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Current mature students' advice needed

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  • 17-10-2008 8:59pm
    #1
    lisa6360
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12 ✭


    If you will permit me to take a few moments of your time to get some advice...

    I want to go to UCC next September for an Arts degree (I currently live in Wexford, if that matters). However, after having extensively read all the information to hand, I've realised I have some problems. I was wondering if I could get some insight from experienced mature students about how major they consider these problems to be.

    1. I'm 24 and English. It says that the Leaving Cert isn't important for mature student applicants, but my problem is I have no education *at all*. I was kicked around foster care as a teen, attending various schools here and there for a couple weeks at a time, never learning anything and certainly never sitting any exams. When I turned 18, I developed a thirst for learning, and since then I've been teaching myself everything I can. But there's nothing official about self-teaching. How much of a problem is this, do you think?

    2. Finance. I know most people get grants, but I can't seem to find any information on what they consider to be the maximum income level. I'm unemployed, raising my son. My partner works and gets 32,000EURO a year. Rent and bills and food and tax and everything else being what they are these days, the money doesn't stretch far. We have zero savings. We rent. We will need childcare. UCC has a creche, but the 100-oddEURO a week fee plus our rent would mean we'd barely be able to eat. We certainly couldn't afford college fees. For those of you who have been awarded grants under unsure circumstances -- how did it go? And for those who haven't, why not? (If you don't mind me asking, of course!)

    3. Deleted this one. Found the info I needed!

    Thank you so much for your time, and any information you might have. :)


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    #2
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,675 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    lisa6360 wrote: »
    1. I'm 24 and English. It says that the Leaving Cert isn't important for mature student applicants, but my problem is I have no education *at all*. I was kicked around foster care as a teen, attending various schools here and there for a couple weeks at a time, never learning anything and certainly never sitting any exams. When I turned 18, I developed a thirst for learning, and since then I've been teaching myself everything I can. But there's nothing official about self-teaching. How much of a problem is this, do you think?
    Well I'd say you'll almost certainly have to do another course first. A short 1 year plc course or something, basically just to prove you can survive the degree course. I don't know about UCC but many universities have access programmes which would ideal for you, check into it.


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    #3
    Gadgie
    Registered Users Posts: 1,079 ✭✭✭Gadgie


    If you are currently getting a social welfare payment then you may qualify for the Back to Education Allowance, depending on the type of payment and the length of time you are receiving it. See http://www.welfare.ie/schemes/btw/btea.html for more details.

    Good luck.


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    #4
    Mick T
    Closed Accounts Posts: 71 ✭✭Mick T


    For further details contact the Mature Student Office on:
    Tel: 021 490 3670
    Email: c.quinlan@ucc.ie


    maybe give this an email and explain your details, good luck!


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