Concerned parent over fees

JMSE

I have 2.4 kids and hope they will be going to college/uni in about 8 or 9 years before they emigrate. I'm determined to be able to afford it but havent a clue how much that will be.
Anyone willing to recommend a figure to aim at having to send one school leaver to the like of UCD or Maynooth. Have fees returned? Have registration fees gone down?

Sibylla

Have a look at this site, It's really helpful and informative. No one knows for sure until the next government announce their plans in relation to third level education.

http://www.studentfinance.ie/

ninty9er

JMSE wrote: »

I have 2.4 kids and hope they will be going to college/uni in about 8 or 9 years before they emigrate. I'm determined to be able to afford it but havent a clue how much that will be.
Anyone willing to recommend a figure to aim at having to send one school leaver to the like of UCD or Maynooth. Have fees returned? Have registration fees gone down?

Irrespective of fees (Aim to have €25k for a 3 year degree), you will need approx €8k-€10k for rent, food, books, travel, having a life etc.

RoyalMarine

ninty9er wrote: »

Irrespective of fees (Aim to have €25k for a 3 year degree), you will need approx €8k-€10k for rent, food, books, travel, having a life etc.

yeah that works out pretty right.

i get BTEA, and its a total of 9776 a year, and i just make do.

JMSE

Thanks folks, we've just been talking about it and I came up with a 50k figure for the two of them over 4 years, and you are talking over 3 :eek:

Thanks for the input.

RoyalMarine

a degree usually lasts 3 years, and then the 1 year ad on for honours degree.

ninty9er

It depends on the course too. Some are more expensive than others. If they pick a law course the books are insanely expensive, up to €200 a piece, and some will only be relevant for a short period.

On a household income of over €60k with an average outgoing, with 2 kids it should be no problem. Most fees systems proposed are designed to put the cost on the student, and after graduation. You can pay, but the main cost isn't actually the academic side, that's currently below €10k on average for a whole degree.

There are other factors such as compulsory study abroad, unpaid placement requiring a second rental, additional materials like laptop, lab coats, goggles, class trips, busses home at weekends.

With a part time job and a small bit of financial support it's not too difficult to get though college.

You are also pre-supposing college is for your kids, it may not be, they may wish to pick up a trade or join the Gardaí or Army, become a pilot etc.

amacachi

If fees are reintroduced let them pay them themselves, there'll be loans available.

JMSE

I am presuming they'll want to go alright. I want them to, and will steer them that way as long as I have the steering wheel but when the time comes, I dont want money to inhibit their decision, to be honest I'd feel that I'd failed them (if I managed to stay in full time work up till then that is).

shadowqueen

They'll grow up a hell of a lot more if they have to be at least partly self-sufficient, learn to budget, and as they progress through the course maybe work part-time. Realistically, you probably will have to pay the fees, at least for the first years, and rent if they want on campus (on campus usually asks for 2 lump sums a year - I opted for private rental as paying weekly/monthly allows me to earn some of my rent as I'm paying it).

But I'm in final year now, and to be honest, I can see a big difference between students who've worked - or at least had limited means and had to budget - and students who've gone through the four years with the attitude that "Mammy will pay."