Economy benefits by €400m from 35,000 foreign students

MORE than 35,000 foreign students in Ireland will inject €400 million into the economy this year, it emerged yesterday.

Undergraduates from countries including China, India, Pakistan and Malaysia are typically studying medicine, science, engineering and hotel management at colleges and universities.

The figures were released as a landmark case against perceived preferences given to non-European Union students comes before the High Court. A Dublin student is taking the case on discrimination grounds because non-EU nationals can claim places on coveted medicine courses without getting the necessary points.