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D. HOW TO FUND YOUR EDUCATION
16. How much does it cost to go to University in Ireland?
It is important to understand the following criteria in order to answer the question of cost.
(1) Residency - to be eligible for Free (Tuition) Fees you must be resident within the EU for 3 of the last 5 years (This applies to Irish citizens too).
(2) Nationality - to be eligible for a state grant (SUSI) you need to have a stamp 4, however not all stamp 4 visas are eligible. There is a detailed list you can find here on the Higher Education Authorities (HEA) website. In addition Protection Applicants can apply for another state grant (Student Support Scheme) if you applied for Protection before 31 August 2018. (Further details on both grants on page 16).
International (non-EU) or EU Fees
• Each University/College decides the rate of fee to be charged
• If you do not qualify for Free (Tuition) Fees (see below) typically the University/College will
seek to charge you the International (non-EU) rate which could be €10,000-€15,000 per year
• Being self-governed some Universities and Institutes of Technology may quote the EU rate
to International Protection Applicants
Free (Tuition) Fees
• Free Fees does not actually mean ‘free’ (i.e. no charge) fees (even for Irish Citizens)
• It means the state pays a portion of the ‘annual fee’ called the ‘tuition fee’ while the student
pays the ‘student contribution’ charge and usually a student centre levy
• Typically the EU fee is approximately €6,000 per year for an undergraduate degree – if you
are entitled to ‘free’ fees the state pays €3,000 and the student pays €3,000 per year (there
will be some variations but for a typical degree this is about correct)
• Some students are also entitled to State-funded Student Grants, these grants will pay the
student contribution of €3,000 and also a maintenance grant (this ranges from €135 per month to €600 per month depending on your income and circumstances (further details on page 16 – SUSI grant and Student Support Scheme)
• To qualify for Free (Tuition) Fees the student must satisfy the following criteria:- o Beresidentfor3outofthe5lastyearsintheEU/EEA/SwissState
o Beafirst-timeundergraduate
o Beattendingfull-timecoursegenerallyofmorethantwoyearsduration o Possessrefugeestatusorsimilaraslistedhere
o BeeligiblefortheStudentSupportScheme(ProtectionApplicants)
o Thecoursemustbefollowedinoneoftheeligibleinstitutions
o NotethatFreeTuitionFeesarenotpayablewhenattendingprivatecolleges
• Full criteria regarding Free Fees and the Universities/Colleges to which it appliesàhere
All information is for guidance only, it is not complete and any errors are unintentional. Please consult the relevant websites for accurate information
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