Paying deposits and fees
Some of you may be unsure about deposits and fees in case there is a change to the schedule or the start date is delayed. All the Irish higher education institutions are making efforts to be as flexible as possible for students planning to commence studying in Ireland. Most universities and colleges in Ireland have extended acceptance deposit deadlines. Please contact the International Office in the institution you have applied to find out more about your options and extended deadlines.
Accessing Federal Aid
Normally, U.S. Federal Aid regulations state that any programme at a non-U.S. university which includes online teaching and learning is ineligible for Federal Aid. On Friday 27th March 2020, the US Senate passed the Third COVID-19 Coronavirus Bill (H.R. 748). Among other provisions, the Bill allows for eligible programmes that would normally be taught in a traditional classroom setting to be taught through online learning for the duration of the COVID-19 emergency. The Bill will be applied retroactively to all programmes that have moved online since 1st March 2020 and will cover programmes until the end of the state of emergency. Accordingly, recipients of US Federal Loans studying at Irish Colleges may continue to be in receipt of their loans even though their programmes have temporarily moved to online teaching and learning. All recipients of Federal Aid should also consult the following release by the US Department of Education on Covid-19 and Forbearance Info for Students, Borrowers, and Parents. In particular, the Department of Education advises:
“If your school has moved classes to an online format, you must continue to participate in the course work and follow your teacher’s or professor’s instructions to remain eligible for financial aid. If you have questions about the online format, contact your school.
COVID-19 Emergency Relief Flexibilities Extended Through at Least Sept. 30, 2021