As part of Budget 2023, I 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. Funding through this once-off measure is available to full time undergraduate students eligible for the Department’s free fees schemes in academic year 2022 to 2023.
A key principle of the design of the free fees initiative and the SUSI scheme is to encourage progression, that is, to support students in progressing through a chosen course of study from year to year. As a result, students are not typically supported for a repeat period of study or for a different course at the same level.
There are provisions whereby students who find themselves experiencing exceptional circumstances, for example serious certified illness, can apply from an exception from either their institution for free fees or from SUSI as the case may be.
What this means is that the once off student contribution support of €1,000 therefore does not apply to students undertaking a repeat period of study if that period of study is not eligible for the free fees scheme in this academic year.
Where students do not qualify for the Department’s free fees schemes, an appropriate repeat or tuition fee may be determined by each higher education institution as autonomous bodies. An estimated cost to the State of introducing a specific support towards such fees for repeat students is not readily available.
While not all students are eligible for free fees or student grants, the Deputy may wish to be aware that I have also allocated over €17 million in funding for the Student Assistance Fund for the current academic year. This Fund provides financial support to full and part-time students who are experiencing financial difficulties while attending college and can provide assistance towards their rent, childcare costs, transport costs and books/class materials. Students with a previous higher education qualification at the same NFQ level, or who, in the past, attended higher education without ultimately obtaining a qualification, may be considered for support on a case-by-case basis and subject to available funding. Applications can be made to this Fund through the Access Office in a student’s higher education institution.
