Griffith College, which has campuses in Dublin, Limerick and Cork, has more than 7,000 full- and part-time time students, with some 40% non-Irish. However it is concerned that the college may be getting too expensive for home students as the country’s recession rolls on; unemployment in the country currently stands at 14.6%.

With non-EU students paying up to €10,000 a year in tuition – an important revenue stream – Griffith is now prepared to waive the €5,000- €6,000 Irish students pay if they provide 52 weeks of accommodation and board for overseas students.

The scheme is being promoted in China, France, Germany, Russia and Brazil

Those who provide 40 weeks will get reduced fees. The scholarship also applies if a students’ relatives can offer “suitable living accommodation”.

“We are conscious that these are difficult economic times for families,” Diarmuid Hegarty, president of Griffith College, said. “The new scheme will provide more opportunities for Irish students to attend the college while offering international students a unique living experience during their time in Ireland.”

Other benefits, says the college, include language and professional development, and the opportunity to spend a month overseas with the international student’s family (although fees may apply).

The college promises to vet host families carefully, with oversight from the police. It also promises that international students can be moved easily to another family home, or campus accommodation, if they are unsatisfied with their homestay.

The scheme is being promoted in the college’s key overseas markets, China, France, Germany, Russia and Brazil. There is no initial limit on the number of places available and Irish students’ fees will be waived for each year they act as hosts (although the programme will be reviewed after a year).