Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 October 2023
160. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will ensure that the €1,000 reduction in the student contribution fees for higher education students as announced in Budget 2024 is applied to students studying outside this State, such as Northern Ireland and Britain; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45537/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will be aware that Budget 2024 contains a package of measures to support households with the cost of living.
These cost of living measures include a €1,000 reduction in the student contribution fee for higher education students applies to those students who are eligible for the free fees initiative which operates within the State.
Under the Free Fees Initiative (FFI), the State provides funding, exclusive of the student contribution, toward the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate higher education students who are pursuing approved full-time undergraduate courses of study in an approved higher education institution in the State. The student contribution only applies in circumstances where a student is eligible for free fees, it is the students’ contribution towards their tuition fee within the terms of the FFI.
Where students are not eligible for free fees then, the student contribution arrangements under the FFI do not apply and students pay the applicable tuition fee to the higher education institution attended. In this regard, the once off student contribution support of €1,000 in 2023/24 cannot apply to students undertaking study in other jurisdictions.
