Going back to College? Check here for Mature/Disabled/Access/Grant & Fees information

kryogen

That sucks, but thanks for the reply mate

SpatialPlanning

Hi all. I'm just trying to get some information with regards to my options. I will be returning to education to pursue a Masters and I am looking to see if I am eligible for any kind of a grant/support.

I am currently working abroad, if earnings come into it then I am on approximately 16,000 euro per year, and I am looking to begin a course next September (2013). I finished my original degree in 2008. In the interm I have been living abroad for the most part, with one 10 month stint at home on jobseekers allowance. I have the option of remaining abroad until the course starts, or shortly before, but I will return to Ireland sooner if needs be.

How far in advance should I apply to a course? Is it possible to apply for assistance if I am living abroad? Any other advice or opinions?

The help is much appreciated! Thanks.

Annasopra

SpatialPlanning wrote: »

Hi all. I'm just trying to get some information with regards to my options. I will be returning to education to pursue a Masters and I am looking to see if I am eligible for any kind of a grant/support.

I am currently working abroad, if earnings come into it then I am on approximately 16,000 euro per year, and I am looking to begin a course next September (2013). I finished my original degree in 2008. In the interm I have been living abroad for the most part, with one 10 month stint at home on jobseekers allowance. I have the option of remaining abroad until the course starts, or shortly before, but I will return to Ireland sooner if needs be.

How far in advance should I apply to a course? Is it possible to apply for assistance if I am living abroad? Any other advice or opinions?

The help is much appreciated! Thanks.

Firstly - grant rules and regulations change every single year - you might be eligible for something in 2012 but then ineligible in 2013

Secondly - funding options for 2012/2013 are very limited

B: Fees and Maintenance Grants for new entrants to postgraduate studies

Students entering new postgraduate courses from the 2012-13 academic year onwards will not be entitled to any maintenance payment under the Student Grant scheme
However, students on the lowest level of income entering new postgraduate courses from the 2012-13 academic year who qualify for the special rate of grant will be eligible to qualify to have tuition fees paid up to the maximum fee limit under the Student Grant scheme
A limited number of other low-income students who would previously have qualified under the standard grant thresholds will qualify to have a €2,000 contribution made towards the costs of their fees. However, there will be a new income threshold for this payment which will be lower than the standard grant threshold. The income threshold for this level of grant is currently being determined in the context of the formulation of the student grant scheme for the 2012-13 year.

Thirdly - your residence might impact on this

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/third_level_education/fees_and_supports_for_third_level_education/maintenance_grant_schemes_for_students_on_third_level_courses.html

Residence
Since the academic year 2010-2011, you must have been legally resident in the State for 3 of the previous 5 years to qualify for a maintenance grant. However, if you are studying elsewhere in the EU for a recognised qualification, and you were resident in the State for 3 of the 5 years before starting that course, you satisfy this requirement. Find more details of this requirement on studentfinance.ie.

If you fulfil all the criteria for a maintenance grant except for the residence condition in the State, you may still qualify for a fee grant as a ‘tuition student’.

A tuition student is someone who fulfils all the conditions for a student grant except for residence in the State, but who has been resident in an EEA state or Switzerland for 3 of the last 5 years.The members of the EEA (the European Economic Area) are the 27 members of the EU, along with Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.

Your parents or guardians, or you yourself if you are an independent mature candidate (see below) must have been ordinarily resident in the administrative area of the local authority from 1 October prior to applying for the grant.

paperclip2

For those looking for grant information for Sept 2012 the SUSI agency can be contacted on support@susi.cdvec.ie or tel: 0761 087874.

Applications to open in May

Dores

Does anyone know that I will qualify for BTEA if I am on Jobseeker Benefit , but working one day a week? Can I work part time during the college and keep BTEA if I'll get it?

ronano

I would think that the one day a week working wouldnt be a problem if you have the right amount of days to qualify for btea but check with social to be sure or someone else here might know.

You can work part time and get btea, during summer months you'll be switched to jsa/jsb and what you work then might be a problem or impact amount of social you'd get for the summer. Once term rolls around again though you'd be put on btea

Dores

thank you ronano.

Azures

If a mature undergrad student were to be offered a full grant of approx of €6,000 (?) - is that per semester or for the whole year?
Anyone know how this works?

kryogen

Hi all, just a follow up question that I want to ask, I have sent in my online application to the CAO and am putting together everything I need to send to them in the post, I know I need my leaving cert results but what else?

Aplogies as Im sure it has been covered already in the thread but I have only got access on my phone at the moment and searching is ridiculously hard on it! Long story

paperclip2

Azures wrote: »

If a mature undergrad student were to be offered a full grant of approx of €6,000 (?) - is that per semester or for the whole year?
Anyone know how this works?

Thats most likely for the whole year

It sounds like you got the full, non-adjacent, top-up rate of grant.

kryogen

kryogen wrote: »

Hi all, just a follow up question that I want to ask, I have sent in my online application to the CAO and am putting together everything I need to send to them in the post, I know I need my leaving cert results but what else?

Aplogies as Im sure it has been covered already in the thread but I have only got access on my phone at the moment and searching is ridiculously hard on it! Long story

Anybody??

trishawisha

Hi Kryogen I could be wrong but I thought you had to send all documents within 7 days of the deadline.
This is the email I recieved after submitting my application.


Dear *trishawisha
This e-mail is to acknowledge receipt of your entries to the
Qualifications & Assessment Section of the CAO form.
Your entries were received at CAO on 01/02/2012 at 12:16.

Please remember, you must post all supporting documents to arrive at CAO
within 7 days of submitting an online application (if not already done so).
Certified copies of results of 2012 examinations (excluding Leaving Cert &
FETAC) must be provided to CAO as soon as they become available.

All documents must be clearly marked with your name and CAO Number.
Applicants wishing to receive an acknowledgement of receipt of their
postal documents must include a stamped self-addressed postcard.
Please read http://www.cao.ie/help_files/speccat_instr.htm or pages
12-14 of the 2012 CAO Handbook for further instructions.

Hope that helps

kryogen

Well that may be a problem so Still waiting to get my leaving cert results so havent been able to send them in

paperclip2

AFAIK if you included your LC number CAO can access the information. Sending the results just makes it handier for them. Maybe email them to check it out. http://www.cao.ie/index.php?page=email

El Diablo Blanco

Hi, folks.

Sorry if this has been posted before, but hoping to get some info, if someone could help. My situation is this...

* completed an Honours Degree six years ago
* currently in full-time employment
* hoping to return to study, and pursue a career in primary teaching
* living on my own at the minute-- no kids or dependents
* would have to leave my job to return to study

Is there any sort of grant that I might be entitled to, in order to continue covering my rent/basic utilities while I'm studying?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
EDB

paperclip2

El Diablo Blanco wrote: »

Hi, folks.

Sorry if this has been posted before, but hoping to get some info, if someone could help. My situation is this...

* completed an Honours Degree six years ago
* currently in full-time employment
* hoping to return to study, and pursue a career in primary teaching
* living on my own at the minute-- no kids or dependents
* would have to leave my job to return to study

Is there any sort of grant that I might be entitled to, in order to continue covering my rent/basic utilities while I'm studying?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
EDB

You could apply for the Graduate Diploma in Primary Education. It would be a shorter option than the degree: http://www.education.ie/home/home.jsp?maincat=&pcategory=10900&ecategory=19312&sectionpage=12251&language=EN&link=link001&page=1&doc=51462

As regards funding, grants for post grad students have been cut back quite a lot in the last budget. If you have nine months on a Social Welfare payment you might be eligible for the BTEA up to a H.Dip level.
Information on fees and grants are on the Citizens Information website: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/third_level_education/fees_and_supports_for_third_level_education/maintenance_grant_schemes_for_students_on_third_level_courses.html
BTEA information on the DSP website http://www.welfare.ie

As you already hold a degree its unlikely that you would be eligible for free fees, a grant or funding support if you wanted to do the B.Ed undergrad degree.

El Diablo Blanco

That's a terrific help, paperclip. Thanks a million. Hadn't considered the Graduate Diploma programme. Definitely gonna look into that. Seems like a much more attractive option.

Cheers!

Fargar

Greetings, I was hoping I might find help from some kind knowledgable folk in this area. Apologies in advance if this is the wrong forum, and if anyone would like to direct me to the correct forum, I'd really appreciate it.

In a nutshell; I am on job seekers these last 3mths and would like to go onto 3rd level education this September. I am out of school 10yrs, have been in full time employment for that whole time and have passed my leaving cert.

Ideally I wanted to go to college in Sep but as I won't have accumulated 235 days on jobseekers by the time the course starts, I won't be entitled to the Back to Education Allowance.

Instead I have been told The fetac route is my only option at present as I would qualify for the BTEA.

So, if I choose to do a 1yr Full time fetac course this Sep/Oct, claim the BTEA, the course finishes up in May, and I will continue to be paid the allowance through the summer, but what's happens then exactly and how do I proceed into 3rd level the following September?

Any info or advice would be unbelievably appreciated.

paperclip2

Hi Fargar.
No BTEA comes to an end when the course finishes. Most people apply to go back onto their Jobseekers payment for the Summer and then apply for BTEA for the third level course in September.

Fargar

Cheers Paperclip.

So if the BTEA finishes in may, then in theory I would be back on jobseekers.

Do the Social Welfare add the days I was on JS before the fetac course to the days I would accumulate when I return to JS after the course finishes in order for me to acquire the 234 days needed to qualify for 3rd level BTEA?

If that makes sense?

paperclip2

Fargar wrote: »

Cheers Paperclip.

So if the BTEA finishes in may, then in theory I would be back on jobseekers.

Do the Social Welfare add the days I was on JS before the fetac course to the days I would accumulate when I return to JS after the course finishes in order for me to acquire the 234 days needed to qualify for 3rd level BTEA?

If that makes sense?

No bother Fargar.

Yes, time spent on JS and BTEA can be added together to make up the qualifying period for further BTEA.

You can read the BTEA guidelines on the DSP website: http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Schemes/BackToEducation/Pages/btea.aspx

Fargar

Thats fantastic I am very grateful thanks again PC. It's also what I wanted to hear :-)

eug87

Hi Folks,

Would really appreciate if somebody can help .

I've been accepted into DCU as a mature student for 2012/2013,Its a four year hon degree.

I'm currently 24 on job seekers finishing a Springboard course and living at home with my parents that puts me down as a dependent grant(I think).I was looking at what my parents earn and its over 50k pa.

I just wondering does completing a Spring-board course effect any grant or financial assistance available?

Am I able to get BTEA?

If anybody can give any advice it would be great.
Thanks

Posy

I work full time but if I go back to college in September I would have to give up my job and take a lower paid part time position.. do they take that into account if you apply for a grant? Or is it a case of 'this is what you earn now and that's it..'
It's a one year post grad course so I probably will not be entitled to anything anyway but I figure if I don't ask, I don't get.. and if I don't get I can't go back to college so might as well try!
I wish they'd get the online applications sorted so I can at least know where I stand!

paperclip2

eug87 wrote: »

Hi Folks,

Would really appreciate if somebody can help .

I've been accepted into DCU as a mature student for 2012/2013,Its a four year hon degree.

Congrats on getting the course

eug87 wrote: »

I just wondering does completing a Spring-board course effect any grant or financial assistance available?

The Springboard course might affect your eligibility for financial assistance for the 4yr degree.

Generally you are eligible for free fees for your first attempt at third level.

If you hold a third level qualification prior to attending the 4-year degree you may not be eligible for free fees for some of your degree course. Nor would you be eligible for the grant for the same period.

eug87 wrote: »

Am I able to get BTEA?

It can depend on the Springboard qualification that you achieved.


What Springboard course did you do?

paperclip2

Posy wrote: »

I work full time but if I go back to college in September I would have to give up my job and take a lower paid part time position.. do they take that into account if you apply for a grant? Or is it a case of 'this is what you earn now and that's it..'

On the grant application there is a section where you can detail if there has been a permanent change outside of the qualifying period that seriously affects your current income.

Posy wrote: »

It's a one year post grad course so I probably will not be entitled to anything anyway but I figure if I don't ask, I don't get.. and if I don't get I can't go back to college so might as well try!

Since the last budget there isn't a lot of help for post grad courses but apply anyway. Some info on pg funding here:

Changes in Budget 2012- Post grad funding
No maintenance grants will be paid for new entrants on postgraduate courses from the 2012-13 academic year. Fee grants (described below) will continue to be paid for those postgraduate students who would previously have qualified for the special rate of grant.
In addition, based on their means, a further 4,000 postgraduate students will get a €2,000 fee contribution grant. The income threshold for this payment (which will be lower than the standard grant threshold) has not yet been determined.
Fee grants
A fee grant can cover any of the following 3 elements:
• All or part of the student contribution
• Costs of essential field trips
• All or part of a student’s tuition fees (but not if covered by the Free Fees Scheme)

More information is available from:
Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI)
Tel: 0761 08 7874
Email: support@susi.cdvec.ie

Higher Education Equity of Access
Department of Education and Skills
Portlaoise Road
Tullamore
Co. Offaly
Ireland
Tel:+353 (0)57 9325317
Fax:+353 (0)57 9325435
Homepage: http://www.education.ie/

eug87

paperclip2 wrote: »

Congrats on getting the course



The Springboard course might affect your eligibility for financial assistance for the 4yr degree.

Generally you are eligible for free fees for your first attempt at third level.

If you hold a third level qualification prior to attending the 4-year degree you may not be eligible for free fees for some of your degree course. Nor would you be eligible for the grant for the same period.



It can depend on the Springboard qualification that you achieved.


What Springboard course did you do?

Thanks for the reply.
The Springboard course I have completed was a part time level 6 HETAC course called
Certificate in fundamentals of Databases and cloud technologies.
http://www.dbs.ie/Springboard-Courses/Fundamentals-Database-Cloud-Technologies.htm.
I never received a grant for this course.

paperclip2

eug87 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply.
The Springboard course I have completed was a part time level 6 HETAC course called
Certificate in fundamentals of Databases and cloud technologies.
http://www.dbs.ie/Springboard-Courses/Fundamentals-Database-Cloud-Technologies.htm.
I never received a grant for this course.

Hmmm, Tricky one. If it was me I would check with the Dept of Ed as to my fee/ grant entitlements. Generally if you have a pre-existing qualification you lose free fees/ grants for the equivalent period of any new course. In other words if you did a one -year course and get a qualification from it you lose funding for the equivalent portion, i.e. the first year, of any new course. This is irrespective of whether or not you received a grant/etc while studying. Check with the Student Support Unit of the Dept of Ed: 057 9325317 They should be able to clarify your entitlements.

eug87

paperclip2 wrote: »

Hmmm, Tricky one. If it was me I would check with the Dept of Ed as to my fee/ grant entitlements. Generally if you have a pre-existing qualification you lose free fees/ grants for the equivalent period of any new course. In other words if you did a one -year course and get a qualification from it you lose funding for the equivalent portion, i.e. the first year, of any new course. This is irrespective of whether or not you received a grant/etc while studying. Check with the Student Support Unit of the Dept of Ed: 057 9325317 They should be able to clarify your entitlements.

Thanks paperclip for the info
I will ring that number up today and see if there's any help available which I prob fear that their isn't.

paperclip2

eug87 wrote: »

Thanks paperclip for the info
I will ring that number up today and see if there's any help available which I prob fear that their isn't.

Check first. There could be a provision for Springboard students that I'm not aware of.