Worried - Advice on mature student grants

gaz100

Hi All
I am new to the boards and haven't read through all the posts - apologies if this has already been covered a 100 times..

I am 30 years old, am currently working full time get about 450euro a week. I have a joint mortgage with my ex girlfriend (story for another time), we tried to get the mortgage changed from a joint but that would cost too much!! we split mortgage down the middle so i pay 600euro a month, as does she. As we both live in the same house we share bills.
I have applied to UL for a 4 year undergraduate degree. This would entail me driving over 2 hours each way to and from college (thats if i get in of course).

I have read that i won't be entitled to the back to education allowance as i am working at the moment.

So a maintenance grant would i persume be what i should be applying for?

Are there any other grants/allowances which i should be entitled to?

And most importantly - will my ex be means tested (i was told she could be!!!!) Are we seen as cohabiting? Am very worried and confused!!!
Obviously as she is not related to me in any way, for more than a year, this would be disastrous.

I doubt i'll be able to afford to go back to college if i don't get the full grant, the only real way i could possibly manage to go back would be if i took out a loan for the four years!!!!! A thought which terrifies me!!!

Any advice/words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated..i know i should ring my local VEC but i thought i'd ask here before i approach them.

Thanks
Gaz

SEANYBOY1

I am pretty much in the same boat. I was told in my local citizens advice office that I wont get a bean. Here but dont worry, you can take comfort from the fact that your taxes will put someone else in:mad:

gaz100

you are joking!!!! my god, did you speak to your local VEC?

Agent_99

Speak to the Mature student officer in UL, she is very approachable I sure she as had experience of this..
btw am applying for UL this sept myself and leaving work so will be applying for grant. fingers crossed

muff03

Man, I've been through the mill with the mature student grants aswell. I was told I was entitled to the grant when I decided to go back two years ago. I left my job (as an electrician) and started college. Then they decided to tell me that because I wasn't 23 in the January I started (I turned 23 the following October) that I was 'too young' to receive the grant, even though I've been completely independent of my parents for over 6 years. So I'm told if I put myself through the year I'd get it the following. Now they've decided that my parents should be able to fund me even though only my dad is working. Every last penny I had is gone, and if I drop out I can't get a job. Had I known this was what was ahead of me, I'd have gone to Canada or something.

gaz100

Agent 99 thanks i'll give her a ring...

guys i can't believe this country... when my ex and i were a couple and i became unemployed i couldn't get job seekers cause she was means tested (we were cohabiting) yet she could not get tax breaks as we were not married... and now that we're not a couple anymore she could still be means tested...i really can't believe it...muff03 canada is looking more and more appealing..