulties last Thursday.

The Student Universal Support Ireland System was set up in 2012 to administor third-level grants, but it's been widely criticised after thousands of students last year claimed they'd been left waiting months for payments.

Cat O'Driscoll of the Union of Students in Ireland believes the system should be far more efficient this time: