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Financial Help

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  • 11-06-2010 6:38pm
    #1
    noodley pot
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3 ✭


    What financial help is available to a student who is on the dole to go and do a masters in terms of course fees and living expenses?


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    #2
    redout
    Registered Users Posts: 11,435 ✭✭✭✭redout


    noodley pot wrote: »
    What financial help is available to a student who is on the dole to go and do a masters in terms of course fees and living expenses?

    If you enroll in college your dole (jobseekers allowance) is cut off as you are no longer considered actively seeking and available for work. Checkout the student finance website. If you get caught on the dole whilst enrolled you will be prosecuted and made pay it back. Big crackdown on fraud since the recession began.


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    #3
    deise8
    Closed Accounts Posts: 24 ✭deise8


    hi Noodely pot, I am in the same predicament...are you any the wiser since you posted on the 11th...would love to do a masters as i fear I may be in the same boat as I am in at the moment this time next year in terms of not being able to secure work...a fee of €6,000 and living expenses is a big deterrant and time is running out to apply for the course i am interested in


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    #4
    paperclip2
    Registered Users Posts: 2,280 ✭✭✭paperclip2


    noodley pot wrote: »
    What financial help is available to a student who is on the dole to go and do a masters in terms of course fees and living expenses?


    Have a look here http://www.postgrad.ie/Funding/higher_education_gants.html
    Higher Education Grants
    Depending on your financial situation, it may be that you are entitled to a maintenance grant. Always investigate this option first because the funding is there for all those who are eligible. Postgraduate students qualify for the local authority postgraduate grant in the same way as undergraduates. If you received a local authority grant at undergraduate level it may be extended to cover postgraduate studies as well.

    However, the grants are only available to full-time postgraduate students enrolling in a (minimum) one-year course in a publically funded college in Ireland or Northern Ireland. The value of grants ranges from €345 to €6,690 (2009/10 figures) depends on your guardian’s income, how many dependents they have, and whether you live ‘adjacent’ (within 24kms) to the college. If you are over the age of 23 you can apply to be means-tested independently of your parents provided you are no longer living in the family home.

    You should apply to your local county council (http://www.irlgov.ie/organisations/), or to your local VEC if they provided your undergraduate grant. Grant applications must be made on the official application form and are usually required to be returned by the end of August before the start of the academic year.

    If you qualify for a maintenance grant, the providing body may also pay some or all of your course tuition fees. The maximum amount that can be paid out for tuition fees in this scenario is currently €6,270.

    So check with your Local Authority, VEC or County Council Education Grants section.

    RE Social Welfare payments: you cant keep Jobseekers and study, however the BTEA, Back to Education Allowance is not available for post-grad courses above H.Dip or Grad Dip in Education level, so the grant might be your best option.


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