1000Euro Registration Fees

Het-Field

UCD'S registration fees have breached the 1000Euro mark. Next year, students availing of free fees will be forced to stump up over a grand to pay their way in college. Previously the registration fees were roughly 300Euro before being hiked to 750 Euro in 2002. Now in 2006 new students will be forced to pay a huge amount of money to attend UCD. What do you think

Pythia

Did we not have a vote to approve this?
Something to do with a new student centre?

pretty*monster

The student center levy has increased by €15 (this year, it'll be up again next year and the year after...).

Dunno where the rest of the increase is coming from and can't be bothered finding out.

humbert

can someone break this down for me, what are registration fees paying for, why are they different for different colleges and why are they not considered college fees in the conventional sense?

singingstranger

humbert wrote:

can someone break this down for me, what are registration fees paying for, why are they different for different colleges and why are they not considered college fees in the conventional sense?

In short, no. We had a motion at USI looking to campaign for a proper breakdown of the Reg Fee but eventually the motion fell because it'd be tokenistic - "€12 for SU, €840 for University admin" or whatever...

pretty*monster

*puts on her maths hat*

Ok...
the reg fee for 05/06 was €838.50 of which €63.50 was the Student Centre Levy, so what's left out of that was the €775.00 which is listed as a 'student services fee' (I know the college authorities divey out some of it between the union, the societieas and the sports clubs, no idea how much goes where or what they do with the rest.)

Insidentally last year's student services fee was up €25 on the 04/05 fee...

Right so if the student center levy is up by €15 to €78.50 (as I'm given to understand) then to bring the reg fee to €1000 the student services fee would have to have gone up to a whopping €921.50 an increase of €146.50 on last year... I don't know jack about economics but I@m pretty sure that's well above inflation...


Important question: what's the source on the regitration fee going up to a grand?

rain on

if you're eligible for a grant you only have to pay about €70 though. i think the official line is that you have to pay the whole €1000 or whatever amount it is and then you can claim it back, but i always just gave them the €63.50 or whatever it was in my day (ahem) and there was never a peep out of them. grants are great.

Sangre

stinger

Stepherunie

Hmm could be that they haven't updated stuweb yet - but it's offering to let me pay my fees now and it's saying 838.50 - could you possibly get away with paying early and avoid being made pay more?.

Anyone else getting that?

humbert

rain on wrote:

if you're eligible for a grant you only have to pay about €70 though. i think the official line is that you have to pay the whole €1000 or whatever amount it is and then you can claim it back, but i always just gave them the €63.50 or whatever it was in my day (ahem) and there was never a peep out of them. grants are great.

that's good to know, I'm eligible now and claiming it back is a pain in the hole.

Sangre wrote:

stinger

personal abuse, *screams in frenzied high pitched voice* ban him, ban him!!!:D

ozt9vdujny3srf

Unless someone can provide evidence that this is true, I'm locking this thread.

rain on

from ucd.ie/fees:

Students with no grant but ‘free’ fees pay a registration fee of :
Approximately €1,000

and also:

Fees for 2006/7 have not yet been set by the Department of Education and Science so it is not possible to quote an exact fee. Information will be available in early August

granted that's not concrete evidence that it's definitely true, but i assume it's where the OP is getting it from.

Chakar

Hmm... it is a bit too steep but the exact amount we're going to pay hasn't been finalised from the DES but from the UCD side of things its looking likely.

emeraldstar

are you serious? :eek: 1000e is so much. If I was paying fees, like I did have to do last year, it would be around 4000e for the year. That means that so-called "free" fees are still a quarter of the full cost!! Free?? ha!! my arse!!!!

rainbow kirby

Try 6k for the year for my course... I'm *nearly* there with the saving, but if the reg fee part goes up then that's another few weeks before I can afford my new laptop too. This is going to be my 2nd year paying fees

Red Alert

Someone needs to launch a "Bin the New-SC" campaign.

antSionnach

Grants suck tbh. There are two friends of mine who are somehow altering their income receipts to become eligible for grants (dont ask how) one is froma farming family and the other's sister is an accountant and manages the finances somehow so that he qualifies. I know them both well and they really dont need the grant like others do. The real people who are losing out are the borderlines who failed to qualify by a hairline.

better get the car insurance sorted before the rentals hear about the reg increase!

btw England and Wales dont pretend they have free fees, you pay like £1,100 and thats your fee. We're paying the same and yet the phrase 'free fees' is the dept of educations little trumpeted marvel and they get away with it.

humbert

yea I really don't understand how they decide who gets a grant, I know some people who's parents seem to have an endless amount of money to spend on them but also get a grant. I think it may have something to do with them being strict on earnings but not on assets, but that's really just a guess

Stepherunie

antSionnach wrote:

btw England and Wales dont pretend they have free fees, you pay like £1,100 and thats your fee. We're paying the same and yet the phrase 'free fees' is the dept of educations little trumpeted marvel and they get away with it.

That fee is actually means tested - i.e the max you can be made to pay is 1,100 pounds, you can pay anything from nothing to that - you can chose to apply or if you know you won't qualify you can just say you'll pay the fee. And if you do a healthcare type course you get free fees (not sure if that applies to irish students though)

singingstranger

My SIS has been offering an €838.50 registration for a while now, but it genuinely can't be right because that would mean, with the Student Centre levy taken into account (€63.50 last year to €75 this year), the actual 'fee' is gone down, and no way that's happening.

rain_on wrote:

if you're eligible for a grant you only have to pay about €70 though.

This would be the Student Centre levy, which is €75 this year, will be €100 the year after, and €150 the year after that, as approved by yizzer all in the referendum, nudge nudge, wink wink.

pretty*monster

singingstranger wrote:

My SIS has been offering an €838.50 registration for a while now, but it genuinely can't be right because that would mean, with the Student Centre levy taken into account (€63.50 last year to €75 this year), the actual 'fee' is gone down, and no way that's happening.

I try to ignore most og what the SIS tells me to do. It was encouraging me to 'pay fees' all year. Er, no thank you.

Umaro

I don't know, it always seems pretty ungrateful when people get stingy about paying fees for something which will provide them with thousands of extra income in years to come.

I wouldn't mind paying the money because I do understand that it's an investment for my own future (and a pretty small one at that if you look at the bigger picture). Whether you're getting any extra value for your money is anybody's guess but I'd like to think it does go some way towards improving the butter that greases the administrative wheels of the UCD Kremlin.

(Now to void my argument..)

And besides, I won't be paying it - Bank of Mum & Dad FTW!!!

Pythia

Umaro wrote:

I don't know, it always seems pretty ungrateful when people get stingy about paying fees for something which will provide them with thousands of extra income in years to come.

Have to say I agree. If everything works out as it should, I should get quite a hefty paycheck 4 years after graduation. Definitely worth 1000e a year for 3 years.

pretty*monster

Umaro wrote:

I don't know, it always seems pretty ungrateful when people get stingy about paying fees for something which will provide them with thousands of extra income in years to come.

I wouldn't mind paying the money because I do understand that it's an investment for my own future (and a pretty small one at that if you look at the bigger picture). Whether you're getting any extra value for your money is anybody's guess but I'd like to think it does go some way towards improving the butter that greases the administrative wheels of the UCD Kremlin.

(Now to void my argument..)

And besides, I won't be paying it - Bank of Mum & Dad FTW!!!

I don't mind paying fees personally because me (well... my parents) can well afford it.
I object the the gorernment using the term 'free fees' when it's quite obviouse that fees are not free.

Stepherunie

I don't mind paying a registration fee - I'm grateful to be able to study in Ireland, but at least in England there's no messing about it - they just state that the 1,100 pounds are whatever is what you ahve to pay, end of - it's you're fees to go to college - I just think they should be more bloody clear about it.

To me a grand is a drop in the ocean for what i'm getting out of college - an almost guaranteed job and great opportunities for going on to do postgrads - never minded the registration fee, i just don't approve of the huge hike in the student centre levy for something i won't get any use of or that is really needed.

Chakar

Stepherunie wrote:

i just don't approve of the huge hike in the student centre levy for something i won't get any use of or that is really needed.

You can have graduate membership of the swimming pool which is cheaper than any other pool in Ireland.Also the new student centre will cater for all society and club activity which has to be lauded.No more using the Arts Block or college buildings.All societies and clubs that are approved to need offices, will have offices and facilities.For example societies would be the ones having offices like Lawsoc, L&H.Also DanceSoc, FilmSoc and Dramsoc would have the facilities required to undertake their activities.DanceSoc weren't active this year because they weren't allowed to use the Sports Centre because they are a society not a club as only clubs are allowed to use the Sports Centre.

Its a great venture and its going to be linked to the present student centre in which the building site will be the car park adjoining it.The new student centre is going to have everything the students union, societies and clubs need.

The plans haven't been devised yet but it is certain that it will have the basic features such as the swimming pool for one, debating chamber, cinema and a big relaxation area and concourse that all students will use sometime.There are other features voted by the student population that I can't recall.

We won't have any more building projects after the new student centre we will be all set for the future.

Also we really need it as with modularisation and semesterisation, it is putting pressure on facilities especially in Arts in which Jazzsoc, a society with 300 members was refused a room for their AGM.

boneless

Chakar wrote:

You can have graduate membership of the swimming pool which is cheaper than any other pool in Ireland.Also the new student centre will cater for all society and club activity which has to be lauded.No more using the Arts Block or college buildings.All societies and clubs that are approved to need offices, will have offices and facilities.For example societies would be the ones having offices like Lawsoc, L&H.Also DanceSoc, FilmSoc and Dramsoc would have the facilities required to undertake their activities.DanceSoc weren't active this year because they weren't allowed to use the Sports Centre because they are a society not a club as only clubs are allowed to use the Sports Centre.

Its a great venture and its going to be linked to the present student centre in which the building site will be the car park adjoining it.The new student centre is going to have everything the students union, societies and clubs need.

The plans haven't been devised yet but it is certain that it will have the basic features such as the swimming pool for one, debating chamber, cinema and a big relaxation area and concourse that all students will use sometime.There are other features voted by the student population that I can't recall.

We won't have any more building projects after the new student centre we will be all set for the future.

Also we really need it as with modularisation and semesterisation, it is putting pressure on facilities especially in Arts in which Jazzsoc, a society with 300 members was refused a room for their AGM.

*Clicks heels and says "theres no place like home!"*

arbeitsscheuer

You ain't in a free education system anymore, Dorothy...

Jonny Arson

Er some people think it's a ok for the our wonderful government to hike up the reg fee waaaaay above the rate of inflation (by about 15%) ......

well how would feel if your hard earned E1000 went to funding a fraction of your fabulous taoiseach's annual makeup expenses heh? It's a fact!

Pythia

Is it the government or UCD itself?

rainbow kirby

A little from column A, a little from column B.

Stepherunie

The registration fee is the same for all colleges as far as I know, only the student service levy varies - uccs is also taking a big hike this year - but they're getting gym membership included for it, I want to be in ucc.

Blush_01

Umaro wrote:

And besides, I won't be paying it - Bank of Mum & Dad FTW!!!

Not everyone is that lucky.

Steph, my brother's registration fee was almost €100 less than mine last year.

Stepherunie

Meh, tried finding stuff online - failed miserably - people don't want us to know how much reg fees are i fear.

Chakar

Zane from MTV2 wrote:

well how would feel if your hard earned E1000 went to funding a fraction of your fabulous taoiseach's annual makeup expenses heh? It's a fact!

I don't care about the makeup he has two part-time make up artists who make him look presentable.We don't want to see him without the makeup.Image is everything nowadays and we have to have him looking well and presentable for the cameras that he faces everyday.

He's An Taoiseach of Ireland that says everything you know.

OT What do people think of the new student centre? We're paying it out of the registration fee.

Chinafoot

Chakar wrote:

I don't care about the makeup he has two part-time make up artists who make him look presentable.We don't want to see him without the makeup.Image is everything nowadays and we have to have him looking well and presentable for the cameras that he faces everyday.

He's the An Taoiseach of Ireland that says everything you know.

:eek: You're either incredibly naive or a very good troll.

On-topic: I would just like to reiterate what another poster said, Free fees my hole.

ozt9vdujny3srf

"The An Taoiseach"

Nice...

[/pedant]

garthv

Chakar wrote:

I don't care about the makeup he has two part-time make up artists who make him look presentable.We don't want to see him without the makeup.Image is everything nowadays and we have to have him looking well and presentable for the cameras that he faces everyday.

Im going to become rich when I invent a way to stab people like you in the face over the internet.

You know absoloutely nothing kid, fucks sake you don't even pay taxes so how would you know.

Your posts on these boards have been nothing but idiocy and I don't know how you haven't been banned yet, so please, do us all a favour and fuck off.

Gone West

Zane from MTV2 wrote:

well how would feel if your hard earned E1000 went to funding a fraction of your fabulous taoiseach's annual makeup expenses heh? It's a fact!

This expense is needed tbh.
Countries political leaders have to look good on camera.
If he looked like a hick on tv, it would have a negative economic effect on the country.
Business people are influenced by the small things like this.

Its been well documented from the "anorak phase"
What youre talking about is tabloid drivel.

Samos

FuzzyLogic wrote:

This expense is needed tbh.
Countries political leaders have to look good on camera.
If he looked like a hick on tv, it would have a negative economic effect on the country.
Business people are influenced by the small things like this.

So, essentially some other people are shallow and we must also behave in a shallow manner in order for them to like us! There's got to be a much better justification for such an unnecessary expense, especially when so many of the essential requiremnets inthis country are underfunded: education, health, transport etc.

I would certainly like to see a detailed breakdown of this €1000 fee, and sufficient reaon for its yearly increase.

humbert

Ok if you can be banned for posting abusive or racist remarks because they unjustifiably cause people offence then you should definitly be bloody banned for posting about the need for our "an taoiseach" to wear makeup on TV in a thread about the UCD registration fee:mad:

OT: I too would like to hear the reason for the increase and would hope it's not to do with that new student center which imo we don't need.

Chinafoot

humbert wrote:

Ok if you can be banned for posting abusive or racist remarks because they unjustifiably cause people offence then you should definitly be bloody banned for posting about the need for our "an taoiseach" to wear makeup on TV in a thread about the UCD registration fee:mad:

Wholeheartedly agree. This place is fúcking ridiculous.

humbert wrote:

OT: I too would like to hear the reason for the increase and would hope it's not to do with that new student center which imo we don't need.

Hasn't the registration fee gone up every year anyway? So they can't really justify it by saying it's the new student centre. A breakdown of everything we're paying for would be nice, that's for sure.

singingstranger

It can't possibly be for the Student Centre because that's exactly what the Student Centre Levy is for (name kinda gives the game away, doesn't it?).

If the actual Reg part of the total fee doesn't go up then the total payment for non-grants students should be €850, and €75 for grant recipients. I suppose we just have to twiddle our thumbs until something more concrete appears.

rainbow kirby

That's fairly typical of UCD... a bit of detective work to find out anything.

ozt9vdujny3srf

Back on topic, the Taioseachs make up expenses have about as much to do with this topic as Dirt Tax has to do with buying bread....or something.

GarthV : This is your first post on this board so I'll let you away with a 3 day ban for that outburst. You know damn well thats not acceptable ANYWHERE on boards.

panda100

peachypants wrote:

.



Hasn't the registration fee gone up every year anyway? So they can't really justify it by saying it's the new student centre. A breakdown of everything we're paying for would be nice, that's for sure.

Its defo nothing to do with the new student centre.I wonder how one would get a breakdown of this 1000 euro fee?How could it have gone up so drastically since I started in 2001?Maybe money to build the new residences?Id understand maybe if prices for photocopying and prinitng things off the comuter had gone down a bit but they've actually gone up!And back in 2001 the lecturers used to give out the handouts in class which now makes it more expensive for students now to print off lectures before each class.So where is this money going to? Get mulder and scully onto this one methinks

singingstranger

It's the same for everyone in the country though, isn't it?! It can't be a UCD specific thing, it's the Government cranking up the 'free' fees. I've never known anyone who didn't pay the €750/€775 as we do (obviously they don't pay for our Student Centre Levy but you know what I'm getting at.)

panda100

singingstranger wrote:

It's the same for everyone in the country though, isn't it?! It can't be a UCD specific thing, it's the Government cranking up the 'free' fees. I've never known anyone who didn't pay the €750/€775 as we do (obviously they don't pay for our Student Centre Levy but you know what I'm getting at.)

Oh yeah spose your right.Doh panda being stupid! Tis a bit of disgrace saying its free fee's when its evidently not.

Samos

panda100 wrote:

Tis a bit of disgrace saying its free fee's when its evidently not.

But when has "free" ever meant "free" (if you get what I mean)!! Type "free" into google and you'll be lucky to find anything that is worth something but will cost you nothing...

panda100

Samos wrote:

But when has "free" ever meant "free" (if you get what I mean)!! Type "free" into google and you'll be lucky to find anything that is worth something but will cost you nothing...

I see what your saying but 1000euro is a lot of money and is definatly by no means 'free'. Im in college for 6 years so paying 1000euro each year means I will pay 6000euro.For someone already struggling that is a heck of a lot of money and might well deter people from doing a long course such as medicne because of the huge fees you have to pay even though they are apparently 'free'.Thank god for student loans!!

Red Alert

I honestly don't see why we're building a new student centre to accomodate the logistical failures of the college (re: room bookings etc). I had no problem booking a room in Eng in the early part of the year.