This year's new students to pay tuition fees from next year

Sad Professor

THE DEPARTMENT of Education has instructed third-level colleges to put new students on notice they may be liable for new fees from next year.

Students will be told of their potential liability for fees when they register for the first time next month.

Most third-level students already pay a registration charge of about €1,500.

In a letter circulated by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on behalf of the department, college presidents have been asked to inform all new students, as part of their induction, that third-level fees may be reintroduced in the 2010 academic year.

The department hopes this move will help to avert any legal challenge by students to a new fees regime.

Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe has said current third-level students would not be liable for any new loans or fees regime.

However, he insists the new fees or loan regime will apply to those beginning college next month.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2009/0820/1224252952086.html?digest=1

Great. Good timing, Batt.

He should have given this warning to students months ago. Not two weeks before we start. Aside from a few comments to the media back in Jan/Feb, O'Keefe has been very vague on this issue. And we still don't know for certain what form fees will take.

I'll see you all at the lynching.

Victor

Which part of "next year" don't you understand?

Bloody Nipples

Next year means that they may be liable to fees from their second year on. If they'd known about this a while back then I'm sure many potential students would have chosen some other route to employment, in order to avoid saddling themselves or their families with 24,000 euro worth of debt. But now that Mr. O' Keefe has seen fit, to inform students that they may have to pay fees after putting all their eggs in one basket. This information before these decisions were made would have been infinitely preferable.

Sad Professor

Victor wrote: »

Which part of "next year" don't you understand?

Which part of "this year's students" don't you understand?

When they filled out their CAO application in January and accepted their places this week they did so under the assumption that they would not have to pay fees. But the government comes out now, 2/3 weeks before they start, and tells them they may be liable for fees from next year on.

If one enters college under the "free" fees arrangement they should expect to finish under it.

the_syco

Victor wrote: »

Which part of "next year" don't you understand?

I'm with Victor on this one: to me, next year means 2010...

Micilin Muc

Thread title is misleading.

Sad Professor

I apologise, the thread title was indeed misleading (now fixed). The post wasn't, however.

RebelGirrrl

Do you think the deferred loan thing will happen?

procure11

I really dont undersatnd the whole concept.

>Does this mean the government would stop the grant system
>Is this just restricted to Undergraduates or does it affect Postgraduates as well.For eg what happens to someone who starts a Masters degree in 2009 and wants to pursue a Phd from 2010?

dotsflan

this country gets better and better:rolleyes:

Skyuser

I presume the grant will still be there for people who need it and quite possibly be increased to help pay for the tuition fees.

boobox

Sad Professor wrote: »

I'll see you all at the lynching.

I'll be there.

yayaitsme

if fees do come back in that'll be me out of college. there is no way i can afford to pay them.:(

Baird

In fairness €24k isnt exactly the end of the world. People were paying that on a whim for a car not 2 years ago. In my opinion what they should do is introduce the Dutch system of fees over here. At the start of first year you sign an agreement with the college and recieve a loan from a bank for your entire fee amount. If you graduate with a certain degree (for example a 2.1 or a 2.2 or whatever) you dont have to pay the fees. If you drop out or get a crap degree then you are liable to repay the entire amount.
The amount of wasters and slackers in colleges around the country is a joke.
I know i have done two undergraduate degrees at this stage. Anyone not capable of getting a 2.1 with a lot of hard work should not be in college in the first place.
The good times are over now im afraid. Not a nice situation but inevitable.