Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Socialist Party)
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931. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if universities and institutes of further education have discretion in applying the residency requirements for availing of the lower band of fees for prospective postgraduate students who have been granted refugee status and are now resident in the State but have not been resident here or the EU for three years. [41999/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and the criteria governing the level of tuition fees to be charged in relation to postgraduate study is determined by the institutions and accordingly I have no role in relation to the matter.

Under my Department's student grant scheme, those who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant are eligible to have their post-graduate tuition fees paid up to the maximum fee limit of €6,270. Where a postgraduate student does not qualify for the special rate of grant they may qualify to have a €2,000 contribution made towards the cost of their postgraduate fees. The income threshold for this payment is €31,500 for the 2014/15 academic year, increasing relative to the number of family dependents.

Tax relief is available on postgraduate tuition fees paid. Details in relation to this relief are available from the Revenue Commissioners.