Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 July 2021
1301. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the average annual cost of a nursing student in third-level; the average cost of providing a placement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40964/21]
View answerThe Higher Education Authority (HEA) has a Recurrent Grant Allocation Model (RGAM) which allocates core recurrent funding to institutions. The grant is allocated as a block recurrent grant and the internal allocation of this grant is a matter for each institution.
In the case of nursing students, State grant and fees are provided to Higher Education Instititutions from a separate ring-fenced allocation (i.e. nursing students are not included in the RGAM). The HEA currently pays a fee rate of €4,106 per eligible student and an average grant per student of c.€3,350.
The above figures exclude:
- the €3,000 student contribution
- any costs payable by the Exchequer for students eligible for SUSI grant supports
- any rostered placements salaries (the costs of this fall on the Dept Health/HSE).
- other costs that fall to the Dept. of Health/HSE.
