Financing college . What do you pay for ...

[craic74]

My exh is insisting that my daughter pays towards her college fees and living expenses when she goes to Limerick in September .
She will not get a grant .
My exh is tight with money as it is and before we separated we had discussed paying for her fees and accommodation and food.
She would fund her social life, clothes , grooming, phone etc herself.
She will earn e400 per week this summer .
She is paying for the post of holiday, spending money, all clothes etc herself.
She will s also going to different concerts, marches and events around Ireland. She finds herself totally.
Can I ask what the norm is. She is our first and he thinks she should pay e2k and towards college . She won't have that based on holidays and summer plans.
The same girl has been utterly down and out for the lastthree years due to our separation , covid , house/ area move and friendship difficulties .
I would like her to enjoy her last summer before college and am willing g to pay half fees and accom fees through her college years .
He's going bananas with me .
Thoughts please ?

The OP quoted euros and University of Limerick, UK tuition / maintenance loans do not apply in Ireland.

But that's all irrelevant given that this is in the Irish forum and her daughter will be going to college in Limerick. There is no such thing as a maintenance loan option and there's a student contribution towards college fees that needs to be paid on top of living costs currently around €3000 a year.

Depends

**Studying in the Republic of IrelandIf you normally live in Northern Ireland and are currently studying or starting a higher education course in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) in the 2023 to 2024 academic year, you may be eligible for a loan to cover the full cost of the student contribution charge, which is €3,000.
**

OP, DD has just completed 3rd year in DCU, we pay her registration fee of €3000 monthly rent €420, phone bill €40 and monthly bus ticket €50. She earns approx €250 a week during term time and this covers her socialising, clothes, toiletries etc.

She will earn approx €450 per week over summer with expectation she will save to have a buffer fund for next year.

**Support
Students from the Republic of Ireland
For full-time higher education courses, the main types of support you can get are:
Tuition fee loan

Covers the full amount you are being charged for university fees. The amount you can borrow does not depend on household income. This money is paid directly to Harper Adams University.
Maintenance grant

To help with the various costs of higher education. Your household income will be assessed when you apply for a maintenance grant but there are also some other conditions. www.studentfinance.ie can help you assess whether you are eligible and guide you through your application. In all cases the official decision is made by the grant-awarding bodies. All applications are made online at www.studentfinance.ie or call 0141 243 3570 for further information.
Tax relief

Visit Tuition fees paid for third level education (revenue.ie) to see if you qualify for tax relief for tuition fees paid for third level education.
For more information visit www.studentfinance.ie

OP clearly does not live in Northern Ireland as she has quoted euros.

Above is for those in ROI

This refers to students from Ireland studying in the U.K. who can get tuition fee loans in the U.K.
This is clearly not the case here as the student will be studying in Limerick.
So not a U.K. student studying in Ireland or an Irish student studying in the U.K.

The U.K. government does not provide loans to Irish resident Irish students studying in Ireland.

Lots of options
HEA

You really need your ex to step up to the plate for his children.
What a sh*t.
How were the finances sorted out when you divorced @craic74 ?

@GiveupHQ Loads of options?
You clearly don't live in Ireland or understand any of the schemes that you're googling. I'm baffled that you're wasting your time on this.

OP, if your ex wants your daughter to pay €2k herself does that mean he wants both him and yourself to pay 1k less? So he's leaving you €1k short on his half of the expenses? Is there any way you can cut down on her living expenses to offset the extra expense, maybe look in to a shared house with other students rather than college accomodation in first year? Is your ex going to be looking for proof of costs? Can you hedge the amounts slightly?

Irrespective of anything

there is nothing the op can do to force her pretty poor ex from contributing. Zilch.

I’m separated too and pay full fees. She lives at home so her living costs are covered. She works throughout the year and funds her car and lifestyle.
My solicitor told me he should be paying 50% of all education fees. It might be a route to look into as it should come under the maintenance order when you are divorcing.
Have a look at the SUSI grant application and fill one in. It didn’t ask me for any of his income but does ask for the students. They are allowed to earn over €6000 per year without it affecting the upper band.
There have been changes made to the SUSI grant process and I think I’ll get something towards fees this year. From what I’ve read it’s banded so the fees are less unless household income is over €100,00. It’s definitely worth looking at and submitting an application.

And yes he should be contributing half fees and necessary expenses if he has the means. These bloody ex’s think from once they leave for their shiny new lives all responsibility is negated.

My friends ex has to pay a set about to the kids while they are in third level education. Is going the legal route an option?

All those options listed are mainly targeted to help disadvantaged students to access higher education. To qualify the income levels of the house are very very low and usually need to already be in receipt of some sort of social welfare benefits. There are no options from once €60,000 gross income is coming into a house. There’s a reason we are collectively known as the squeezed middle

My salary is e67,000 per year gross.