Students will be forced to pay 2,500 reg fees (Indo)

ILA

STUDENTS will be forced to pay €2,500 in college registration fees -- a 66pc increase on present levels -- under charges expected to be agreed at a cabinet Budget meeting today.
This is an increase of €1,000 on the current €1,500 fee.
The Irish Independent has learnt that the massive increase -- though less than a €3,000 fee that was on the table -- will be rubber-stamped by ministers.

Also on the cards is a €500 charge for students taking one-, two- and three-year Post Leaving Certificate courses.
The registration charge hike will come as a huge blow to parents and students already struggling under the weight of pay cuts and other Budget measures and will affect about 70,000 undergraduates.
A further 65,000 who are on higher education grants will be exempt as will postgraduates who do not pay the charge.
Grants holders are drawn from lower income, farming and the self-employed categories.

To qualify for a full grant of €3,250, a student would need to come from a family with an annual 'reckonable' income of less than €41,110. The money is used for non-teaching purposes on areas such as registration, exams, and student services such as careers advice.
The initial proposal of an increase to €3,000 was strongly opposed by the Green Party, which argued for a lower figure of €2,000. Sources said last night that the Greens would reluctantly accept the €2,500 if other promises in the renewed programme to protect educational services were honoured.

Last year, the Greens successfully fought off a plan by the then Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe for a graduate contribution towards their education.
Its education spokesman Paul Gogarty conceded last night that some increase in the registration charge was inevitable, but stressed that the party would not accept tuition fees by the back door. Nor would it accept a "slash and burn" approach to education.


Tensions

Taoiseach Brian Cowen denied there were tensions within the Coalition over the Green Party's demands to protect education funding and class sizes.

Mr Cowen admitted that third-level funding was under discussion ahead of the draconian Budget, but insisted there was "no tension" with Green Party ministers Eamon Ryan and John Gormley.
Meanwhile, new figures show that the real cost of educating a student varies from €8,000 for an arts undergraduate to €25,000 for the non-clinical years of a medical education. The figures include both teaching and non-teaching costs.

The increase of €1,000 in the registration charges will offset inevitable cuts in the annual grants to third-level colleges.
NUI Galway president Prof Jim Browne and UCC president Dr Michael Murphy backed proposals to increase college registration fees.
Any such increase should be accompanied by systems to support those unable to pay, said Prof Browne, who added that universities favoured a student loan system.

But political sources said this was not an option at the moment because of the huge start-up costs.

Cork Institute of Technology president Dr Brendan Murphy said that with the State clearly unable to provide the necessary funding to colleges and institutes, all funding options had to be considered. "If you are going to bring back fees, you can call it a registration charge or just straight fees or whatever," he added.

The increase is certain to inflame students who are planning a massive protest in Dublin tomorrow. Union of Students in Ireland president Gary Redmond said huge increases in the registration fee would force students to drop out of college and prevent thousands of potential students from entering college in the future.

"The recession has brought with it a lack of part-time and summer jobs for students. Many students' parents have lost their jobs or suffered reduced incomes, and are likely to be hit by further cuts in the upcoming Budget.
"It is a simple fact that students and their families will not be able to afford a registration fee hike," he added.

- John Walshe, Aine Kerr and Ralph Riegel
Irish Independent

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/students-will-be-forced-to-pay-euro2500-registration-fees-2403210.html

Hope they leave it at that for now and hopefully next year. Doesn't sound too bad for those who don't get college for free.

Riamfada

Student's parents will be forced to pay 2500 for reg fees I think!

Royal Irish

Yet they will still be able to afford to pack out niteclubs on a Thursday night and drink the heads of themselves.

AnonoBoy

Royal Irish wrote: »

Yet they will still be able to afford to pack out niteclubs on a Thursday night and drink the heads of themselves.

How dare they?

The bast*rds.

gurramok

The outrage that students have to pay for their own education!:rolleyes:

token56

I dont think its actually a bad thing. It might actually make some people question why they are going to college and if the course they are doing is the right one for them. Rather than having Mammy or Daddy pay for them to go and enjoy 3 or 4 years of socializing and a few exams twice a year and get a job completely unrelated to their degree afterwards.

I know this is a huge generalization but its still an issue which this might help stem.

mojesius

Meh... It's still pretty cheap.

gurramok

gurramok wrote: »

The outrage that students have to pay for their own education!:rolleyes:

If I had to pay for mine I wouldn't have went tbh.

The Waltzing Consumer

and yet, scumbags in prison will get free education.

Nice deal, don't break the law and pay for college
Break the law and study to your hearts content for free

mojesius

token56 wrote: »

I dont think its actually a bad thing. It might actually make some people question why they are going to college and if the course they are doing is the right one for them. Rather than having Mammy or Daddy pay for them to go and enjoy 3 or 4 years of socializing and a few exams twice a year and get a job completely unrelated to their degree afterwards.

I know this is a huge generalization but its still an issue which this might help stem.

Indeed. It'll also stop dossers dropping out because they were too hungover/ busy watching Jeremy Kyle to apply themselves.

Riamfada

RoverJames wrote: »

If I had to pay for mine I wouldn't have went tbh.

That would have sucked for you but at this risk of sounding really harsh ... so what does that mean for everyone else?

Gunsfortoys

To qualify for a full grant of €3,250, a student would need to come from a family with an annual 'reckonable' income of less than €41,110.

This is a good thing.

It is one positive thing that the poorest families can still get a decent education, which is the way it should be.

c0rk3r

Riot tomorrow? I'd like to know who leaked this information to the press too

gurramok

The Waltzing Consumer wrote: »

and yet, scumbags in prison will get free education.

Nice deal, don't break the law and pay for college
Break the law and study to your hearts content for free

Guess the following are scum too? :eek:

A further 65,000 who are on higher education grants will be exempt as will postgraduates who do not pay the charge.
Grants holders are drawn from lower income, farming and the self-employed categories.

3,000 is not enough to charge for, it should be alot higher. In the UK, you have to pay up to 30kstg for some medical courses. http://www.qmul.ac.uk/international/feesfinance/

Riamfada

Gunsfortoys wrote: »

This is a good thing.

It is one positive thing that the poorest families can still get a decent education, which is the way it should be.

Im sure USI will ignore that and state that this increase will keep the poorest students out of college.

Saila

mojesius wrote: »

Indeed. It'll also stop dossers dropping out because they were too hungover/ busy watching Jeremy Kyle to apply themselves.

thats actually a punishment given by lecturers, like the way you get lines in school off teachers.

The Waltzing Consumer

gurramok wrote: »

Guess the following are scum too? :eek:



3,000 is not enough to charge for, it should be alot higher. In the UK, you have to pay up to 30kstg for some medical courses. http://www.qmul.ac.uk/international/feesfinance/

Are you saying criminals in prison are the same as people who get grants?

gurramok

The Waltzing Consumer wrote: »

Are you saying criminals in prison are the same as people who get grants?

No. You said "and yet, scumbags in prison will get free education.

Nice deal, don't break the law and pay for college
Break the law and study to your hearts content for free"

You clearly have a problem with people getting free education.

AntiRip

The Waltzing Consumer wrote: »

and yet, scumbags in prison will get free education.

Nice deal, don't break the law and pay for college
Break the law and study to your hearts content for free

So you will have a better chance in an interview with a degree from Mountjoy than UL

brianthebard

gurramok wrote: »

3,000 is not enough to charge for, it should be alot higher. In the UK, you have to pay up to 30kstg for some medical courses. http://www.qmul.ac.uk/international/feesfinance/

Are you annoyed because you paid fees when you were in college and now you want everyone else to suffer too? Its one thing to agree with increasing the reg fee, its another to glory in it and fervently cry out for more increases on all these threads about university fees.

The Waltzing Consumer

gurramok wrote: »

No. You said "and yet, scumbags in prison will get free education.

Nice deal, don't break the law and pay for college
Break the law and study to your hearts content for free"

You clearly have a problem with people getting free education.

I have a problem with scumbags in prison getting free education whilst people who have not broken the law get punished with an increase in costs to education or reduction in grants or assistance.

I would love to see how you read "scumbags in prison" to mean anyone getting free education. Where in the world did you get that?

The Waltzing Consumer

AntiRip wrote: »

So you will have a better chance in an interview with a degree from Mountjoy than UL

Ha, pity you said UL, I love that college! You got the job!

gibson

everyone seems to be mentioning students going to college for the first time so yes they get free education as in they dont have to pay fees but what about people who are going back to college and trying to start from scratch? not only do they have fees to pay now they'll have this amount as well.

66% increase is madness!

Gunsfortoys

Grimes wrote: »

Im sure USI will ignore that and state that this increase will keep the poorest students out of college.

I doubt it. They would have to be morons to oppose this, they are just going to make it worse for everyone involved. The state can no longer afford to give everyone an almost free education. People with wealth should pay more.

gurramok

brianthebard wrote: »

Are you annoyed because you paid fees when you were in college and now you want everyone else to suffer too? Its one thing to agree with increasing the reg fee, its another to glory in it and fervently cry out for more increases on all these threads about university fees.

No. I was a poor student who did not have to pay fees as thats how the system is set up to help people like me who are intelligent(:D) to get into college without having a cost barrier.

The Waltzing Consumer wrote: »

I have a problem with scumbags in prison getting free education whilst people who have not broken the law get punished with an increase in costs to education or reduction in grants or assistance.

I would love to see how you read "scumbags in prison" to mean anyone getting free education. Where in the world did you get that?

They are poor though and thats how the system is set up.

AntiRip

gibson wrote: »

everyone seems to be mentioning students going to college for the first time so yes they get free education as in they dont have to pay fees but what about people who are going back to college and trying to start from scratch? not only do they have fees to pay now they'll have this amount as well.

66% increase is madness!

Probably this will encourage people to give up their jobs if they do want to go back to college and get btea so effectively free too?

Xiney

In fairness, they need to stop pandering to students who don't work hard enough, keep the standard of education high and flunk those that can't keep up. Then whoever's left won't be so much that everyone has to pay.

The Waltzing Consumer

gurramok wrote: »

They are poor though and thats how the system is set up.

What??

How exactly did me saying "scumbags in prison" make you think I meant everyone in prison or not getting free education. What part of "in prison" makes it look like I was talking about everyone not in prison?

c_man

A further 65,000 who are on higher education grants will be exempt as will postgraduates who do not pay the charge.

I suppose if they're bringing in fees in some shape, then this probably is the best way. The poorest in society won't be stopped from pursuing third level.

maglite

But USI have already made their signs, with imaginary figures from 5k to 12k.

What will they do now? Actually it does't matter its not as if they actually had any research or plan.

Handsome Bob

The only good thing about it is that it might make some students give proper thought to what course they want to do. Paying that kind of money will lead to a lot less half assed decisions I'm sure.

I just hope the grants system is implemented properly and those who are in genuine need of assistance will indeed get that assistance.