Undergraduate FAQs
Undergraduate Frequently Asked Questions?
The student levy of €140 needs to be paid in full on registration, or by 31/10/2024.
The student contribution charge of €3,000 for Undergraduates can be paid in two equal instalments 50% on registration, or by 31/10/2024 and 50% by 31/01/2025. If you are being covered by a SUSI grant please provide evidence of this grant to fees@universityofgalway.ie on or before 31/10/2024.
The tuition element for ineligible Undergraduates can be can be paid in two equal instalments 50% on registration, or by 31/10/2024 and 50% by 31/01/2025.
The tuition element for Postgraduate student can be paid in two equal instalments 50% on registration, or by 31/10/2024 and 50% by 31/01/2025.
All fees can be paid online at here.
Where a student is experiencing financial difficulty/hardship they may apply for a Student Fees Instalment Plan to pay fee in monthly instalments.
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The student contribution charge is €3,000 in 2024/25. It covers costs associated with student services, examinations, admissions, registration, fees administration and student records.
It is payable by all EU students eligible for the free fee initiative. However, if you are eligible for a means tested SUSI grant this may cover 100% of this Student Contribution Charge. If you are 100% eligible SUSI will pay the Student Contribution Charge of €3,000 on your behalf. If you are partially eligible (i.e. 33%, 50%, 66% etc) you will be liable for 50% of the remaining balance prior to 30/10/2024 and 31/01/2025. You will be required to input your SUSI application number W2222******** on registration.
If you are not eligible for a grant you are liable for this payment in 2024/25.
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All full time undergraduate programmes contain three elements (1) tuition; (2) student contribution charge; and (3) student levy. The full criteria is listed here.
The tuition fee is the payment made for a course of instruction at NUI Galway. This is payable if you are not eligible for free tuition fees.
You are eligible for free tuition if:
* You (the student) are attending a full time undergraduate course and
* The course is a minimum of two years duration and
* You have never been to third level before September 2024 either in Ireland or the EU.
* You must also be an Irish / EU national who has lived here for 3 of the last 5 years or
* You have official Irish Refugee status and have lived in the EU for 3 of the last 5 years.
Your eligibility will be assessed while you are registering online with NUI Galway after being offered a First Year Undergraduate place.
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All full time undergraduate programmes contain three elements (1) tuition; (2) student contribution charge; and (3) student levy.
The student levy (€140 in 2023/24) is payable by all students and is not covered by SUSI or any other funding body. It must be paid in full on or before 31/10/2023.
The levy is allocated to the following activities: sports clubs, societies, Students Union, student health unit, Flirt FM, Áras na Mac Léinn and the Student Project Fund.
It is strongly recommend that you pay this levy on registration in August / September 2023.
The levy can be paid securely online here.
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Based on current best advice, by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (which may change subject to whatever Brexit agreement is reached), all UK citizens resident in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) registering in 2024 at an Irish Higher Education Institution will be eligible for the EU level of fees (If they meet the equivalent nationality/ residency criteria required of an EU/EEA/Swiss National).
Undergraduate students who have been resident in Great Britain* and have UK /EU/EEA/Swiss citizenship will have the tuition element of their fee paid for the duration of the course at NUI Galway (all other conditions of the Free Fees Initiative being met). These students will need to pay the student contribution (currently €3,000 p.a.) and student levy (€140 p.a.) only.
*Students who have been ordinarily resident in Great Britain for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to their third-level course and who meet the criteria of the scheme. Eligibility is determined at date of entry to the course.
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Undergraduate students who have been resident in Northern Ireland and have UK /EU/EEA/Swiss citizenship will have the tuition element of their fee paid for the duration of the course at NUI Galway (all other conditions of the Free Fees Initiative being met). These students will need to pay the student contribution (currently €3,000 p.a.) and student levy (€140 p.a.) only.
*Students who have been ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to their third-level course and who meet the criteria of the scheme. Eligibility is determined at date of entry to the course.
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Contact Student Universal Support Ireland. SUSI
Please note that Applications for 2024/25 academic year are anticipated to open in April 2024.
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It is advisable to review our Registry website regarding the steps to withdraw and other implications of doing so. Registry weblink is here.
If you are unhappy with your 1st Year full time undergraduate course and, after discussing your options with your course co-ordinator, supervisor and mentor, you should:
(a) complete the course withdrawal form and return it to the Student Information Desk so that you are officially withdrawn on our student record system.
(b) familiarise yourself with the fee implications which are as follows:
* If you leave officially and are marked as withdrawn on our student record system the following dates are important for the 2024/25 Academic Year:
* Leave on or before 31st October 2024: No fee implication - you do not owe any fees and we will not claim any free tuition fee from the Government
* Leave between 01/11/24 and 31/01/2025: You are liable for 100% student levy €140; 50% student contribution charge €1,500 (i.e. 50% of €3,000) and University of Galway will claim 50% tuition under the free tuition fee initiative.
* If you leave after 31/01/2025 and re-apply to the CAO, within the next five years, for another undergraduate programme you will be liable for 100% tuition + 100% student contribution charge and 100% levy.
* If you leave after 31/01/2025: You are liable for 100% student levy; 100% student contribution charge and 100% tuition.
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Undergraduate Students:
Fees are payable on registration. However, if you choose the "pay later" option while registering online please familiarise yourself with the payment date deadlines:
The student levy of €140 is payable in full by 31/10/2024.
The student contribution charge of €3,000 is payable in full by 31/10/2024 or can be paid in two equal instalments €1,500 by 31/10/2024 and €1,500 by 31/01/2025.
The tuition element (if not covered by free tuition fees) is payable in full by 31/10/2024 or can be paid in two equal instalments 50% by 31/10/2024 and 50% by 31/01/2025.
If you are eligible for free fees but not a grant you pay €3,140 on registration or €1,640 on registration or by 31/10/2024 and €1,500 by 31/01/2025.
A late payment penalty of €200 will be applied to all unpaid student records after 31/10/2024.
A second late payment penalty of €200 will be applied to all unpaid student records after 31/01/2025.
Exam results will be held if student records have an outstanding fee balance.
Progression to the next year of study will not be permitted.
Conferring will not take place.
Access to transcripts will be blocked.
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For free tuition fees:
Submit your medical evidence and covering letter to the Fees Office indicating that you wish to repeat on medical grounds as a “free tuition fee” student. You must supply detailed medical certificates that must include referrals to a consultant or consultants and/or hospitalisation, obtained at the time of the illness. It should be clear from such documentation that you were actively prevented from attending or participating in your academic course for a significant period. Students who become ill after lectures (tuition) for the academic year are completed are not entitled to apply for "free tuition fees" on medical grounds.
If the Department of Education & Skills agree to fund you for a repeat year, you will nevertheless be liable for the student levy (€140) and the student contribution charge (€3,000) for your repeat year. If free tuition fees are granted, this applies only where a student is returning to the same college and the same programme. If you attend a different programme at NUI Galway or a course at another third level institution, you will be liable for half or full tuition fees based on the original period of attendance.
For the student contribution charge - SCC - (€3,000 in 2024/25):
If you are funded by a SUSI grant / Student Finance N.I. you need to check directly with them to see if they will fund you for a repeat year on medical grounds. If they will not fund the SCC you will be liable for this charge.
For the student levy - (€140 in 2024/25):
This is payable for each year you are registered.
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The EU repeat fee in 2024/25 is €2,140. The NON EU repeat fee in 2024/25 is €5,090. This covers the student levy and registration charges.
It can be paid in full at registration or in two equal instalments, 50% on registration and 50% by 31/01/2025.
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The exam fee liability €195. You can pay this here.
- Click on pay your fees – Access to online system
Key in your Username (which is your student ID number)
Key in your CASS account Password
Click on sign in
Click on pay fees
The Amount Due may show as 0 (if you have no outstanding fees)
Click on Payment “Pay” icon
Go to the Online Payment section and key in your debit / credit cards via our secure link
Key in Amount to pay (€) as €195
Click on Pay Now
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To find out the full course fee of your programme of study go to the NUI Galway homepage.
In the search engine on the right hand side of your screen type in the CAO or NUI Galway Instance code. Press return and the details of that programme will appear as a link on your screen. Click on the link and then select "course fees".
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If you have overpaid your fees you should email fees@universityofgalway.ie and quote your student ID number. If you are entitled to a refund we can organise one for you as follows:
If you paid by credit / debit card we will refund the card directly - this takes 3 to 5 working days..
If you paid by bank giro we will issue a refund cheque to you - this takes up to 10 working days.
Please see our fee refund policy document QA306.
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The Department of Education and Skills requested the HEA to remind the higher education institutions under its remit of the position regarding the eligibility of students, who receive a Leaving Certificate upgrade, to avail of the Free Fees Scheme.
The current position is that where a student receives an upgrade of their Leaving Certificate results, they can immediately change, where possible, to their higher course choice. However, there have been cases where this has not been possible and students have been allowed to continue on their lower course choice and transfer to year 1 of their higher course choice the following year. This has resulted in requests for clarification as to the circumstances under which such students can qualify for free fees under the Free Fees initiative, which generally prohibits free fees where a student repeats year 1.
The position is that free fees are allowable where a student repeats year 1 in the following circumstances:
(a) In their “repeat year” the student must commence the course of study in the chosen institution which they had originally applied for on their CAO application but where they did not receive sufficient points from their initial Leaving Certificate results. The Institution must obtain written confirmation of this (from the CAO) and
(b) The student cannot be accommodated by the institution on their higher choice of study in year 1 as all places have been filled and they are granted a deferral so that they can commence on their higher choice of study the following year. Or
(c) The institution has a place for the student on their higher course of study but due to commencement of the course in September, together with intensive course content, the Institution confirms that it would be unfeasible for the student to make up the study time lost and a deferral is granted for one year.
If following a Leaving Certificate recheck and upgrade, an Institution can accommodate a student on their higher choice of study (and (c) above does not apply) but the student seeks to defer this option, the student must be advised by the institution that he/she will not be eligible for free fees for year 1 of their higher choice should they take up their higher choice of course the following year.
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Criteria for Fee determination - Children of Irish Emigrants and other qualifying European citizens
The Minister for Education announced changes on the 14th March 2014 as to how third level fees for children of Irish emigrants will be assessed:
The position is as follows:
- The changes relate to students being eligible for the EU fee rate rather than the Non-EU fee for their programme. This does not affect the rules relating to the entitlement to free fees for Undergraduate students.
- Documentary evidence (for example certification of attendance from school(s) attended) to the completion of at least five years of study in the EU / EEA / Switzerland (at either primary or post primary level) will be required by the University.
- The changes apply to new entrants from the 2014/15 academic session onwards.
- The criteria that will be used to assess a student's entitlement to the EU fee rate has not yet been finalised. This web page will be updated if further guidance is provided by the Department of Education.
The full eligibility criteria are outlined here
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If yes, and you have a different CAO or Postgraduate Admissions Office number please see the attached notice for past students returning to the University of Galway regrading your old ID number.
Merge ID Numbers
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Email: fees@universityofgalway.ie
Please include your student ID number, your name, your postal address and the academic years that you require your receipts for. We will endeavour to have these posted to you within 3 working days. Alternatively if you wish them to be scanned back to your email please indicate this.
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