Thousands of college students are set to receive €1,000 off on their fees in December.
The move is part of cost of education measures under Budget 2024. It means that €1,000 in undergraduate fees are now being applied to all eligible students’ accounts, reducing the cost of college for 96,000 students.
Students or their families who paid the full student contribution of €3,000 are being refunded. They are being urged to provide their bank details to their higher education institution before the end of November to facilitate reimbursement of their €1,000 in December.
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If bank details are not provided by the student, a credit will be applied to their account. In Budget 2024, Minister Simon Harris confirmed a €113million cost of education package for university students.
Minister Harris said: "Budget 2024 introduced a series of measures to reduce the cost of education and put more money back in people's pockets.
"The most significant measure was the reduction of college fees of €1,000 for the second year in a row. Today, we set out how it will work. For the majority of students, there will be no action required.
"Fees will automatically reduce to €2,000 for all undergraduate students eligible for free fees. If you are paying in instalments - as many families do- your second instalment will be reduced by up to €1,000 at the start of the second term in 2024.
"If you paid in full, your college will refund you by the end of the year," added Minister Harris.
He also confirmed families earning under €100,000 can also get a €500 student contribution grant. Students can still make a late application for the grant on www.susi.ie.
Minister Harris also announced details of the €17 million allocation for the Student Assistance Fund, which is a package aimed at assisting students with the cost of college.
Earlier this year €440,000 was also provided to assist with emergency applications. The funding can help students with books and class materials, rent, childcare, and transport, among other things.
Next year, maintenance grants will increase and post-graduate supports will be brought back for the first time since the economic crash.
PhD researchers funded by Science Foundation Ireland and the Irish Research Council will also receive a €3,000 increase in their stipend from January 2024.
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