Colleges to contact students this week about €1,000 refund
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Higher Education Institutions are to reach out to eligible students this week to refund them €1,000 in college fees.
Further and Higher Education Minister Simon Harris has also confirmed all student grant holders will receive an additional payment on December 16.
Both measures were announced in the budget to help students and families with the cost-of-living crisis.
Students who paid their 2022/23 student contribution in full will receive a refund from their college with each HEI to begin contacting students this week to seek the necessary account details to process a refund.
Students will be required to provide the relevant details by November 30, according to Mr Harris who will make the announcement today.
Where a student has not provided the required details by the required date, the HEI may apply a credit to the student's account against any outstanding or future fees due.
This is a once-off measure and will reduce the amount payable by free fees-eligible students to their institution from €3,000 to €2,000 in the academic year 2022/23.
Under the Department’s Free Fees schemes, the State provides funding toward the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate Higher Education Institute (HEI) students with students paying the student contribution.
The student contribution applies annually to all free fee-eligible students and the current rate is €3,000 per annum.
Students eligible for a 50% student contribution grant support as paid by SUSI will benefit proportionally and will receive a €500 credit, from €1,500 to €1,000, in the value of the student contribution they are due to pay.
Mr Harris said: “If you have not paid your fee, it will be knocked off your bill and if you have, your college will be in touch to ensure you get your money back.
“These are practical measures to help students and families with the cost of education and the cost-of-living more generally.”
Students who are also eligible for the SUSI grant can expect to receive an additional payment in December with both Budget measures to impact 160,000 students.
For some students whose third level institution is far away from their home, this will mean an additional €679 before the end of the year.
Mr Harris said these two measures announced in the budget are important steps to address the cost of education for families.
He said: “This will benefit almost 50,000 students across the country.
“And effective from January, we will permanently increase grants by between 10 and 14% ensuring students will receive the help and assistance they need.”