How many hours are you allowed to work if you receive a grant as a mature student?

Sagittarius79

Have applied for a grant to cover fees for a full time post graduate course / M.A. beginning this Sept. I am a mature independent candidate and I am giving up my full time job to do this course. Going on previous years and based on what I earned in 2007, if my grant application is successful, I should be entitled to payment for my fees and about 50% of the total of the maintenance grant. This obviously won't be enough to last me the whole year so I will be looking to take up some part time work to keep me going, maybe 15-20 hours a week. So my question is - am I allowed to work if I am getting the grant and if so, is there a cap on how many hours a week I can work?

Appreciate any info on this.

If you gave up your full-time job your Council/VEC should treat your income situation as a 'change in circumstances' since as soon as you start college your income will be 0. So really you're allowed work enough up to the point that you earn enough income that you would no longer be eligible.

Everywhere you work has different rates so the money rather then the amount of hours matters.

Sagittarius79

Hi Myth, well I'll be finishing work 2 days after the deadline for the application and the course doesn't start til the 29th Sept so I said my status prior to taking up the course was 'unemployed'.
I'm being made redundant also, so while I'm not actually giving up that job, I'm giving up the chance to look for a similar job with similar pay, to go back and study full time.

Myth, do you know what the cut-off point would be for the most I could earn a week to still be eligible? Its more than likely I'll be taking up a part time job which pays just a little bit over the minimum wage.

Well it's really the total for the year that would matter, so you'd have to budget/plan how much you would be receiving during the coming year.

Sagittarius79

Thanks, do you know what the cut off for the total amount would be? As I said I'd only be working 20 hrs a week max for around minimum wage.

Also, would the fact I'm being made redundant this year have any impact on my grant, seeing as its based on your earnings from the previous year? Well thats my understanding of it.

Sagittarius79

Sagittarius79 wrote: »

Thanks, do you know what the cut off for the total amount would be? As I said I'd only be working 20 hrs a week max for around minimum wage.

Ah my apologies. The total amounts are on this page some way down it ('Family Income Limits').

Also, would the fact I'm being made redundant this year have any impact on my grant, seeing as its based on your earnings from the previous year? Well thats my understanding of it.

I alluded to this in my first post... my understanding is that if you're applying you'd be assessed under a 'change in circumstances' and thus would be assessed on your new level of income, which would be whatever you'd be earning in the 20 hours a week or however much you'll be working then. Best to send in a quick query to your Council/VEC

I'm unsure if any redundancy monies would be taken into account, they may well be.

Sagittarius79

Thanks Myth

Just gave DCC a quick call and just an FYI - they say the deadline for grant applications has been pushed out until November now as there was a delay in sending out the applications forms.

They haven't updated their website yet though with that info it seems.

Ah that's good to hear, but I wonder if that's just for Dublin City Council or whether (who I've heard are quite good overall with grants) or for everywhere.

Hrm, on the other hand does this mean that students won't get their grants until at least November I wonder.

And yeah, studentfinance.ie and citizensinformation.ie haven't been undated with the November date yet, but sure we'll see.

Sagittarius79

There definitely was a delay in them sending out the forms, they weren't even available until the start of this month. I only received mine in the post last Monday.

Sagittarius79

Sagittarius79 wrote: »

There definitely was a delay in them sending out the forms, they weren't even available until the start of this month. I only received mine in the post last Monday.

Ah I know, I meant whether the date being pushed back is just for DCC or everywhere though

abi2007

I applied for a grant based as a independant mature student, I'm 25 and bought my house on the 4th of October last year. I got a call today to say that they will have to access me on my parents income if I can't provide a utility bill from the 1st of October. Which I can't as I didn't live there till the 4th. I did ask would they reconsider as it's only three days. no such luck. what should i do?

abi2007

abi2007 wrote: »

I applied for a grant based as a independant mature student, I'm 25 and bought my house on the 4th of October last year. I got a call today to say that they will have to access me on my parents income if I can't provide a utility bill from the 1st of October. Which I can't as I didn't live there till the 4th. I did ask would they reconsider as it's only three days. no such luck. what should i do?

I read this, and my first reaction was to put my face into my palm. That's insane. Seriously, I understand that they are the rules but for gods sake it's mindnumblingly obvious that you're independent and especially if you have proof three days later.

Perhaps it's the fact it's Friday but in this circumstance I'd be getting on to your local Councillor to try to get him/her to lobby on your behalf, or appealing to the Minister of Education (information in second paragraph here).

Following the regulations here (Word Document) the Local Authority does have the power to waive the residency requirement in exceptional circumstances. If it was me, I'd ask to be considered under these circumstances and produce as much evidence that you are independent as possible (and that you'd feel comfortable with).

4.1.1 The candidate's parents or guardians, or, in the case of an independent mature candidate, the candidate herself/himself, shall have been ordinarily resident in the administrative area of the Local Authority from 1 October 2007. The Local Authority shall have discretion to waive this requirement in exceptional circumstances.

It's difficult to say really what to do in this situation other then start to argue with them! I assume that you wouldn't be entitled to a grant if they take your parents income into account.

*sigh*

abi2007

no both my parents work full time so i haven't a hope! I also told them that if i did go back to college that i'd be giving up work and would i be entilted to the special rate grant under the change to cercumstances... she said no as it goes on last years earnings not this years... I'm so annoyed, i would understand if it was weeks but it's only three days! I have a daughter too so i have to pay for child care, so i just don't know if i can afford it now.