HEA publishes Eurostudent VIII Report

Posted: 20 April, 2023

A new report, published by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) today, has revealed that the numbers of students enrolled at Irish higher educational institutions has increased by 6.3 percent.

This report is on the Social and Living Conditions of Higher Education Students in Ireland 2022. This report, which presents the findings of the eighth Eurostudent survey of higher education students in Ireland, provides a wealth of internationally comparable demographic, economic, and social data.

Over 21,000 students attending higher education institutions were surveyed as part of the report.

The main findings in this report are as follows:

• Overall, approximately 32 percent of all students indicated that they have a disability, compared with 25 percent in the previous Eurostudent report. A higher level of disability is noted for full-time students than part-time students. The most commonly reported disability is mental health problems.
• Approximately 33 percent of the total student population say that they are experiencing serious (or very serious) financial problems. In the last Eurostudent report, 26 percent of the total student population reported serious financial difficulties.
• Accommodation is the largest single expenditure which accounts for around 35 percent of all expenditure, and the average spend on accommodation was €469 (up from €415 in the last Eurostudent report).

Dr. Vivienne Patterson, Head of Skills, Engagement and Statistics said “The release of today’s Eurostudent 8 report enables the student voice on finances, accommodation, workload and well-being to be heard.  This report gives timely and crucial insights into the profile and well-being of our students, including their financial wellbeing, mental health, and the legacy left by Covid-19 on students’ sense of belonging within their higher education institutions. We would like to thank all those students who participated in the survey, enabling institutions and policy makers to develop a deeper awareness of the challenges faced by today’s students, and to ensure that critical supports are in place and deployed effectively.”