Higher Education Grants and non-EU Students

Questions asked in the Dáil by Ciarán - Other

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25 October 2005	Education	Higher Education Grants and non-EU Students

Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for Education and Science her plans to reduce the treble fees that apply to non-EU nationals studying at higher level in the State; and her further plans to reduce these fees to prospective students from developing countries.

Minister for Education and Science: The main eligibility conditions of my Department’s free fees initiative are that students must be first time undergraduates, hold EU nationality or official refugee status and have been ordinarily resident in an EU member state for three of the five years preceding entry to an approved course. The third level institutions are autonomous bodies and, as such, may determine the level of fees to be charged in any case where the free fees initiative does not apply. The classification of a student for EU or a non EU fee levels is a matter for each institution to determine in such cases.

Ciarán Cuffe is a TD for the Dún Laoghaire Dáil Constituency. Ciarán can be contacted at Dáil Éireann, Kildare Street, Dublin 2 or 96 Patrick Street, Dún Laoghaire Tel. 284 6060 or 618 3082, Fax 618 4341, Email Ciaran CiaranCuffe.com