Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 October 2022
516. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of students who will not be entitled to the €1,000 one-off reduction in the student contribution; if he will extend it to all European Union students who have paid fees for the 2022-2023 academic year, whether student contribution or tuition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48488/22]
View answerAs part of Budget 2023, in recognition of the cost of living financial challenges facing full time third level students funded through my Department, I have secured a significant cost of living package for third level students including a once-off €1,000 state financial support towards the undergraduate student contribution fee for higher education students eligible for my Department’s free fees schemes.
Under my Department’s Free Fees schemes the Exchequer provides funding toward the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate higher education students with students paying the student contribution. Undergraduate students eligible for SUSI supports have this contribution paid, in part of in full, on their behalf under my Departments Student Grant Scheme.
The once off reduction of €1,000 relates specifically to the student contribution payable by student’s eligible for free tuition fees under my Department's free fees schemes in academic year 22/23 and will reduce the student contribution payable from €3,000 to €2,000 in 22/23. In this regard all full time undergraduate students eligible for free fees and paying the student contribution will benefit from this measure.
In the 2021/22 academic year there were over 246,000 enrolled in HEA-funded higher education institutions. As the 2022/23 academic year is only now getting underway, we do not have enrolment figures yet however I can advise the Deputy that in 22/23 it is estimated that over 149,000 Irish and EU full time undergraduate students will be eligible for free fees. This means in addition to the SUSI eligible students receiving a student contribution support (estimated at over 55,000 in academic year 22/23) an estimated 94,000 free fees eligible students will benefit from this measure alone at a cost of c.€95.6million.
Students not eligible for the free fees schemes pay a full tuition fee as determined by the higher education institution attended. These institutions are autonomous bodies and the level of fee payable by students who do not meet the requirements of the free fees scheme is a matter for the relevant institution to determine. In this regard a student contribution does not apply and therefore the once off student contribution reduction of €1,000 in 22/23 cannot benefit students that are not eligible for free fees.
However, for tuition fee students supports are available to full time students via the statutory based Student Grant Scheme. The Student Grant Scheme, administered by SUSI, provides grant assistance to students pursuing an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. Students can determine their eligibility at susi.ie/eligibility/income/.
As part of the cost of living measures I secured additional supports for students including:
- A once-off reduction of up to 33% in the contribution fee for apprentices;
- A once-off extra payment for all student maintenance grant recipients;
- A once-off increase of €1,000 in the support to SUSI qualified Post Graduate students, increasing from €3,500 to €4,500;
- A further €8 million investment in the Student Assistance Fund for the 2022/23 academic year.
For any student experiencing difficulties currently, there is a significant allocation to the aforementioned Student Assistance Fund (SAF). The SAF assists students in a sensitive and compassionate manner who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. This fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis and I would encourage students to contact their access office to avail of these funds.
