The cost of repeating modules or resitting an exam in UCD is currently higher than any other university in Ireland. The amount that a student must pay in order to repeat a module or resit an assessment is set at €230.
The second most expensive institution to resit an exam is NUI Galway where the cost is €200 in total. This is regardless of the amount of exams that are being retaken. DCU is also expensive with the cost of €190 for an August resit, with an additional €60 late registration fee if the student fails to register before August 1st. In Trinity College Dublin students who have failed must undertake supplemental examinations which are free of charge.
The difference in UCD between a repeat and resit is that students repeat the taking of an entire module while resits involve retaking only an assessment in a module. When modules are repeated the grade and grade point is awarded which is capped at 2.0. When resitting an assessment a pass/fail grade is given and the grad
e point is also capped at 2.0.
When asked why repeating a module which includes lectures and tutorials, is currently the same as a resit which only involves an assessment, Michael Sinnott, the Director of Administrative Services, told the College Tribune in September that “repeat and resit charges (flat rate irrespective of credit load) are set at the same level primarily to ensure that when a student chooses between a repeat or resit they do not make such a decision on financial grounds. For example, if we were to charge less for resits than repeats, bearing in mind the pass/fail for resits versus the letter grade for repeats, we could be accused of creating a financial pressure for students to get basic pass/fail grades, with more of these appearing on transcripts, reducing the value of degrees etc.”
Mr Sinnott also confirmed to the Tribune that there is no particular allocation for the money that is received by the University from repeat/resit fees. Module registration for repeats and resits closes at 5 o clock on Friday 1st February.
-Thomas Cullen
