Vol. 557 No. 6
111 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the type of courses in respect of which free fees apply at post leaving certificate or third level; and the type of courses in respect of which registration applies. [23051/02]
Tuition fees are paid in respect of students attending full-time undergraduate courses in one of the approved free fee institutions. The courses must be of a minimum of two years duration. All students have to register for courses at third level. There is a charge levied by third level institutions to defray the costs of examinations, registration and student services. Students who are eligible for means tested student support will, in addition to any grant they are entitled to, have the €670 charge paid on their behalf, either directly by my Department or through the local authorities and vocational education committees. This means that 34% of students in universities and 47% of students in institutes of technology will not have to pay the charge. Tuition fees are not charged to Irish and other EU nationals in respect of attendance at recognised post leaving certificate courses. In the case of non-EU nationals, tuition fees for PLC courses are charged at the rate of €3,653 per annum. Registration charges by professional bodies may be payable in a small number of cases. Charges by professional bodies may vary depending on the vocational discipline and the certification authority concerned.
