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Entitlements to 22 year old mature student?

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  • 20-05-2009 4:44pm
    #1
    hickeydermot
    Registered Users Posts: 43 ✭


    Hi so here is my backstory im 22 plan on moving home to my mas house for college , been unemployed since late september , had my interview yesterday

    i worringly read somewhere to qualify for any sort of grant i need to be 23 come jan 1st 2009 , im 23 in august also

    any ideas guys?


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    #2
    ditmature
    Registered Users Posts: 79 ✭✭ditmature


    Hi OP,

    To qualify as a Mature Student starting a course in September 2009, you would have had to have turned 23 before the 1st of January this year. So in short, no you are not a mature student in the traditional sense of the word.

    That's not to say that you are not entitled to a grant. It just means you fall into a different category.

    There are 3 categories under which students qualify for the grant:

    - Independent Mature Student: for the 2009/10 academic year, this applies to students over the age of 23 on January 1st 2009, and have been independently resident outside of the family home since October 1st 2008 (and can prove it with ultility bills etc). Independent Mature Students are means-tested based on their own (and spouse's if applicable) income for the tax year January-December 2008.

    - Dependent Mature Student: for the 2009/10 academic year, this applies to students over the age of 23 on January 1st 2009 who are resident in the family home. Also, the default position of many grant authorities is that if you cannot prove your independence, you will be considered dependent. Dependent Mature Students are means-tested based on their own (and spouse's if applicable) income AND their parents' income for the tax year January-December 2008.

    - Student other than a Mature Student: for the 2009/10 academic year, this pretty much applies to everyone else. These students are means-tested based on their parents' income for the tax year January-December 2008.

    You would be considered a Student other than a Mature Student.

    If you have been unemployed since last September, you may qualify for the Back To Education Allowance (for which you don't have to be over 23). This is allocated to persons who have been claiming a Social Welfare payment for at least 12 consecutive months prior to commencing their course (looks like you'll just about squeeze in there), or for 9 consecutive months with a letter of recommendation from their Jobs Facilitator.

    The BTEA essentially is a social welfare payment that is paid to you weekly while you are in college, instead of your dole. You don't have to sign on, once you are approved it just gets deposited into your bank account every week. It also includes a one-time €500 payment to assist you in buying books etc.

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

    I would ask your local social welfare office if you are eligible to apply for this (it's not means tested), which from the information you have given me, it looks like you should.

    Best wishes,

    Bob


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