Regulations

Regulations Governing the Payment of Fees 2024/25

(Údarás na hOllscoile reserves the right to alter at any time the fees specified.)

GENERAL REGULATIONS 2024/25

1.  University Policy is that all fees and fee elements are normally payable at or in advance of the start of the academic year. Payment of fees by students registering for autumn course commencement may be deferred to 31st October 2024.  Sanctions will be applied to students whose fees remain unpaid after this date without the formal agreement of the Universities Fees Office. Once registered, students are liable for the full fee regardless of whether or not the student completes / attends the course.  Please see policy documents  QA306 - Fee Refund Policy and ‌QA307 Student Fee Liability on student fee liability and sanctions for late or non-payment of fees.

2.  Schedule of Fees: Regular EU and Non EU fees are listed at www.universityofgalway.ie/fees. The fee for any course not included on the Fees Office website may be obtained by contacting the fees office.  Further details about qualification for payment of EU fee rates are provided in paragraphs 10, 11, & 12 below.  All fees are per annum unless otherwise stated.  NON EU New Entrants fees must have paid 50% in advance of registration. *Some Medicine programmes require full payment in advance. 

For 24/25 entrants, where the course duration is greater than 1 year, there is an inflationary* increase approved of 5%** per annum for continuing years fees***

Fees are set 18 months in advance of the course start date and approved inflation rates are based on inflation trends at that time.  Inflation increases the costs of running the University and to maintain the quality of the student education and experience it is necessary for us to increase our fees to cover these additional costs.

** With rounding the actual increase can range between 2.5% and 6.5%

*** Excludes Full-Time EU Undergraduate fees.  These are fixed and do not change.

3.  The definitions applicable for fee purposes are not necessarily the same as those used for application/admission purposes. Please ensure you check our website regularly www.universityofgalway.ie/fees for fee and grant updates and general fee information.  The Fees Office will use your NUI, Galway email address to correspond with you.  Please ensure you check this regularly.

Correction of Fees: Please note the University reserves the right to correct the fee charged to a student in the event that an incorrect fee is charged in error, or where incorrect information is given at enrolment/registration, or where a change arises in student circumstances that affect the fees due.

4.  Payment : Students who may have difficulties in paying their fees are advised to contact the NUI Galway Student Services Office at your earliest convenience.  

5.  Late Payment Penalty: Unless otherwise agreed in writing with the Fees Office, a late payment penalty of €200 applies in cases where fees payable by the student are paid after 31/10/2023. A further €200 penalty is payable if the second instalment (if applicable) of fees is not paid by 31/01/2024.  Cumulative penalty €400.  Please note exam results will be held if student records have an outstanding fee balance (including penalties).  Progression to the next year of study will not be permitted.  Conferring will not take place and access to transcripts will be blocked.

6.  Cancellation of Registration:  Where all payments, including penalties have not been discharged by 31/10/2023 without the formal agreement of the Fees Office, the registration and examination entry of the student may be cancelled.

7.  SUSI Grant / Scholarship Holders and those claiming “free fees” (Full time Undergraduate EU Students) who register as scholarship/grant holders or who claim eligibility for ’free fees’ and are subsequently deemed ineligible, may be liable for a penalty of €200.  Where a doubt exists, students are advised to pay the first instalment of fees, which, if appropriate, will be refunded on receipt by the University of the scholarship, grant or “free fees” payment.

Note:  In the case of students who may be funded by SUSI, scholarship / fellowship holders, HSE and Private Company funders and who may be entitled to a refund in respect of the initial fee instalment paid to NUI, Galway, refunds will not be made until all registration requirements have been completed and / or the full fee has been received by the University from the Authority awarding the grant/scholarship funding.

8. Fee Refunds: The University accepts no obligation to refund any fee or part thereof. Please see policy document QA306 - Fee Refund Policy for further details on refunds.

9.  Fee Payment: If you do not have a debit or credit card to pay your fees online please select fee payment form request option while online and a giro will be posted to your home address within three working days. 

10.  The definition of an EU student for fee purposes:  EU nationals (i.e. holding an EU Passport/or Birth Certificate) who have been ordinarily resident* in an EU member state for at least three of the five years immediately preceding their entry to the third level course.

a.     *ordinarily resident excludes residency for educational purposes.

b.    The EU/Non-EU fee status determined on entry to a course will be applied for the duration of the course.  NON EU fees are payable in full prior to registration.

c.     An EU student who is dependent on financial assistance from a source outside of the EU will be treated as a Non-EU student for fee purposes, and accordingly, the full Economic Fee will be payable.

In order to be eligible for EU (as opposed to the higher Non EU) fee rates, applicants must qualify through Nationality or Residency – see below.  (N.B. Eligibility for EU fee rates does NOT confer entitlement to ’free fees’. You should contact the Fees Office if in doubt

11.  Nationality - Postgraduate: If the student holds EU/ EEA/ UK/ Swiss Nationality or official Irish refugee status, and has received ALL of his/her full-time post-primary education in the EU / EEA / UK/ Switzerland (whilst parents were resident as tax payers), they are eligible for the EU rate of fees. This applies even if the student has not been resident in the EU for three of the five years immediately prior to university entry.

Undergraduate:  If the student is a new entrant undergraduate, holds EU nationality at the time of entry to the course and has completed five academic years of study in the EU / EEA / UK/ Switzerland (whilst parents were resident as tax payers), at either primary or post primary level, they are eligible for the EU rate of fees.  This applies even if the student has not been resident in the EU for three of the last five years immediately prior to university entry.

12.  Residence: Irrespective of above, if the student’s principal residence for the purpose of taxation has been in an EU / EEA / UK/ Switzerland member state for at least 3 of the 5 years immediately prior to university entry, they may be eligible for the EU rate of fees. Prior residence as a full time student does not ensure eligibility for the EU rate of fees.

For all applicants aged under 23 on 1st September  of year of entry to a program:
*   Parent(s) must have been resident as tax-payer(s)*** in the EU / EEA / UK/ Switzerland for three of the five years prior to the applicant commencing a programme at NUI Galway and (***principal residence for the purpose of taxation).
*   Applicant / Student must have been ordinarily resident in the EU / EEA / UK/ Switzerland for three of the five years immediately prior to commencing a programme at NUI Galway.

For all applicants aged 23 or over on 1st September  of year of entry to a program:
*   Applicants over 23 are considered independent, mature applicants.  The applicant / student must have been resident as a tax-payer in the EU / EEA / UK/ Switzerland for three of the five years immediately prior to commencing a programme at NUI Galway.