Vol. 415 No. 1
405 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education if his attention has been drawn to the fact that students at UCD who are participating in the Bachelor of Commerce international degree under the EC ERASMUS programme are now being required to pay fees in respect of their year of study abroad; if this requirement has been made by the Higher Education Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Tuition fees are a standard feature of the funding of higher education in this country. Accordingly, each institution receives a fee in respect of each student, either directly from the student or indirectly through one of the student support schemes. This requirement applies to all students including those taking part in the ERASMUS programme.
The ERASMUS programme is an EC programme which encourages students in third level institutions to pursue some of their studies for a period of up to one year in another member state. The EC through the Higher Education Authority gives a grant towards the travel and maintenance costs incurred by Irish students participating in the programme. Irish students who avail of the programme pay tuition fees to their home institution but incur no tuition fees to their host institutions in the EC member state. Likewise students from member states who pursue part of their studies in an Irish third level institution under the ERASMUS programme do not pay tuition fees to the host institution.
