What fees to pay?

I think the figure I gave originally - €2,750 - is the correct one:

"It was announced (in 2013 Budget) that the student contribution will be €2,750 in 2014/2015 and €3,000 in 2015/2016."

Third-level student fees and charges | Citizens Information

DublinArnie wrote: »

I do my LC in 2016 so the 3000 would apply to me. That's a lot of money, doing a four year course and paying 3000 per year but I've read you can do two installments, so that's good.

Yeah, it is quite a lot. Plus books (in my course, it is a requirement that we at least buy the software that is bundled with the book). Plus accomm and living expenses.

I think the UK system is much better. Yes, fees are as much as £9k per year. But, no one need pay up-front, and you only start repaying it once you're earning over £21k (~10% of income above that amount). And after thirty years, anything outstanding is written-off.

bscm wrote: »

There's a lot of us not eligible though

AIB and BOI do student loan schemes. I know the AIB one has interest only repayments, about 20ish quid per month, and then you start negotiated repayments when you graduate (or finish education, my manager anyway said most people can postpone repayments if they choose to do a postgraduate course).

Iirc, a slight majority of students in Trinity qualify for some sort of assistance - ie at least part-remission of Student Contribution.

bscm wrote: »

Slight is the key word, most people I know don't get any assistance. It's better to know your options anyways. If the grant application gets denied, it could take a few weeks to get clearance for a loan if you don't have a credit rating.

Really? You'd chose "slight"? I would have gone for "majority"!

bri007 wrote: »

I don't know anyone getting any assistance either with the student contribution

What's the significance of that? I don't think I've ever asked anyone, but expect several of those I know do receive assistance.

bri007 wrote: »

How do you expect several of those, as you say get it, if you don't actually know for sure?

Erm...because some of them aren't from especially wealthy homes. And because, if a slight majority of the student body is in receipt of assistance (I'll try to find the source of that), I would imagine there is a similar proportion within my friendship circle.

bri007 wrote: »

Well I know of plenty of people that are struggling with fees, and are getting no assistance, I am just speaking form what I heard. These people are not from wealthy homes, far from it actually, and get nothing. Maybe your friend receive some sort of assistance, but not everyone does is what I am saying.

I think it's verging on shameful that there isn't some sort of government-backed loan system in Ireland, like in the UK. I have great sympathy for those in the situation you mention, some of whom are my friends. I responded as I did because you seemed to be questioning the veracity of my claim that a slight majority is in receipt of assistance.

bri007 wrote: »

I totally agree with you, there should be some government backed scheme to assist people like they do in the uk. Especially with fees on the rise, it will unfortunately result in people not being able to afford to go to college.

I am a fierce proponent of the reintroduction of fees. I believe that, at present, some are paying less than they can afford, many are paying more than they can afford, funds are being diverted from potential programmes to increase representation at third level of children from low-income homes, and the integrity of Ireland's third level institutions are being undermined.

UCD economist Kevin Denny wrote a paper in which he said that:

"Prior to the reform (abolish of tuition fees), many low income students did not pay fees because they received a means tested grant covering both tuition costs and a contribution to their living expenses. In effect, the reform withdrew the one advantage that low income students had relative to high income students. The only obvious effect of the policy was to provide a windfall gain to middle-class parents who no longer had to pay fees."

The paper concludes that there has been no increase in the proportion of children from low-income households entering third level education. Words cannot convey the sense of anger and exasperation I feel as I write those words. Why am I, someone privately educated (ie fee-paying) from Junior Infants (with a year in the Institute thrown in for good measure), being subsidised at the expense of low-income students?

Reintroducing fees will allow programmes to be set-up to attempt to reverse educational disadvantage when it sets in - ie primary school and early secondary school (tragically, a recent study I read suggests it happens even earlier than that). Let appropriate tuition fees be paid for by graduates when/if they are in a position to do so - third level education significantly increases our lifetime income, and it is entirely unreasonable that we should have been subsidised by Society as a whole, yet not make some contribution to that expense (saying we pay increased tax is not a legitimate argument).

I'm going for a walk!