Irish Citizen Non Eu Status

The_Scary_Man

Hi,

My daughter moved to the US with her mother 14 years ago and wants to come back to Ireland to go to college. I have lived here all my life and have been working and paying taxes for all of the time that my daughter has been in the US.

When I looked into the possibility of my daughter going to college here I was surprised to find out that despite her holding an Irish passport she would not be entitled to state support for her college fees and would be expected to pay the full non-eu rate.

There does seem to be a lack of clarity however in the minds of those I've spoken to, at a number of colleges, as to whether or not my status as an Irish citizen and my history of tax contribution has some bearing on my daughter's ability to receive a state funded education.

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of this process and how it is decided?

Thanks,

Ken

Annasopra

If she hasn't been resident for three of the last 5 years then she probably can't get state support

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/third_level_education/fees_and_supports_for_third_level_education/fees.html

The migrant rights centre might have some info for you

http://www.mrci.ie/our-work/young-people-education/mea/mea/

The_Scary_Man

Thanks for the links Mango.

I had spoken Citizen's Information earlier today and I've spoken to a few people at the colleges she's interested in over the last couple of years in an attempt to figure this out as it doesn't make much sense to me.

Today however the lady I spoke to referred me to a programme called the Irish Homecoming Study Programme run by the Institutes of Technology; it's an initiative designed to offer the children and grandchildren of Irish people who would be classified as non-EU in the current system the opportunity to come to college here and avail of EU status for the purposes of their college education.

I've contacted the person who manages the process and hopefully I'll hear back soon.

The_Scary_Man

I've done another bit of digging and it seems that the IHSP allows students from the US who are of Irish heritage to avail of a discount of around €1500 on fees.

Annasopra

Crosscare also have an information and advice service for returning emigrants

http://www.migrantproject.ie/returning_to_ireland.htm