Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 October 2005
547 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Education and Science her plans to reduce the treble fees that apply to non-EU nationals studying at higher level in the State; and her further plans to reduce these fees to prospective students from developing countries. [30459/05]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe main eligibility conditions of my Department's free fees initiative are that students must be first time undergraduates, hold EU nationality or official refugee status and have been ordinarily resident in an EU member state for three of the five years preceding entry to an approved course.
The third level institutions are autonomous bodies and, as such, may determine the level of fees to be charged in any case where the free fees initiative does not apply. The classification of a student for EU or a non EU fee levels is a matter for each institution to determine in such cases.
