Understanding Fees

Here we look at two questions:

Are you designated as an EU or Non-EU student?
Are you eligible for Free Tuition Fees (known as )?

Being designated as an EU or Non-EU student determines:

(a) how you apply for a place at university and

(b) what fees you will be quoted.

Typically, to be considered an EU student you are required to have:

鈻� a Stamp 4 or be a national of EU/EEA member state, UK, or Swiss Confederation

鈻� and have been ordinarily resident in these areas for three of the last five years.

However, some universities may classify you as EU-fees based only on your residency. It is important to check with the university fees office and if necessary request a fee assessment.

NOTE : If you apply and are accepted into a university as a Non-EU student, it can be very difficult / sometimes impossible to be re-classified as an EU student even if you meet the criteria during your degree. Universities have different ways of dealing with this situation so always check with the admissions office before accepting a place as an International / Non-EU student. The problem with this designation is that you may be stuck paying very high fees (about 鈧�15,000 per year) for all three or four years of your degree even if you meet the EU fees criteria mid-way through.

Funding for People Seeking International Protection

Once you have three years in the protection system in Ireland and you have not received a final decision on your protection application, you may be eligible to apply for funding from the state. If you go back to the Education homepage you will see a link to 鈥楩unding鈥� where we explain this in more detail.

Eligibility for the Free Fees Initiative (FFI)

To be considered eligible for the Free Fees Initiative you are required to be:

鈻� a national of an EU/EEA member state

鈻� a national of the Swiss confederation or the UK

鈻� have Refugee status / Permission to Remain or similar (scroll down to the 鈥楴ationality鈥� section for more details on eligible stamp 4 permissions, because they are not all eligible)

鈻� and have been ordinarily resident in these areas for three of the last five years.

NOTE : Each citizen in Ireland is eligible for the Free Fees Initiative for one undergraduate degree in a public university, it does not apply to private colleges. The same rule applies to refugees and people seeking protection. So if you came to Ireland with a degree, you will not be eligible for the Free Fees Initiative to do another degree here.

What are the fees for university (Undergraduate Degree)?

Fees are divided into three parts:

Tuition Fees
Student Contribution
Student Levy / Capitation

i. Tuition Fees

鈼� Typically between 鈧�2,500 and 鈧�5000 per year (EU rate)

鈼� The Higher Education Authority (HEA) will pay the EU Tuition Fee to the University on behalf of the student where the student is eligible for the Free Fees Initiative (FFI) - we explained that above.

ii. Student Contribution

In Budget 2027, the Student Contribution was permanently reduced to 鈧�2,350 per year. If you are eligible for state funding (SUSI or IPSS), this will usually be fully or partially covered by your grant.

iii. Student Levy/ Capitation

Typically between 鈧�138 and 鈧�254. The FFI or the state grants will not pay for this, and so the student is usually liable to pay this amount.

Examples of approximate costs: (per year)

鈧�15,000 - 鈧�20,000 - Non-EU student fee
鈧�4,000 - 鈧�8,000 - EU fee when you are not eligible for the Free Fees Initiative
鈧�2,000 - 鈧�3,000 - EU fee when you are eligible for the Free Fees Initiative
鈧�138 - 鈧�254 - when you are eligible for the FFI, and you receive a state grant (SUSI)

You can learn more about available state funding by clicking and Sanctuary Scholarships .