Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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177. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a student (details supplied) who has been living in Ireland for longer than five years will be considered eligible for EU fees rather that fees for an international student; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4960/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The fee payable by a student can vary depending on a variety of factors including the type of course and the student's access route. Typically there are two rates of fee, an EU Rate of Fee or a non-EU/International rate of fee. The assessment of a student’s application and the determination of the appropriate fee rate is a function of the institution attended. It is therefore necessary for students to contact the institution attended for guidance on the fees applicable to a course of study.

Full time undergraduate student may be eligible to have their tuition fees, exclusive of the student contribution, paid on their behalf via my Department's Free Fees Initiative. In order to qualify for funding under the Department's Free Fees Initiative, students must meet the criteria of the scheme including the nationality/citizenship requirements in their own right.

To meet nationality/citizenship requirements the Students must hold inter alia EU/EEA/Swiss/UK nationality or certain permissions to reside in the state as granted through the Department of Justice. The assessment of eligibility under the Free Fees Initiative in individual cases is a matter for each institution to determine within the terms of the scheme and it is not possible for my Department to advise on the determinations made by individual institutions.

Where students do not qualify for free fees funding they must pay the appropriate fee - either EU or Non-EU, as determined by each higher education institution. These institutions are autonomous bodies and the level of fee payable by students who do not meet the requirements of the free fees scheme is a matter for the relevant institution to determine. This includes setting the criteria a person must meet to be regarded as an EU on Non-EU tuition fee student. Where a student requires guidance on the determination of such fees it is necessary that a student engage with the fees office of the institution attended.

The Deputy may wish to be aware that a ‘Change of Nationality’ clause forms part of the Free Fees Schemes. Where students were ineligible for free fees at date of entry to their course of study because they did not meet the nationality clause of the schemes, institutions may reconsider the student for free fees if the students acquires EU/EEA/Swiss Confederation/United Kingdom citizenship during their course of study. The following date guidelines apply:-

- students who acquire EU/EEA/Swiss Confederation/United Kingdom up to 31st January in an academic year may be entitled to free tuition fees for the second half of the academic year.

- students who acquire EU/EEA/Swiss Confederation/United Kingdom from 1st February may be entitled to free tuition fees from the commencement of the next academic year.

In order to be eligible under this ‘change of nationality’ clause students must have met all other criterion of the Scheme, apart from nationality, at date of entry to their course of study. Additional information on the change of nationality clause is available at the following location: hea.ie/funding-governance-performance/funding/student-finance/course-fees/ and also on the UCD website (section titled definitions): www.ucd.ie/students/fees/freefeesinitiative/

Where a student wishes to have their eligibility reassessed having acquired Irish citizenship, they should contact the fees office of the institution attended for guidance on how the scheme criteria may apply to their individual circumstances.

In considering the matters raised, it is important to note that the Department of Justice adjudicates on a person's entitlement to remain in the State and on the stamp that is awarded where permission to remain is sanctioned.

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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178. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the case of a student (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5059/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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In terms of tuition fee supports, full time undergraduate student may be eligible to have their tuition fees, exclusive of the student contribution, paid on their behalf via my Department's Free Fees Initiative. However, in order to qualify for funding under the Department's Free Fees Initiative, students must meet the criteria of the scheme, including with regard to previous education.

The scheme criteria include a provision that students who have previously pursued but have not completed a course of third level study and subsequently resume third level studies are not eligible for free fees for the equivalent period of time spent on the first course of study, where the third level course concerned was eligible to attract exchequer funding (e.g. fees, maintenance, tax relief, subsidy towards course cost).

A key principle of the design of the free fees initiative is to encourage progression, that is, to support students in progressing through a chosen course of study from year to year. As a result, students are not typically supported for a repeat period of study or for a different course at the same level. This criteria applies equally to all student.

Additional information on free fees initiative is available at the following location: hea.ie/funding-governance-performance/funding/student-finance/course-fees/

Where students do not qualify for free fees funding they must pay the appropriate fee - either EU or Non-EU, as determined by each higher education institution.  These institutions are autonomous bodies and the level of fee payable by students who do not meet the requirements of the free fees scheme is a matter for the relevant institution to determine.

The assessment of a student’s application and the determination of the appropriate fee rate is a function of the institution attended. It is therefore not possible for my Department to provide details relating to individual applications and it is necessary for students to contact the institution attended for guidance on the fees applicable to a course of study.