VEC Grants and BTEA

hickey34

Hi,
Im looking for some help with regards to the Back to education allowance and the local authority higher education grants.
Im currently on Jobseekers benefit, but Im due to start in Blackhall place in September, which qualifies for the grant. However, from my reading of it, despite the fact that Im 24 and have been monetarily independent of my parents for 5 years, their incomes combined with mine will be assessed as I still live at home. This seems ridiculous considering the ceiling is 49,000. Can anyone enlighten me on this? Am I correct in saying that I wont be eligible to be independently assessed as I live at home?
Also, Ive read that for BTEA you need to be on Jobseekers benefit for 9 months before the start of the course. Ive only been claiming since the end of March, so does this rule me out of this as well?
It seems like Ive managed to fall into a very unfair and arbitrary position where despite my own low income last year (20,000), I will not be able to receive any assistance with paying for this further education course. If anyone could help me Id be very appreciative as otherwise Im faced with a bill for 9,500!!

paperclip2

hickey34 wrote: »

Hi,
Im looking for some help with regards to the Back to education allowance and the local authority higher education grants.
Im currently on Jobseekers benefit, but Im due to start in Blackhall place in September, which qualifies for the grant. However, from my reading of it, despite the fact that Im 24 and have been monetarily independent of my parents for 5 years, their incomes combined with mine will be assessed as I still live at home. This seems ridiculous considering the ceiling is 49,000. Can anyone enlighten me on this? Am I correct in saying that I wont be eligible to be independently assessed as I live at home?
Also, Ive read that for BTEA you need to be on Jobseekers benefit for 9 months before the start of the course. Ive only been claiming since the end of March, so does this rule me out of this as well?
It seems like Ive managed to fall into a very unfair and arbitrary position where despite my own low income last year (20,000), I will not be able to receive any assistance with paying for this further education course. If anyone could help me Id be very appreciative as otherwise Im faced with a bill for 9,500!!

Unfortunately, as regards the grant you will be assessed on your and your parents income for the last full tax year if you were resident in their house. The fact that they dont contribute anything to you isnt taken into account. theres more information on the grant at www.studentfinance.ie


As regards the BTEA the regulation seems to be that to qualify for the allowance one needs to be on Jobseekers for 12 months before stating a third level course. This is brought down to 9 months in certain cases. Theres more infromation on BTEA here: http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/SW70/Pages/ABacktoEducationAllowanceBTEA.aspx

Other places you can look for funding, although they are long-shots, are the Vincent de Paul, the Credit Unions Scholarship programme and some Trade Unions such as Impact and Siptu have had funding programmes fro members. There is also a scholarship scheme specifically for people from the Dublin Port area, afaik.

Mickeroo

They tried to means test my parents too because I was living abroad for a year and didnt have an address in ireland! It's ridiculous how they try to shaft ya.

PjC

Im in a very similar situation.

Im 24, lost my job at end of feb so I will mosty likely not qualify for BETA either, buy only a month or less. They have yet to make up their minds and get back to me