Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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168. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students currently enrolled on undergraduate courses in a public higher education institution that are not eligible for the free fees initiative due to the fact that they have previously enrolled on a undergraduate course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56429/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Details on the number of students not currently eligible under the criteria of the Department's Free Fees Initiative due to previous attendance on an undergraduate course are not readily available.

Under the Department's Free Fees Initiative (FFI), the Exchequer pays tuition fees on behalf of eligible first time undergraduate students attending approved full-time undergraduate courses. In order to qualify for funding under the Department’s Free Fees Initiative, students must meet the criteria of the scheme including previous education attendance, progression and attainment.

Details of the free fees criteria are available at the following location: hea.ie/funding-governance-performance/funding/student-finance/course-fees/

The assessment of eligibility under the FFI in individual cases is a matter for each higher education institution to determine within the terms of the scheme. The institutions submit a tuition fee claim to the HEA (HEA designated) or the Department (not HEA designated) in relation to eligible students.