In Galway the students walked out of their lecture hall at lunchtime and marched from NUI Galway and the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology to Eyre Square.
During a noisy protest, they condemned Education Minister, Noel Dempsey, for ignoring the plight of students and their parents.
NUI student leader, Leona Byrne, said fee increases, which were 15 times higher than inflation rates, were entirely unacceptable.
Dave McCoy of GMIT said an increasing numbers of students were being forced to apply for hardship assistance and they believed they would soon be faced with a re-introduction of college fees.
Students from NUIG Galway say they will continue with the campaign until the fee increases are drastically reduced.
In Castlebar students are staging a similar protest and plan to deliver a letter of protest to the office of Fianna Fail TD, Beverly Flynn.
