This new system is to go online in 2013 right now the government is now paying 1,810 for every student for their grant. Stormont will no longer disburse a grant on behalf of students opting for third level education in the Republic said Learning Minister Stephen farry.

This is pretty low if you compare it to UK universities which are £9,000 per year. Tuition fees in the Republic of Ireland were scrapped in 1996 but contribution fees were welcomed.

As the department paid the contribution fee on behalf of students from Northern Ireland, it resulted in thousands of students being entitled to a free degree in the Republic.

The importance of degree is set to fall due to tuition fee rising to £9,000 next term. The figure was at £100,000 and now set to be £ 79,500 depending on what course you are doing rhis comes from Institute for Public Policy Research.

The research says that people that done their A-levels can earn up to £47,000 a year and that with a degree it was at Institute for Public Policy Research £98,000.

The reading recommended that annual tuition fees of £7,000 would consequence in £86,000 of take-home pay, as fees of £9,000 would result in extra earnings of £79,500.