Fee's

Neville Flynn

hi i returned to college last year after a 5 year gap as a mature student, because i originally did 1 year of a course previously i got neither a grant or the free fee's, just wondering tho i know in order to get the grant i need to send off the forms, how about the free fee's tho who or what to i have to contact in order to ensure them anyone ?

If you only did one year, usually you would have to pay the one year and then the free fees would kick in from the Gov. I'm unsure how it operates with mature students, so you should contact your college fees office directly to find out.

As for grants, yeah your Council or VEC will give you the application form if you ring them up.

sceptre

If you've got a five year gap and didn't finish your original course (and this is what your post indicates) then different rules apply and you can apply for a grant and get "free" (nice word that when you still have to pay reg fees approaching a grand) fees. Additionally you're eligible to apply for the usual grant for the year.

sceptre

sceptre wrote:

you can apply for a grant and get "free" (nice word that when you still have to pay reg fees approaching a grand) fees.

Just to clear it up, if you get a grant the registration fee is paid for.

Neville Flynn

thanks everyone for the help.

sceptre

Myth wrote:

Just to clear it up, if you get a grant the registration fee is paid for.

Oops, just realised what I typed could have been misinterpreted - it was a general rant in the middle. Thanks for clearing up my confusion-causing:)

Paulie Walnuts

Does anyone know if there are any other grants-apart from the standard grant and top up grant- available for Independent Mature Students. maybe rent relief, compensation for books, etc.. I'm really going to have to squeez every last cent I can out of the govt..

I'm unsure about rent relief/rent allowance, but have you looked at the Back to Education Allowance? There are other schemes linked in the Resources page including the Millennium Partnership Fund and the Student Assistance Fund.

Paulie Walnuts

I'm not eligible for the back to education allowance because I was stupid enough to have a job for the past year. I think you can only get that if you've been on social welfare for at least nine months. So people who sit on their a*s for a year get rent allowance and someone who works and pays tax....doesn't. Silly old me for having a job.

josie80

I completely agree paulie nuts, i'm in the same boat found out yesterday because i worked and didn't sit around doing nothing for the best part of a year i'm now not eligible for anything....

I know there are people out there that need the back to education but there are also people who abuse it (and i know a few), i'm possibly just ranting because i'm jealous but it's really annoying all together people i know (including rent allowance) will be coming out with over €300 a week, books and fee's paid for and have a great summer travelling around ireland, very unfair

Luckyduck

Have a degree and got it "free" 8 years ago..I'm a mature student...I rang VEC and they said I can't get anything..fees, grant nothing as the course I am doing is also a degree? Any of ye get anything and had a degree done already?

Paulie Walnuts

I had this problem when I tried to do a course last year. I was applying to do a level 6? course in Cork College of Commerce. I was told that because I had previously started a course of a similar level before that I wouldn't be eligible for any grants. This despite the fact that I never recieved a penny in grants the first time.

Generally if it's your first time doing a course at that level you should be eligible for free fees/grants/financial assistance. If you already have a degree, then you aren't able to apply for a grant at the same Education Level (i.e. Level 7 or 8) as you are already at. If you apply for a Masters or a higher qualification, you should be able to apply.