Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris has announced further details on the cost of education measures first outlined in the Budget.

A reduction of €1,000 in undergraduate fees has now been applied to all students' accounts reducing the cost of college for 96,000 students by 33%.

Students, or their families, who have paid the full student contribution of €3,000 are being refunded.

They have been asked to give their bank details to their higher education institution before the end of November to facilitate reimbursement of their €1,000 in December.

If bank details are not provided by the student, a credit will be applied to their account.

Minister Harris said for the majority of students, there will be no action required.

Fees will automatically reduce to €2,000 for all undergraduate students eligible for free fees.

"If you are paying in instalments - as many families do - your second instalment will be reduced by up to €1,000 at the start of the second term in 2024. If you paid in full, your college will refund you by the end of the year," he said.

Minister Harris also confirmed families earning under €100,000 are eligible for a further €500 reduction, but they must apply through www.susi.ie

In addition, the minister announced €17m for the Student Assistance Fund, which is a package aimed at assisting students with the cost of college.

The funding can assist students with books and class materials, rent, childcare, and transport, among other things.

PhD researchers in Science Foundation Ireland and Irish Research Council will also receive a €3,000 increase in their stipend and details on this will be provided next month.

Speaking on RTÉ's Today with Claire Byrne, Minister Harris said he would like to see the fees reduction made permanent, but it applies to this current academic year only.

He said he was not going to look a gift horse in the mouth when the proposal was made as part of efforts to deal with the cost of living.

However, the ultimate goal is to reduce the cost of education, he said.

The minister also said that students leaving the care system will be given preferential treatment for campus accommodation.

These students have gone to college "against all the odds", he said, and will be named as a priority group in the national access plan and will be given free college accommodation.

He said he did not expect the numbers to be huge, and added, that it is an effort to break down the barriers for those leaving care and trying to access third level education.