Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 September 2020
36. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the engagement he has had with the president of NUI Galway on waiving the €295 repeat exam fee in view of the difficulties faced by students as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22641/20]
View answerHigher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous and retain the right to determine their own policies and procedures in relation to academic affairs. The student contribution charge covers the cost of elements such as student registration, admissions and examination fees. However, repeat examination fees are charged separately being set by the individual institution concerned and as Minister I have no function in this regard.
However, I have received correspondence from a number of students in NUI Galway for whom paying €295 to repeat an exam constitutes real financial hardship, and is a source of considerable distress. In light of the significant pressures placed upon students by Covid-19, I understand that a number of HEIs have already on an individual basis decided to waive the payment of such fees and I believe that where possible HEIs need to show, and have shown, some degree of flexibility in this matter.
In general there is a real requirement in these exceptional times to have a responsive approach to student needs wherever possible and I fully acknowledge that HEIs have to date shown enormous willingness to be responsive in numerous ways. As such, I have written recently to NUI Galway and asked the institution to consider whether it can show such responsiveness in relation to it’s policy regarding repeat examination fees.
