Can a minor EU citizen study in a Ireland state school

booksale · 02-08-2020 5:51am #1

Hi I’ve got a friend who is an EU citizen and so as her child. She is thinking to send her child to Ireland to study in state secondary school with a guardian here. Is the minor EU citizen entitled to free public education ? Thanks.

Victor · 02-08-2020 4:16pm

Note that there are no state schools as such. The vast majority of schools in Ireland are run by education or religious trusts. As small number are run by Education and Training Boards - these schools typically have "vocational school", "comprehensive school" or "community school" in the name.

While nominally free, most secondary schools ask for a 'voluntary' donation of a few hundred euros to contribute in part to running the school and in part for additional activities. There are fee-paying (a few thousand euros per year) and boarding schools (€30,000-50,000/year)

Children are obliged to attend school if under the age of 16(?). Certain exceptions are made.

As an EU citizen, the child is entitled to the same services as Irish children. However, they won't be entitled to things like Child Benefit, as the parent is not in Ireland.

Working out how to enter the school system will be an issue. Having sufficient English will be important (there is a very small number of foreign language schools - less than 5).

tscul32 · 02-08-2020 5:33pm

When I was in secondary school nearly 30 years ago we had German and Spanish students who came to study in our school, staying with host families. I have a friend who is taking a French girl to her home next month and the girl will attend the local secondary for 3rd year with my friend's daughter and then the following year the daughter will spend the year doing the same with the french girl's family and school. No special fee required, just the same costs as their own child, who incidentally is a Spanish citizen.

YellowBucket · 04-08-2020 12:21am

If you're an EU citizen and you're resident in Ireland, you're entitled to use the education system just like anyone else.

Sonrisa · 04-08-2020 1:28pm

Yes, if the child is here alone and not with a parent who is working here, they should have comprehensive health insurance and their parents will have to support and maintain them. Otherwise, no issue whatsoever.

nibtrix · 05-08-2020 5:57pm

Sonrisa wrote: »

Yes, if the child is here alone and not with a parent who is working here, they should have comprehensive health insurance and their parents will have to support and maintain them. Otherwise, no issue whatsoever.

Why the need for the child to have health insurance? Surely as an EU citizen they are entitled to the same free treatment as any Irish child, if they are living in this country? Why would their parent not being in the country make a difference?

Sonrisa · 07-08-2020 4:19pm

nibtrix wrote: »

Why the need for the child to have health insurance? Surely as an EU citizen they are entitled to the same free treatment as any Irish child, if they are living in this country? Why would their parent not being in the country make a difference?

As she is a child it's unlikely to be raised, but theoretically an immigration officer could ask for proof of health insurance at the border if she or her parent says she is coming here to study. If you are a worker, or a family member of a worker, you are not required to have health insurance or "sufficient resources". See extract from the citizenship directive below:

1. All Union citizens shall have the right of residence on the territory of another Member State for a period of longer than three months if they:

(a) are workers or self-employed persons in the host Member State; or

(b)have sufficient resources for themselves and their family members not to become a burden on the social assistance system of the host Member State during their period of residence and have comprehensive sickness insurance cover in the host Member State; or

(c) are enrolled at a private or public establishment, accredited or financed by the host Member State on the basis of its legislation or administrative practice, for the principal purpose of following a course of study, including vocational training; and
—
have comprehensive sickness insurance cover in the host Member State and assure the relevant national authority, by means of a declaration or by such equivalent means as they may choose, that they have sufficient resources for themselves and their family members not to become a burden on the social assistance system of the host Member State during their period of residence; or

(d)are family members accompanying or joining a Union citizen who satisfies the conditions referred to in points (a), (b) or (c).

This child will essentially come under (c) and will have a similar status to any Erasmus student or student studying in another EU state.

Can a minor EU citizen study in a Ireland state school

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