Student registration fees are to increase by almost 70 per cent next year due to budget constraints, the Department of Education said today.
However, student support funding will rise with a five per cent increase in maintenance grants.
The Department said registration fees for third level institutions will go up from €396 to €670 for the 2002/2003 academic year because of the increase in the costs of registration, examination and student services.
A Department spokeswoman said the State had largely picked up the tab of these costs in the past, but budget "readjustments" means it will not do so next year.
"This is the first decision to be taken on budget readjustment by the Department," she said.
The Labour Party's spokesman on Education and Science, Mr Joe Costello described the increase as "savage".
"Coming on top of recent announcements of increases in VHI fees and hospital and drugs charges, it is clear that we are now facing a round of cutbacks and increased charges for public services not seen since the 1980s," said Mr Costello.
The maximum maintenance grant will increase to €2,510 alongside a seven per cent increase in income thresholds for grant eligibility. Income thresholds, when more than one child is in further or higher education, will increase by 15 per cent.
The income thresholds for "top-up" maintenance grants will increase by 32 per cent.
The grant has also been increased to €4,000 for students residing more than 15 miles from college, and to €1,600 to students residing within 15 miles.
"This means 7,000 students will now be eligible for the grant, compared to 2,500 students who took them up last year," the spokeswoman said.
For the first time the Department will fund maintenance grants for students studying medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine and teacher training in other EU states.
Student support schemes and covering student tuition fees, which will go up by six per cent for 2002/2003, will cost €350 million, the Department said.