Higher Education Temporary Tuition Fee Support Scheme for Displaced Persons (Ukraine) in academic year 2025/2026

The Higher Education Temporary Tuition Fee Support Scheme for Displaced Persons (Ukraine) in academic year 2025/26 is an administrative scheme of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

For the purposes of this scheme, Displaced Ukrainian Students are persons that qualify for protection under Section 60 of the International Protection Act 2015. The Temporary Tuition Fee Support Scheme applies in relation to the provision of EU tuition fee supports for eligible students attending approved higher education full-time courses in 2025/26. The scheme offers targeted supports to

A) to students progressing to the next year of their 2024/25 course where they were eligible for the ‘Higher Education Temporary Tuition Fee Support Scheme for Displaced Persons (Ukraine) in academic year 2024/2025’, and

B) new entrant undergraduate students whose Temporary Protection Permission was granted less than 3 years before the start of the 2025/2026 Academic Year.

To be eligible under this scheme, students must meet the criteria set out hereunder and to any further criteria or amendments which may be advised to the eligible institutions.

1.1

In order to be considered for eligibility under this scheme and subject to compliance with the other conditions of the temporary scheme, a student must be:

a) An undergraduate or postgraduate student that was eligible for funding support through the ‘Higher Education Temporary Tuition Fee Support Scheme for Displaced Persons (Ukraine) in academic year 2024/2025’, and is progressing to the next academic year of their 2024/25 approved course of study in 2025/26, or:

b) An Undergraduate student commencing a higher education course at undergraduate level in 2025/26 and whose initial Temporary Protection Permission was granted by the Minister for Justice less than 3 years before the start of the 2025/2026 Academic Year who:

1. is a 2025 Leaving Certificate (or equivalent) student who is a new entrant to Higher Education in Academic Year 2025/2026, and
2. was resident in the State for the at least six months prior to the 1st of October 2025.

2.1

Subject to meeting one of the criteria at section 1 a student must also be:

a) a person in respect of whom a permission to reside in the State has been granted by the Minister for Justice pursuant to section 60 of the International Protection Act 2015;

b) present and residing at an address in the State; and

c) attending or intending to pursue, an approved course in an approved institution in the 2025/26 academic year.

3.1

The approved higher education institution attended [see Appendix 1] will determine eligibility.

3.2

An eligible student may not, at any one time, qualify for EU Tuition fee supports under this scheme for more than one approved course of study.

3.3

EU tuition fees supports will only be paid in respect of students attending an approved full-time undergraduate or postgraduate (year 2 progressing students only) course at an approved institution.

3.4

Tuition fees (undergraduate or postgraduate) will not be paid in respect of students who already hold a postgraduate qualification (Major Award) on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ).

3.5

Undergraduate tuition fees will not be paid in respect of students who already hold a Level 8 (Major Award) on the National Framework of Qualifications.

3.6

Notwithstanding conditions 3.4 and 3.5, subject to compliance with the other conditions of the temporary scheme, students who already hold a Level 6 qualification or a Level 7 qualification on the NFQ and are progressing to a related Level 8 course without necessarily having received an exemption from the normal duration of the course, may be deemed eligible for fee support.

3.7

For the 2025/26 academic year, students undertaking a repeat year of study on the same course or students who transfer to a new course requiring the student to undertake a repeat period of study will not be eligible for tuition fee funding for the repeat period of study.

4.1

EU tuition fee supports will be paid directly to institutions where eligible students are registered.

4.2

Full Time Undergraduate fees: The full EU tuition fees (including the student contribution where applicable) for approved courses at an approved institution (see Appendix 1). New entrant undergraduate students resident for over three years in the State prior to October 1st cannot avail of this scheme in 2025/26.

4.3

Full Time Postgraduate fees: EU tuition fees up to a maximum €6,270 for full time postgraduate courses at an approved institution (see Appendix 1). Tuition fees will only be paid for students that were eligible for a postgraduate fee support under the ‘Higher Education Temporary Tuition Fee Support Scheme for Displaced Persons (Ukraine) in academic year 2024/2025’ and are progressing to the next year of a postgraduate course. New entrants cannot avail of postgraduate supports under this scheme.

4.4

The scheme only provides for tuition fee supports at 4.2 and 4.3 and does not provide for other fees charged by an institution, for example a student levy or examination fees.

5.1

This scheme is for the academic year 2025/26 only.

6.1

When assessing eligibility for this scheme, higher education institutions must be satisfied that the applicant meets the criteria of the scheme. The onus is on the applicant to provide the evidence required by the higher education institution to ascertain eligibility.