New Changes to Student Fees at Northern Irelands CAFRE Set for 2025

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has announced a forthcoming increase in student fees at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE), effective from September 1, 2025. This decision is part of a wider legislative update known as the Agriculture (Student Fees) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025.

What's Changing?

1. Fee Increase: Starting September 2025, fees for undergraduate and postgraduate courses at CAFRE will rise by 2.3%. This adjustment affects both part-time and full-time students.

2. Immigration Rule Updates: The regulations now also accommodate changes in immigration rules. This includes people with indefinite leave to remain due to domestic circumstances or those under various resettlement and sponsorship schemes, such as the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme and the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme.

3. Two-Tier Fee System: CAFRE will continue using two frameworks — the legacy fee framework for students who started courses before September 2022, and the current fee framework for those starting afterwards.

Background Context

• The agri-food education at CAFRE operates outside the main higher education framework in Northern Ireland led by the Department for the Economy (DfE).
• DAERA's fee policy aims to align with the broader Northern Irish higher education landscape, ensuring parity with other institutions.
• Historically, fees for local and Republic of Ireland students have been in line with DfE's basic fees, while fees for students from elsewhere in the UK and the Channel Islands have been higher.

Post-Brexit Adjustments

Following Brexit, EU students now face different fee structures. Those protected by the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreements will pay fees similar to local students, while others will be classified as international students, facing higher rates.

Equality and Rural Impact

DAERA has reviewed these changes for equality impacts and rural needs, ensuring compliance with existing legislative frameworks. The fee adjustments are not expected to significantly impact the demographic makeup of the student body at CAFRE.

Need More Information?

Questions regarding these updates can be directed to Chloe Robinson at DAERA via phone or email.

As these changes aim to harmonize CAFRE's fee structures with broader educational policies, they reflect ongoing efforts to maintain a fair and equitable educational environment in Northern Ireland.