The average cost of a year in college ranges between €12,162 and €19,479 for students living away from home, according to the latest TUD Cost of Living survey. For students living at home, it costs close to €8,000 a year. If you are about to send a child to college, take time to research the cost at the beginning. You may also need to pay extra expenses on top of your registration fees, depending on the course you’re doing. One Cork mother with 3 third level students living away from home says that nowadays everywhere is eye wateringly expensive, including what she describes as dumps, which were always cheap in the past.

Source: Irish Examiner January 15, 2026 15:27 UTC