Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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98. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if matters raised in correspondence by a person (details supplied) in relation to student fees and the impact of Brexit will receive a response; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27297/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Students who qualify for entry to the Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) programme are liable for the cost of their tuition fees as they already hold an undergraduate qualification. However, the costs for EU students are partly subsidised by the State through a grant provided by the Higher Education Authority.

My Department does not provide free fees or core funding for post-graduate programmes.  The criteria governing the level of tuition fees to be charged in the case of postgraduatestudy is solely a matter for each of the higher education institutions to determine in accordance with its own criteria as an autonomous body.

Following the UK triggering Article 50 of the Treaty in March 2017 and the ongoing negotiations, my Department has confirmed that eligible UK students who enrol for eligible undergraduate courses for the 2018/19 academic year in a third level college recognised for the purposes of free fees will be able to avail of the Department’s Free Fee Schemes.  Arrangements for an intake of such students for subsequent years will be kept under review in the context of the Brexit negotiations.

My Department does provide supports for post graduate students who meet the relevant qualifying conditions (including residency and nationality) of the Student Grant Scheme and provides additional assistance through measures such as the Student Assistance Fund (SAF) and relevant details are available on www.susi.ieand the website of the HEA (www.HEA.ie).

However, I would recommend that the student in question makes contact with UCC in the first instance to determine its policy in relation to tuition fees and entry requirements for Graduate Entry Medicine for the 2019 academic year.