Back to Education Programme

xinchao

hi everybody,

Has anyone here received the back to education programme allowance?
I lost my job last year so i've decided to go back to University, I've just sent my application to UL. I'm 33 so i'll be treated as a mature student. But i am wondering does anyone have any idea about the rules of the BTEA programme? I have enquired about it but i seem to be getting conflicting results. I will qualify in terms of being on job seekers allowance for one year, but i have a diploma (fat good that has been for me) in Business Studies and Computing from LIT. I qualified in 2002. However, I want to go back and study Sociology and Social Studies at UL.
But one social welfare office said i am entitled and another branch said i wasn't..Typical government bodies...But if i can't qualify then i can't go back and i don't want to be sitting on my backside for the next few years.
Better to be studying and moving on...
So if there is anyone out there who can help me?
I'm at a loss on this one and it is worrying me
It does say on the booklet that you cannot qualify if you have an undergraduate qualification already. I mean that to be a degree but I'm not 100% sure...
Any advice please??

Kevin...

kjt

Hey Kevin,
Here is the link to the full info. I'm pretty sure once you've been on welfare for at least one year before the start date of the course and don't have an equal qualification you should be fine. From looking at it if you're going for a degree course and only have a diploma you should be fine. Their is also this little snippet:

If you already hold a third level undergraduate qualification, you can only apply for a BTEA to take an equivalent undergraduate course in very exceptional cases.

You should be good, All the best Kevin!

ditmature

Hi Kevin,

I agree with kjt - you are not studying an "equivalent" undergraduate programme, so it shouldn't be an issue.

There's lots of FAQs that might help available here:

http://www.dit.ie/study/mature/support/finance/btea/

Best of luck!

Bob

SuperTyper

Hi there, I'm in the same boat, I'm on lone parents allowance since Jan 08 and have applied to Crumlin College to do hairdressing course. I have a Diploma which I got part time in 1993. I too am wondering if I will qualify for BTEA as its not a diploma or degree course I'm applying for, its a trade.

paperclip2

SuperTyper wrote: »

Hi there, I'm in the same boat, I'm on lone parents allowance since Jan 08 and have applied to Crumlin College to do hairdressing course. I have a Diploma which I got part time in 1993. I too am wondering if I will qualify for BTEA as its not a diploma or degree course I'm applying for, its a trade.

Worst case scenario: The first year of the Crumlin course is certified at FETAC Level 5. If thats the primary qualification on the course then it is seen as equivalent, (by DFSA) to a second level course and your existing Diploma level qualification would make you ineligible for BTEA. Current apprenticeships/ trades in other areas are equivalent to FETAC level 6, if your diploma is reckoned at level 6 or 7 then you would be ineligble for BTEA.

If I were you I would check directly with the BTEA section. It might take a while to get a clear answer though. Tel: 071 9257100 or Dublin 1890 500 000/ 01 7043000.

It will probably depend on the level your Diploma is at. Where did you do it, was it a NUI or NCEA qualification? How long did you study for it?

Its over 15 years since you completed the course, what some people have done in these circumstances, although I'm not advocating this you understand, is develop amnesia. Penalties for being caught are severe though.

Good luck.

SuperTyper

Many thanks for the advice, much appreciated. My diploma was part time at night and was in the DIT (it has since been upgraded to an ordinary degree - makes me ineligible I suppose).

I hear you on the second bit tho;)

paperclip2

SuperTyper wrote: »

Many thanks for the advice, much appreciated. My diploma was part time at night and was in the DIT (it has since been upgraded to an ordinary degree - makes me ineligible I suppose).

I hear you on the second bit tho;)

:)

I would give BTEA a ring though, just to be clear. The Sligo office is helpful although they can take a while to get back to you. Ring them and see what they say. It could be that its so long since you did your Dip that it might not be a relevant qualification in its field at this stage, therefore you really need to retrain. I dont know if DFSA will see it that way though.

faye2363

I wonder if anyone can help with this situation.

I was made redundant over 6 weeks ago . I am 46 but hold a B.Comm & H.Dip from UCC ( gained 1984/1985). I am thinking about going back to University but do not know if there are any grants to help as my unemployment benefit is €203.40 per week . With this money I am trying to pay a mortgage and keep my 21 year old Dublin ( I live in Cork ) in a Post Grad Course in DCU.

I would be interested in any course concerning Accounting or Business?
Would I be allowed to keep my unemployment benefit ? I have paid into the tax system since 1985 and the government gives me €203.40 to live on - they have ignored my daughters circumstances since she is 21.

SuperTyper

paperclip2 wrote: »

:)

I would give BTEA a ring though, just to be clear. The Sligo office is helpful although they can take a while to get back to you. Ring them and see what they say. It could be that its so long since you did your Dip that it might not be a relevant qualification in its field at this stage, therefore you really need to retrain. I dont know if DFSA will see it that way though.

Finally got through to the Sligo office and apparently I am not eligible because of my diploma (it does not matter than the diploma was awarded in 1993):(:(:(

SuperTyper

faye2363 wrote: »

I wonder if anyone can help with this situation.

I was made redundant over 6 weeks ago . I am 46 but hold a B.Comm & H.Dip from UCC ( gained 1984/1985). I am thinking about going back to University but do not know if there are any grants to help as my unemployment benefit is €203.40 per week . With this money I am trying to pay a mortgage and keep my 21 year old Dublin ( I live in Cork ) in a Post Grad Course in DCU.

I would be interested in any course concerning Accounting or Business?
Would I be allowed to keep my unemployment benefit ? I have paid into the tax system since 1985 and the government gives me €203.40 to live on - they have ignored my daughters circumstances since she is 21.

Hi there, I'm trying to get to grips with the whole college thing again. If you have a look at http://www.studentfinance.ie/mp7232/maintenance-grant/index.html if might give you an idea. If you are receiving social welfare benefits for a certain period of time, you can study and still retain your benefit (although I'm now learning that the course of study has to be a higher level than the one you currently hold) (see http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/SW70/Pages/ABacktoEducationAllowanceBTEA.aspx). Am sure someone else will be along to help you who knows a lot more than me.

Good luck

paperclip2

SuperTyper wrote: »

Finally got through to the Sligo office and apparently I am not eligible because of my diploma (it does not matter than the diploma was awarded in 1993):(:(:(

Sorry to hear that SuperTyper. They are getting tighter on the rules for the past year or so.

SuperTyper

Yeah am a bit gutted I must admit but watcha gonna do eh:rolleyes:

Vanhalla

i would love to know why you cant keep the payment through the summer months if you were on job seekers for more than 6mths before you started the course, but if you were just on it for the 6mths you get to keep it through the summer. dont make sense!

mad_shopaholic

faye2363 wrote: »

I wonder if anyone can help with this situation.

I was made redundant over 6 weeks ago . I am 46 but hold a B.Comm & H.Dip from UCC ( gained 1984/1985). I am thinking about going back to University but do not know if there are any grants to help as my unemployment benefit is €203.40 per week . With this money I am trying to pay a mortgage and keep my 21 year old Dublin ( I live in Cork ) in a Post Grad Course in DCU.

I would be interested in any course concerning Accounting or Business?
Would I be allowed to keep my unemployment benefit ? I have paid into the tax system since 1985 and the government gives me €203.40 to live on - they have ignored my daughters circumstances since she is 21.

hi Faye i am also after losing my job and have done alot of reseach into the back to education.

As you have been awarded statutory redundancy you are entitled to automatically access the back to education scheme and your entitlement to a social welfare payment has been established. The allowance is the equivalent to the payment you are now getting. You are also studying a different undergraduate course so there should be no problem, its only a problem if you are studying an equivalent course.
You would also get a cost of education allowance of 500euro at the start of each year

You should also contact your local VEC about a grant as you would be classed as a mature student and have a dependent(your daughter in full time education) the grant does not affect your social welfare payment

P.S you can also work part time while recieving the back to education allowance.

hope this helps!!!

ditmature

Hi faye2363, Hi mad_shopaholic,

Much as I hate to be the bearer of bad news, I feel that I have to correct a few things you said in the above post...

As you have been awarded statutory redundancy you are entitled to automatically access the back to education scheme and your entitlement to a social welfare payment has been established.

The awarding of statutory redundancy only exempts you from the 12 month qualifying period - typically you would have had to be claiming social welfare payments for 12 consecutive months prior to commencing a programme of study in order to qualify for the BTEA. However, if you have been awarded statutory redundancy, then once you can prove your entitlement to a social welfare payment, this 12 month restriction is waived.

You are also studying a different undergraduate course so there should be no problem, its only a problem if you are studying an equivalent course.

The term "equivalent course" refers not to the topic (e.g. Accounting/Science/Engineering/Commerce) covered in the course, but the end qualification (e.g. Certificate/Diploma/Ordinary Degree/Honours Degree). If you hold, say, an Honours Degree (your B.Comm), then you are not entitled to the BTEA for any other Honours Degree, no matter what the subject.

The rule of thumb is: the BTEA will not fund you to study for a qualification the same or lesser than one you already hold. It is aimed at students attending 3rd level for the first time.

Also, according to the latest documentation issued by the Department of Family & Social Affairs on the 12th Feb 2009 (available here), the BTEA is not allocated to anyone who already holds a postgraduate qualification (your HDip).

You should also contact your local VEC about a grant as you would be classed as a mature student

Again, the Higher Education Grant is aimed at first time students, and as you already hold both an undergraduate degree and a postgraduate qualification, you are not eligible to apply.

I'm really sorry to have to tell you this, but on the face of it, it doesn't appear as though you are entitled to much financial support should you decide to return to full time education.

There's lots more information available at:

BTEA:
Official Govt Documentation:
http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/SW70/Pages/ABacktoEducationAllowanceBTEA.aspx
DIT Frequently Asked Questions:
http://www.dit.ie/study/mature/support/finance/btea/

Higher Education Grant:
http://www.dit.ie/study/mature/support/finance/hegs/

Best wishes,

Bob

xinchao

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the solid advice. Much appreciated. Just waiting for UL's interview... Hopefully I will get called for an interview!!
anyway, cheers for the advice...

Kevin..

robert18

i think that dit mature maybe right about that but also i think they might be a bit flexible at the moment , they would prefer to have you in college then drawing the dole .i am trying to get into lit for september doing software development which brings me to my dilema i am being made redundant in june and had it in my head to go to college nothing else just that ,but now a friend has giving me the chance to join a local factory on a 6 month contract ( on good wages ) with the chance off longer contract , would i be better off going back to college or taking the job thanks

xinchao

Howdy Folks,
Just a quick update on the original post, just been accepted to UL (that was the east part!!) .....
The real work starts tomorrow, I'll will be applying for the BTEA scheme tomorrow as I will be at the dole office signing on. Will let you know how things develop with their rules etc. No doubt they'll make it as hard as possible so that they earn their keep! But also so for people who are thinking of going back either this year or next year, in case they might want to find out more information on the process of applying and being accepted/rejected.

Interesting days ahead.;)

Kev...