Under the terms of the Free Fees Initiative, the Department of Education and Skills will pay tuition fees (Student Contribution to be paid by student) to the Institute of Technology on behalf of students registered for the first time on qualifying, full-time, undergraduate programmes. Such programmes must be of a minimum duration of 2 years.
However, even if students are eligible for the free fees initiative, they are still liable for the following:
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The Student Contribution Charge is payable to the Institute for the costs of student services and examinations – see ‘Student contribution’. Budget 2012, which was announced in December 2011, increases the student contribution by €250 per year with effect from 2012/13.The student contribution fee for the academic year 2016/17 is €3000
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SETU Waterford Student Card fee: This is a €15 charged to all first time students for the issue of a student card. This card is required for access to student facilities.
Tuition Fees
The Department of Education provides a four year “Free Tuition Fee” Scheme and those students who qualify are exempt from paying the Institute Tuition Fees.
Those students who do not qualify for “Free Tuition Fees” will be liable for full tuition fees as follows:
Fee Categories | Student Contribution | Tuition Fees (if applicable) | Total Composite Fee Due |
Undergraduate Higher Certificate (Level 6) EU tuition fee |
€3000 |
€250 | €3250 |
Undergraduate Ordinary degree (Level 7) EU tuition fee |
€3000
|
€250 | €3250 |
Undergraduate Engineering/Architecture & Music Honours Degree (Level 8) EU tuition fee |
€3000 |
€1450 | €4450 |
Honours Degree (Level 8) EU tuition fee |
€3000 |
€819 | €3819 |
Pre. Reg Nursing Degree (Level 8) EU tuition fee |
€3000 |
€4106 | €7106 |
Further information on the “Free Fees Initiative” can be found on the following websites:
http://www.studentfinance.ie
http://www.citizensinformation.ie
Please Note:
Students who have already completed a first-time undergraduate degree or who have a postgraduate qualification are never entitled to further funding under the Initiative.
Free Fees:
Students are generally automatically assessed for “free fees/tuition fees” for undergraduate programmes. However if you are not a current school leaver or have for e.g. Non-EU places of birth but have EU nationality you may need to provide us with some documentation e.g. an EU passport.
Who May Qualify for Free Tuition Fees under the Free Fees Initiative?
Students must belong to one or more of the following categories:
In order to qualify for free fees you must have been living in an EEA member state or Switzerland for at least 3 of the 5 years before starting your course.
You must also fulfil one of the following 6 criteria as regards citizenship and rights of residence in Ireland:
You must:
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Be a citizen of an EEA member state (see above) or Switzerland or
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Have official refugee status or
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Be a family member of a refugee and have been granted permission to live in the State or
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Be a family member of an EU national and have permission to live in the State, with a stamp “4EUFAM” on your residence card or
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Have been granted humanitarian leave to remain in the State or
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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.
You must also fulfil all of the following 3 course requirements:
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You must be undertaking a full-time undergraduate course of at least 2 years' duration.
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You must be a first-time full-time undergraduate. (However, prior undergraduate qualifications may be taken into consideration where exemptions are provided to a student pursuing a higher undergraduate qualification, to a maximum of Level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications).
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In general, you must not be repeating the year because of failing your exams or changing course. This exclusion may be waived if you repeat a year due to certified serious illness. There are also some exceptions for students in institutes of technology who are switching courses.
Detailed information about assistance with tuition fees is available on http://www.studentfinance.ie