Students at University College Dublin (UCD) say they are 'outraged' to hear the college is making €11 million more in student fees this year.
The UCD Students Union (UCDSU) has called on management of the University to explain where the extra money is going, saying UCD has "made money off students during Covid-19".
The Union adds: "the call for reasonable compensation due to the disruption caused by the pandemic has been ignored".
An Irish student studying medicine at the University now face a bill of over €16,000 making them the 'hardest-hit' according to a statement from the Students Union.
Medical students in UCD have seen their fees increase by €1,000 since 2017 (€3,000 for non-EU students), far above the annual cap of €14,000 on student financing.
The Union says the pattern of students "footing the bill" for projects, such as "luxury accommodation, affordable to only the most well-off", is untenable and "incompatible with a society that values a publicly funded and accessible higher education sector".
UCD SU President Conor Anderson says they have been told that the University's costs have not changed despite the pandemic, so there will be no money back for students despite the high levels of remote learning this year.
Mr Anderson added that while the University's costs have remained the same, the costs for students have risen.
The Union is calling for the University to take the concerns of students seriously, saying they cannot be excepted to "bail-out UCD by paying higher fees this year".
