We all know that being a student in Ireland is not cheap, especially if you have to move out of home to attend your chosen course. Not including fees, you have rent to pay, books and food to buy, and you also have to have some sort of a social life, and it all adds up – pretty quickly. €11,829 to be exact. 

To help those starting third level in September, DIT has released its annual Cost of Living Guide for students 2018-19. The guide is designed to help those starting higher education this year, with tips and advice for students on how to cut costs on housing, travel and other day-to-day expenses.

According to the guide, the costs of living for students living away from home is a staggering €11K. This includes rent at €430 a month, food at €169 a month, student charge at €333 and a measly €40 on clothes and medical. 

To help families with the ever-increasing cost, Dr Brian Gormley, Head of Life at DIT, is urging all students and parents to ensure they are getting their full entitlements. 

"It's clear from talking to students and their families that it is not widely known that you can get tax relief on college fees paid," he said.

"Less than 12% of students claim back tax, and for full-time undergraduates, that figure is lower (7%). If you are paying for more than one student in full-time education, you can claim tax relief on the student charge for the second or subsequent children. Also, if you are paying tuition fees, either for a post-graduate programme, a part-time programme or for repeating the year, you may be entitled to tax back. We estimate that Irish families are missing out on millions of unclaimed tax relief."

And even if you're only entitled to a small amount back, every little helps.