The National University of Galway’s student union has criticised the University over its €295 fee for repeating an exam online.
NUIG charges students who need to repeat an exam €295 to do so. This is one of the highest fees in the country with other colleges only charging students per exam they have to resit.
This fee usually covers the costs of things such as venue, supervisors, and other necessary materials but despite this year's repeat exams taking place online NUIG has kept to the regular fee in place.
The NUIG student union has accused the University of taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to bring in income.
Students union President Pádraic Toomey claimed he was disgusted by the University's actions saying :
“We are disgusted that the University is charging students to sit repeat exams. Students who have failed an exam will have to pay €295 for the pleasure of sitting the repeat exam in their own bedroom.”
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“We are in extraordinary times where students have not had access to learning facilities like the library and face to face teaching, and many have struggled as a result. Now, the University wants to punish those students with this charge instead of following the example of other colleges which have canceled the fee.”
When asked about the cost of the online repeat exam by the Irish Examiner an NUIG spokesman said:
"There is no fee for deferrals, and the repeat exam fee, which is unchanged from last year, supports all costs associated with repeats, from the setting and correcting of assignments in a more challenging context this year, to the hosting of exams online and the awarding of results.
"By supporting the cost of repeat exams in this way, this cost is not cross-subsidised by other students or drawing on other resources that the University devotes to and for our students.
"As always, we wish our students the very best of luck in their exams and look forward to welcoming them back for their continuing studies or for graduation in the autumn."
