University of Limerick apologises to students fined €200 for late payment of fees

THE UNIVERSITY of Limerick has apologised to a large number of students who were hit with a €200 fine this week for the late payment of fees, which was applied in some cases due to unpaid amounts as low as €18. 

UL has since moved to reassure students that the fine will be removed from their accounts once all outstanding fees are paid by April 20. 

The €200 fine was issued to all UL students with an outstanding balance on their accounts, including both academic fees or the new €36 student levy. 

In 2016, students voted to introduce this new levy, be staggered across two semesters, to go towards the build of a new student centre and sports facilities.

Many current students were outraged as they believed they had not been properly notified of a clear deadline for paying the levy as they did not receive a reminder to pay this levy in advance of the deadline.

Students who are in recipient of a SUSI grant also believed they were not properly informed that their grant does not cover this additional charge. 

This Thursday morning, a large number of students received emails to advise that the late payment fine had been applied to their accounts and that failure to pay this fine would result in examination results being withheld and their access to the university would be restricted. 

Final year students who failed to pay the fine would not be permitted to graduate, the email also advised. 

UL and the President of the UL Students’ Union have now agreed to push the deadline for the payment of the levy and the outstanding academic fees back by a month to April 20, a UL spokesperson has now confirmed. 

“The University of Limerick regrets causing concern to some of its students who this week have received notification of a €200 late payment of fees fine,” said the spokesperson. 

“UL accepts students were not sufficiently informed of a clear deadline for payment of the UL Student Levy and has agreed with the President of the ULSU to move the deadline for payment of the levy and outstanding academic fees by a month to April 20.”

“UL and ULSU wish to reassure students that as long as all outstanding fees are paid by April 20, the fine will be removed from their individual accounts.”