Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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. Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and the level of tuition fee payable by students is a matter for the relevant institution to determine. This includes setting the criteria a person must meet to be regarded as an EU or a Non-EU tuition fee student.

Separately, 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 separate residency and nationality/citizenship requirements in their own right. 

In order to meet the residency criteria a student must have been ordinarily resident in an EU/EEA/Swiss/UK state for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to an approved third level course. The three out of five year rule takes cognizance of students who wish to take time out to travel or work abroad. Such students can still meet the residency requirement if they have not been outside the jurisdictions referenced above for more than two of the previous five years. The residency criteria applies equally to all students.

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 preceding their entry to an approved third level course.

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 student acquires EU/EEA/Swiss/UK 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 criteria of the Scheme, including residency, 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/

As referenced above, 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.