Grant aid for Technology (FT) Grad Dip Ed (and general infor if ya have any)

bambampop

Hi smart people of boards. Im sorry if this is in the wrong area but figured it cant hurt to try here.

I intend to apply for the above grad dip in education which the website says begins in February 2010 and would hopefully be applying for some sort of grant from my local VEC as im led to believe the course is elligible.

I've been on their website (louth VEC) and rang the office but can't get anyone, im guessing its silly season there at the minute with all the applications coming in around this time of year.

As many of you are prob aware, to be considered as an independent mature applicant you have to be under the income threshold AND be living out of home on 1st october 2008.

Now i haven't been dependent on parents in a long time butthis does put me in a sticky situation, i returned from New Zealand around the 1st of october 2008 (just a coincidence) and before NZ i had been living out of home. Like most of the country, i couldn't get a job and so stayed at my dads. When i got a job in february i swiftly moved out so my lease began 26th feb on my current apt.

My question is; does this 1st october date still apply seeing as the course doesn't start until Feb? My rationale is that there is the same 11 months spent living away from home before starting the course so whats the difference but like i said there's nothing on the website and they haven't come back to me from my voicemail yet. I know this is an odd one so its a long shot but im hoping somebody might have had a similar experience.

Also, anyone got any experience of the course itself?? I've googled the life out of it but no joy. just wondering if anyone has done it and how they feel it went for them/what to expect

Thanks you for taking the time to read this long (boring) post