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You are here Student Finance > EU Fees Eligibility

Your fee status determines how you apply for programmes at Trinity.

  • Undergraduate EU applicants must apply through the CAO (Central Applications Office).
  • Undergraduate non-EU applicants and all postgraduate applicants apply directly to Trinity through the apply link on the page of the course you wish to study.
  • A student who accepts an offer as a non-EU fee paying applicant cannot change this status later. This classification will remain in effect for the entire duration of the specific programme of study.

Current Trinity students: Please check your record in my.tcd.ie to see whether you are being charged EU or non-EU fees.

Who is eligible for EU Fee Status?

If you fall under one of the conditions below, you may be eligible for EU fee status.

  • I am an EU citizen and have always lived in the EU, EEA, Untied Kingdom1 or Swiss Confederation.
  • I am an EU citizen, but my place of birth is outside of the EU, EEA, Swiss Confederation or the United Kingdom1.
  • I am a citizen of the EU, EEA, Swiss Confederation, United Kingdom1 but have not resided in the EU, EEA, Swiss Confederation, United Kingdom for three out of the last five years, but I have completed 5 years of primary or secondary education in the EU, EEA, Swiss Confederation or the United Kingdom.
  • I am a non-EU citizen, but I have been living and working within the EU, EEA, Swiss Confederation, United Kingdom1 for three of the last five years.
  • I am a child or spouse of a non-EU state official based in the EU, EEA, Swiss Confederation formally posted to a diplomatic or consular mission.
  • I am a child or spouse of an Irish state official and or EU, EEA, Swiss state official, who reside outside the EU on diplomatic or consular mission.
  • I am in the Asylum process in Ireland for three of the last five years.

An EU, EEA, Swiss or British passport, or EU, EEA, Swiss or British citizenship does not grant automatic entitlement to EU fees.

Applicants must meet the EU fee rate conditions.

The criteria for determining EU fee status for undergraduate and postgraduate students is based on guidelines published by the Department of The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

These amendments include:

  • Quinn rule 2014 as outlined by the HEA (undergraduate students only).
  • Amendments for children of staff with diplomatic / consular status (amended by the HEA in June 2014).

Notes:

1Please consult the exceptions section for information relating to post-Brexit regulations in the United Kingdom.

Undergraduate EU Fee Status

When applying to university in Ireland, applicants must determine if they are applying as an EU or non-EU for purpose of fees status apply and through the correct route:

Applicants are responsible for determining their fee status and will be obliged to provide documentation (in English) to support their claim.

To be eligible for EU Fee status applicants must satisfy the 'Nationality' OR 'Residency' rule as per government guidelines.

Residency Test

An applicant/student's principal residence for the purpose of taxation must have been an EU, EEA, UK1 or Swiss Confederation country for a minimum 3 of the last 5 years prior to entry to university. Prior residence as a full-time student alone does not qualify a student for EU fee rates.

  • If an applicant/student is under 23 years if age on the start date of the course, then the principal residence for the purpose of taxation of the parents will be examined3.
  • If an applicant/student is over 23 years if age on the start date of the course, then the principal residence for the purpose of taxation of the applicant/student will be examined.

AND  

Previous Work/Studies Test2

An applicant/student must have spent 3 of the last 5 years in full time study or work in an EU Member State prior to the commencement of the course. Students classified for fee purposes as Non-EU will not be permitted to change their fee status following admission.

Notes:

1Please consult the definitions section for information relating to post-Brexit regulations in the United Kingdom. 

2There was addition to the previous work/studies test, that under the Quinn rule 2014 EU, EEA, United Kingdom or Swiss nationals that have completed at least 5 years primary or post primary education within the EU/EEA/United Kingdom or Switzerland will be charged the EU rate of fees. This applies to undergraduate students only.  

3If an applicant or student is under 23 years of age at the start date of their course and their guardian's documentation is being used to establish principal residence for tax purposes, the guardians must have been appointed by the District Court (or an equivalent authority). 

Nationality Test

Applicants/students must hold one of the following:

  • EU Passport
  • Original Irish Birth Certificate1 (must also hold an EU passport)
  • Original EU Nationality Identity Card
  • Official Irish Refugee Status (Requires appropriate original letter from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform indicating that the appropriate status has been granted).

AND

Previous Studies Test2

Where a student/applicant has received all their full time post-primary education within the EU but has not been resident for 3 of the last 5 years immediately prior to university entry.

Notes:

1This is based on Department of Education and Skills amendments to the constitution to remove automatic entitlement to Irish citizenship to children born in Ireland on or after 1st January 2005.

2There was addition to the previous work/studies test, that under the Quinn rule 2014 EU, EEA, United Kingdom or Swiss Nationals that have completed at least 5 years primary or post primary education within the EU/EEA/United Kingdom or Switzerland will be charged the EU rate of fees. This applies to undergraduate students only.

Students who accept a non-EU place on an undergraduate programme are not eligible to be assessed for EU fees for the duration of that course. Students may be reassessed for future courses. 

Please note:

Students who are classified as non-EU after accepting a CAO offer but who believe they qualify for EU fee status may request a review.

Alternatively, if you are admitted to Trinity through the CAO, Academic Registry may contact you to complete a full assessment of your fee status.

In both instances if assessment is required, you will be asked to submit the following documents:

  • A completed EU non-EU Fee Status Form (EU11) form which can be found here.
  • If aged under 23 documents to support your parent's or District Court (or an equivalent authority) appointed guardian's tax residency in the EU for the last 5 years i.e. P21 as known as a Statement of Liability (PAYE) or F11 (non-PAYE) or equivalent available via revenue.ie (no other tax documentation can be accepted if providing evidence of Irish residency).

If aged over 23 please provide the following documents below yourself:

  • A letter from your EU, EEA, Untied Kingdom1 or Swiss school confirming your years of attendance.
  • If you have an EU, EEA, Untied Kingdom1 or Swiss passport please provide a copy.
  • If you have any documents from INIS/Department of Justice outlining the basis for residing in Ireland, please provide a copy.
  • IRP card with relevant stamp issued:

1. P21 (also known as a Statement of Liability and is available at revenue.ie for Irish residents in the 'my Account' section).

2. Non-PAYE workers must submit an F11 or equivalent form which proves student's (aged over 23 years) or family's (students is under the age of 23) tax residency is in EU.

We do not accept:

  1. Employment Detail Summary (EDS)
  2. Tax Credit Certificate
  3. Payslips or any other revenue payments documentation (e.g. Child benefit) as valid documentation.

Applications where these documents are submitted in place of a Statement of Liability (P21)/F11 will be rejected.

If a Ukrainian national submit copy of Temporary Protection letter (current and original issued) granting permission to remain under Section 60 of International Protection Act 2015.

Please scan through this information/documents to ARStudentFinance@tcd.ie with the heading EU Fee assessment.

All supporting documents must be in English.

If you have any queries about your fee status, please contact Academic Registry through AskTCD using the ‘Log an Academic Registry Enquiry’ button.

Notes:

1Please consult the definitions section for information relating to post-Brexit regulations in the United Kingdom.

Postgraduate EU Fee Status

A postgraduate EU application is one made by a person who fulfils one or more of the following criteria:

  • Ordinarily resident in the EU, EEA, Swiss Confederation or United Kingdom and who has received full-time further or higher education in the EU, EEA, Swiss Confederation or United Kingdom for three of the five years immediately preceding admission.
  • Ordinarily resident in the EU, EEA, Swiss Confederation or United Kingdom and has worked full-time in the EU, EEA, Swiss Confederation or United Kingdom for three of the five years immediately preceding admission.
  • Holds a passport from an EU state, EEA state, Swiss Confederation or United Kingdom and has received full-time further or higher education in the EU, EEA, Swiss Confederation or United Kingdom for three of the five years immediately preceding admission.

If you have any queries about your fee status, please contact Academic Registry through AskTCD using the ‘Log an Academic Registry Enquiry’ button.

Exceptions

  • The dependants of non-EU state officials are considered EU for application purposes. This means eligible applicants/students may be entitled to the EU rate of fees (not HEA free fees). This includes the minor/dependant adult children who are in full time post-primary education and the spouse/civil partner of non-EU state officials.
  • Minor and dependent adult children who are in full time post-primary education, the spouse/the civil partner of EU, EEA or Swiss state officials, who reside with that state official while posted outside the EU, EEA or Switzerland on diplomatic or consular missions, shall be deemed to be resident in their home EU, EEA or Swiss State for the purposes of the residency clause of the Free Fees Initiative.
  • Undergraduate students who are the children of semi-state agency officials, government officials, Irish officials working with the UN, and children of volunteer development workers who reside in non-EU countries because of their appointments are not eligible for EU fee status. The Department of Education and Skills has withdrawn this concession for legal reasons (30 January 2013).
  • A postgraduate applicant who has received all their full-time post-primary (i.e. secondary or “high school”) education within the EU, EEA, Swiss Confederation or United Kingdom1, but has not been resident for 3 of the last 5 years immediately prior to university entry may be eligible for EU fees.

1Please consult the definitions section for information relating to post-Brexit regulations in the United Kingdom.

Definitions

Ordinarily resident

  • Being resident (i.e. physically living) in the EU, EEA, Swiss Confederation, or the United Kingdom for the purposes of taxation for a minimum of 183 days in any one calendar year for a minimum of 3 years.
  • Residency can also be determined by place of education.
  • Students must be ordinary resident (educated) in the EU, EEA, Swiss Confederation or the United Kingdom for 3 of the 5 years upon entering third level. 
  • See below section on the United Kingdom for further information relating to post Brexit regulations.

Non- EU student

  • A student who is classified as non-EU for fee paying purposes when first registering for a programme cannot thereafter change or amend that status during that program, apart from students admitted through the CAO, who may be assessed for EU fee status eligibility after admission.
  • Applicants who have been classified as non-EU for undergraduate registration may be reassessed for graduate registration.

Applicants aged 23 or over

  • Applicants aged 23 or over from 1 September of the year of entry to a course are considered independent, mature applicants.

The European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss Confederation

  • The European Union (EU) is an economic and political union of 27 countries. It operates an internal (or single) market which allows free movement of goods, capital, services and people between member states.

The EU countries are:

  • Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.

Countries of the European Economic Area (EEA) are:

  • The EEA includes EU countries and also Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.
  • This allows these countries to be part of the EU's single market.

Switzerland:

  • Is neither an EU nor EEA member but is part of the single market.
  • This means Swiss nationals have the same rights to live and work in the Republic of Ireland as other EEA nationals.

United Kingdom

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Common Travel Area (CTA) was signed between Ireland and the UK in May (2019). The MoU acknowledged the importance of education noting that the CTA affords Irish and British citizens the right of access to all levels of education and training, and associated student supporting each other's State on terms no less favourable than those for citizens of that State.

In terms of higher education, this means that notwithstanding Brexit, UK Citizens will still be eligible for the same fee structures as EU students in Ireland.

For the free fee's initiative, once students meet all other criteria as set out in the Free Fees Initiative:

  • Students with UK nationality will continue to be eligible under the nationality criteria of the free fees scheme.
  • UK residency will continue to contribute towards fulfilling the ordinarily resident criteria of the scheme.

P21 & P60 documents

  • A P21 is an accumulated statement of total income, tax credit and tax paid for a particular tax year for all employment in the tax year. It also includes tax paid by spouse if jointly assessed. For this reason, it is used to make a judgement about residence. You can request your P21 at revenue.ie.
  • You no longer get a P60 at the end of the year. Instead, you can access an Employment Detail Summary through Revenue’s myAccount, which shows your pay and tax deductions (including PRSI, USC, and Local Property Tax (LPT)- if you choose to have the LPT deducted from your pay), and other contributions paid to Revenue by your employer or pension provider.

It is important to remember that an Employment Detail Summary is not a statement of the tax you actually paid. It summarises deductions paid to Revenue by your employer or pension provider. You may have other tax liabilities that are not listed.

For proof of tax residency, applicants/students must submit a P21. You can request P21 from Revenue under the My PAYE tab on the Revenue website.

If the residency documentation is in the name of your husband/wife but cites that there is a spouse, you must provide a marriage certificate.

Please note that all supporting documents must be in English.