Swann Challenges Minister as 4,000RoI Students Count Towards Local Cap

South Antrim MP Robin Swann has called for urgent clarity and safeguards for local applicants following confirmation from Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald MLA that students from the Republic of Ireland are included in Northern Ireland’s domestic student cap.

In correspondence to Mr Swann, the Minister confirmed that full-time undergraduates from the Republic of Ireland are classified as "home students" under the Maximum Student Number (MaSN) cap. Departmental figures show that the number of Republic of Ireland students across higher education institutions in Northern Ireland reached 4,050 in the 2024/2025 academic year.

Mr Swann said:

"International students bring enormous value and are vital to the financial viability of our universities in Northern Ireland, however, they should not be part of the domestic cap.

"The Economy Minister has confirmed that students from the Republic of Ireland are classed as home students and counted towards the MaSN cap. Last year, there were 4,050 students from the Republic studying in higher education here.

"Including Republic of Ireland students as part this cap means that young people who live and went to school here in Northern Ireland face a reduced chance of securing a place at Queen's University or Ulster University.

"This creates a real knock-on effect. Many of our local students are then forced to leave Northern Ireland to study elsewhere in the UK. At the same time, many students from the Republic who benefit from places at our world-class universities return home after graduation.

"Significant public money is spent by the Northern Ireland Executive to cap student numbers and keep tuition fees lower in Northern Ireland. It would be entirely wrong if NI Executive money was being used to subsidise fees for students from outside of Northern Ireland at the expense of our own young people.

"I am writing back to the Economy Minister to seek clarity and assurances on this.”