Tuition fees at university in Ireland

The Free Fees Scheme

If you are applying for first cycle degrees (bachelor's programs) at higher education institutions in Ireland, you may qualify under the Free Fees Scheme by which you are exempt from paying tuition fees.

Do you satisfy all of the requirements below?

If so, you can apply through the Free Fees Scheme and benefit from studying at university or college in Ireland without paying tuition fees.

• You are an EU student or hold a refugee status in Ireland. [Learn who an EU student is]
• You have resided in any member state of the European Union for at least 3 of the 5 previous years before applying for higher education studies.
• It is the first time you are applying for undergraduate courses at university or college.
• You will enroll in a full-time undergraduate course of at least 2 years duration.

How do you apply under the Free Fees Scheme?

Your higher education institution will determine whether you qualify under the Free Fees Scheme by the time you apply for the course or program of your choice.

The Student Contribution

In addition to the tuition fees, students are requested to pay the Student Contribution, which amounts for approximately 3000 EUR per academic year (amount for 2015/2016). The Student Contribution entitles students to take examinations and receive various services while studying.

Post-graduate EU students

If you are an EU student and are thinking of enrolling postgraduate courses in Ireland, you will have to pay tuition fees. Higher education institutions usually publish information about fees for EU and non-EU students. EU students enjoy lower tuition fees than non-EU students.

Non-EU students

If you are not an EU student, you will have to pay tuition fees at universities and colleges in Ireland. The amount of the tuition fees varies largely among institutions and study programs and over the years. We therefore recommend you to check with your university or college the exact amount of the tuition fee for the study program you are interested in.