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Just how much funding can I get?

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  • 16-07-2007 1:59pm
    #1
    onechewy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 188 ✭✭


    Hi. I'm 26 and I'm planning on heading to Trinity to do a Postgrad in Autumn 2008. I applied before and got offered a place but I decided to get some experience in the workplace first. I'm hoping I'll get offered a place again..

    The thing is, I know absolutely nothing about what I'm entitled to as a mature student - I have had a look around, but nothing really explained the situation well enough. I don't live with my parents and I've been working for the past two years since I left college. The fees for the course I want to do are roughly €4,000 the last time I checked. Just how much funding would I be eligible for, if any..??

    The other thing is, I think I'd like to do a further postgrad afterwards (I'm thinking Phd), does this change the situation at all..?


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    #2
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 16,720 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    If you haven't done a postgrad before, you might be entitled to a grant. Max funding from this would be €6,600 per annum, with your fees paid for (up to a certain amount). The €6,600 includes the Top-up grant (now known as the grant for disadvantaged students) and the 'normal' mature student grant, which is set at around €3,400.

    If you're entering as a mature student, and have been living away from your parents and being completely independent of them, you can apply to your Council as a Mature Independent Candidate. This will mean you will be judged on your income solely (as well as your spouse's, if applicable). You will need to get in contact with your Local Authority/Council to get an application form, and then seek various forms and papers as required. Details are here. Keep in mind that if you're going from working one year to studying the next, your income level will probably fall below the income limit and thus you may be able to apply under a change in circumstances to the Council, possibly for the Top-up grant also.

    The above all occurs if you're doing a full-time course. If you're doing part-time, you would then be entitled to tax-relief on your course. Tax relief details are here.

    Basically, the next step for you would be to ring up your Council to ask what needs to be done, as well as getting an application form. The deadline for applying would be the 31st of August, and some of the additional details required for the application form can take some time to obtain.

    If you're thinking about going the PhD route, it shouldn't effect the maintenance grant as it would represent progress - assuming it's again full-time. I'm not 100% on it though, so again check it out with the Council. I think there's a limit of how long you can be obtaining the grant for while doing a PhD though.

    Good luck.


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