Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 May 2022
589. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if persons who undertook undergraduate study without access to free fees that is, in a private college will be given the opportunity to access free fees in another degree course undergraduate entry in cases in which a career change became necessary. [22622/22]
View answerUnder my Department’s Free Fees Initiative (FFI), the Exchequer provides funding toward the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate higher education students exclusive of the student contribution. In order to qualify for funding under the FFI, students must meet the criteria of the scheme.
The free fees criteria sets out that tuition fees will not be paid in respect of students pursuing a second undergraduate course of study
Subject to compliance with the other conditions of the Free Fees initiative, students who have previously pursued but have not completed a course of third level study and subsequently resume third level studies:
- may be deemed eligible for free fees where the third level course concerned did not attract any exchequer funding (e.g. fees, maintenance, tax relief, subsidy towards course cost)
- are not eligible for free fees for the equivalent period of time spent on the first course of study where the third level course concerned did attract exchequer funding (as above). Part-time and evening students are included in this category. However, once an equivalent period of study has been completed on the new course, the student may become eligible for free fees funding for the remainder of the course where they met all other criteria of the free fees scheme upon course entry.
- Tuition fees will be paid in respect of eligible students who, having attended but not completed approved courses, are returning following a break of at least five years in order to pursue approved courses at the same level.
The assessment of eligibility under the Free Fees Initiative (FFI) in individual cases is a matter for each higher education institution to determine within the terms of the scheme, exceptions to the criteria cannot be made in individual cases by the Department. Further information on the criteria of the FFI is available on the studentfinance.ie website at the following location: hea.ie/funding-governance-performance/funding/student-finance/course-fees/.
Where students do not qualify for free fees funding they must pay the appropriate fee as determined by each higher education institution. Where a student requires clarification or guidance on the fee criteria of an individual institution and how this criteria may apply to their individual circumstances I recommend the student makes direct contact with the fees office of the relevant institution.
