Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 172: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a student (details supplied) who left a third level course after a short number of weeks in the 2010-11 academic year is entitled to a refund of the registration fee paid; if there is a policy on the issue or if it is a matter for the individual third level institution to decide. [2030/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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1A new student contribution charge of €2,000 was introduced in higher education by the previous Government with effect from the 2011/2012 academic year. This charge replaced the previous Student Services Charge and applies to all students who currently benefit under the 'free fees' scheme. The contribution is paid by the Exchequer in respect of students who qualify under the third level grant schemes.

The collection and administration of the contribution is a matter for the third level institution to which a student is attending. In recognition of the financial pressures that the student contribution may place on families, my Department requested higher education institutions to consider putting in place arrangements under which a student may opt to pay the contribution in two instalments in a given academic year. While a few institutions do not have this facility at present due to technical/systems limitations and administrative issues, all institutions have been requested to accommodate students who present with financial difficulties on a case by case basis and, from the academic year 2012/13 onwards, to have systems in place that allow for the payment of the student contribution in two instalments.

Where a student withdraws from their course of study and is therefore not registered for the second semester, free fees funding cannot be claimed by the institution in respect of that student for the second semester.