LAST UPDATE | 2 hrs ago

STUDENT’S UNION AMLÉ has said that the announcement in the budget today “falls desperately short of what students need”. 

The government cut the annual student contribution charge by €150 in Budget 2027, bringing the annual cost of a university degree down to €2,350.

Commenting on the change, Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn (AMLÉ) said: “A €150 fee cut does not fix the cost of college crisis. A small increase in maintenance payments does not make up for rising costs. And a tax break for landlords does not build safe, affordable student accommodation that thousands of students desperately need.”

Last week, thousands of students took to the streets to protest the costs of college. 

“Students did not take to the streets last week asking for crumbs,” AMLE said. “They marched because the cost of accessing education is becoming a barrier to accessing education itself.”

The €150 reduction is effective immediately, meaning students who have already paid their fees for this year will be able to request refunds in January 2027. 

There is no change to annual PhD stipends.

Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers also announced an increase in the Susi grant for families with more than one child in university. For example, a family with more than one child in college who is currently getting a €500 fee reduction per child will see this increase to €750 per child.

AMLÉ said: “While the 4.5% increase in SUSI maintenance rates from January is welcome, any gains made by students will be immediately swallowed by the rising cost of college. At a time when the cost of college has increased by €500 year-on-year, this increase will see many students in a worse financial position than last year.”

A new income band is also being introduced for families earning between €120,000 and €150,000. Families who fall into this band and have more than one child in college will now be eligible for a €500 grant per student.

Maintenance grants will be increased by 4.5% across every band, according to today’s budget. 

Chambers said €5.3 billion has been allocated to the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for 2027. 

He announced funding for over 1,420 additional higher education placements for health and social care professionals.  

A three-year, €360 million National Training Fund was announced with €150 million of that targeted towards strengthening skills resilience and adapting to challenges posed by AI.

Chambers also announced a €925 million allocation for National Development Plan projects related to Higher Education, including support for improvements and expansion of campus facilities in Waterford, Carlow, Limerick, Galway and Letterkenny. 

AMLÉ said it welcomes “any reduction in the student contribution charge”.

The group said this “signals a positive commitment to the promise made in the Programme for Government to continual reductions to the fee” but it is “disappointed to see such a small reduction”.

“At a time when the cost of college has increased by over €500, year-on-year, a mere €150 cut to student fees does not go far enough”, they said.

“With the Student Contribution Charge now sitting at €2,350, students across the country are still faced with one of the most expensive educations in the European Union.”

They are calling for a commitment to “more substantial reductions in the Student Contribution Charge across future budget packages, with an eye to their complete abolition within the lifetime of this Government”.