Tuition fees may be paid in respect of full-time undergraduate students undertaking approved courses in eligible institutions. Details of the eligibility criteria are listed below.
Further information can be found on the .
Most undergraduate students attending publicly funded third-level courses do not have to pay tuition fees. Under the terms of the Free Fees Initiative, the Department of Education and Skills pays the fees to the colleges instead.
These are based on Residency, Citizenship, Course requirements.
Review the three groups of criteria to determine your fee status as follows
I. Residence:
You must have been living in an EEA member state or Switzerland for at least 3 of the 5 years before starting your course. The members of the EEA (the European Economic Area) are the member states of the EU, along with Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.
II. Nationality and immigration:
You must also fulfil one of the following 6 criteria as regards nationality and immigration status in Ireland: You must
- Be a citizen of an EEA member state (see above) or Switzerland or
- Have official refugee status or
- Be a family member of a refugee and have been granted permission to live in the State or
- Be a family member of an EU national and have permission to live in the State, with a stamp 鈥4EUFAM鈥 on your residence card or
- Have been granted humanitarian leave to remain in the State or have been granted permission to remain in the State by the Minister for Justice and Equality, following a determination by the Minister not to make a deportation order under Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999.
III. Course requirements:
You must also fulfil all of the following 3 course requirements:
- You must be undertaking a full-time undergraduate course of at least 2 years' duration (or certain shorter courses in institutes of technology).
- You must be a first-time full-time undergraduate. (However, students who already hold a Level 6 or a Level 7 qualification and are progressing to a Level 8 qualification on the National Framework of Qualifications without having received an exemption from the normal duration of the course may be deemed eligible for free fees.)
- In general, you must not be repeating the year because of failing your exams or changing course. This requirement may be waived if you repeat a year due to certified serious illness.
Free tuition fees are only available for your first degree. You are liable for full fees for subsequent degrees.
Education Status Level 6 and level 7 holders progressing on to Level 8 can get free fees if they are doing a course in the same subject area.
If you do not qualify for free fees you may still be eligible for EU fee rates.
Some examples of when people might qualify for an EU fee rate are as follows:
- You originally qualified for free fees and are now repeating a year that you failed.
- You do not fulfil any of the 6 nationality and immigration status criteria listed above but have been tax resident for a number of years in an EEA member state or Switzerland
- From September 2014, an Irish, EU, EEA or Swiss student who has spent at least five years in primary school or second level school in Ireland can avail of EU fee rates. Please see the fee schedule for course fees.
Please refer to the Fee classification information page to help you understand your eligibility for either EU or Non-EU fees.
If you do not qualify for EU fees you can be charged nonEU fees. Please see the fee schedule for course fees.
Please refer to the Fee classification information page to help you understand your eligibility for either EU or Non-EU fees.