Back To Education / Grant

sassypsych

Just to confirm I have been in contact again with OPFP department today and they confirmed with me that returning to education does NOT affect your OPFP and that you do NOT have to go over to BTEA if you do not wish and that you are only not entitled to the maintenance grant if you on BTEA. He even sent me an e-mail to confirm it so I have it writing.

I think it is terrible that you can get so much conflicting information dependant on where you go to ask. The county council getting it wrong it one thing but the Social Welfare office not knowing is a disgrace.

I hope you get it sorted araic. Best of luck.

lilylarkin

Does anyone know how long it takes to get the BTEA application processed? Mine is gone to Tullamore since 2 weeks ago.

araic26

Right folks got some answers in regards to OPFP, BTEA and grant.

Ye were right!!!!:D

Sent an e-mail to OPF section in sligo and went in person to grant section in my local county council and went to my local SW office(which only got the information yesterday!!!).

Those on OPFP do not have to apply for BTEA instead can keep their OPFP and also receive the grant(if they are eligible for it of course).
You can of course apply for BTEA if you wish, and in that case you will only get one or the other,BTEA or grant.

Would like to say a MASSIVE thank you to Paperclip and sassypysch for opening my eyes!!!!:D:D:D

Just cancelled my BTEA this morning:)

Casper Gomez

I'm confirmed for Griffith College which doesn't accept the maintenance grant but does accept the BTEA. Does anyone know, with Griffith being private, is its possible to get your fees paid if you are unemployed, over 23 and after receiving statutory redundancy?
Thanks

lilylarkin

Hi Casper, im confused about your statement that the College 'dont accept' the maintenance grant. The colleges dont actually accept anything, you do. ie if you qualify for the BTEA the college dont know anything about that or have any involvement in the process, except to confirm your registration. Same applies for the maintenance grant.

If you qualify for the BTEA then the VEC would need to pay your fees. As far as I know they are the only awarding body that pay fees. Surely it isnt up to the College to decide from whom it will accept fee payment.

Did you mean that Griffith College courses dont qualify as a College accepted by the VEC?

sassypsych

Araic26 I am so glad you got it all sorted

superbad50

i spoke with a welfare officer and she told me you can get both , although the cuts were made in the budget , they have not been passed so therefore you can get both.

Casper Gomez

lilylarkin wrote: »

Hi Casper, im confused about your statement that the College 'dont accept' the maintenance grant. The colleges dont actually accept anything, you do. ie if you qualify for the BTEA the college dont know anything about that or have any involvement in the process, except to confirm your registration. Same applies for the maintenance grant.

If you qualify for the BTEA then the VEC would need to pay your fees. As far as I know they are the only awarding body that pay fees. Surely it isnt up to the College to decide from whom it will accept fee payment.

Did you mean that Griffith College courses dont qualify as a College accepted by the VEC?

Sorry Lilly, bad choice of words. What I was meant to say is that Grittith only qualify for the BTEA.

lilylarkin

Thats a pity Jasper. I dont suppose you asked the College if there was another way to get fees paid?

Unfortunately BTEA wont pay the fees although they do give a €500 on off payment at the start of the academic year. Perhaps that would go some way towards the fees?

Best of luck with it I hope you can avail of the opportunity to take up the course.

Casper Gomez

lilylarkin wrote: »

Thats a pity Jasper. I dont suppose you asked the College if there was another way to get fees paid?

Unfortunately BTEA wont pay the fees although they do give a €500 on off payment at the start of the academic year. Perhaps that would go some way towards the fees?

Best of luck with it I hope you can avail of the opportunity to take up the course.

It what I'm looking into at the moment. Fingers crossed and like I said, I'm over 23, recently made redundant but on full benefit so hopefully there will be a way of getting fees paid as its 6k a year:eek:

Casper Gomez

Casper Gomez wrote: »

It what I'm looking into at the moment. Fingers crossed and like I said, I'm over 23, recently made redundant but on full benefit so hopefully there will be a way of getting fees paid as its 6k a year:eek:

Jesus 6k??? Is that for every college? IT's and Universities?

rlow68

Casper Gomez wrote: »

It what I'm looking into at the moment. Fingers crossed and like I said, I'm over 23, recently made redundant but on full benefit so hopefully there will be a way of getting fees paid as its 6k a year:eek:

Because Grifitth is not Government funded, you cant get the school fees paid. School fees is only paid for Government fund colleges.

Casper Gomez

Deleted User wrote: »

Jesus 6k??? Is that for every college? IT's and Universities?

With Griffith anyway. Its a 1 year, level 7 diploma with the option to follow up with a 3 year BA and the 6k is for the first year. I don't have many options as the competition for places is mad in DIT and IADT which I didn't get.

rlow68

Casper Gomez wrote: »

I'm confirmed for Griffith College which doesn't accept the maintenance grant but does accept the BTEA. Does anyone know, with Griffith being private, is its possible to get your fees paid if you are unemployed, over 23 and after receiving statutory redundancy?
Thanks

Are you sure Griffith is accepted for BTEA, as I definitely know that private colleges are not accepted for grants/maintenance assistance but I m not sure about the BTEA

Casper Gomez

rlow68 wrote: »

Are you sure Griffith is accepted for BTEA, as I definitely know that private colleges are not accepted for grants/maintenance assistance but I m not sure about the BTEA

Yea, I was told at their open day and its on their website too.

Students may also avail of some (but not all) government maintenance assistance such as the Back to Education Allowance, details of which can be found on http://www.studentfinance.ie/mp7237/back-to-education-allowance/index.html

http://www.gcd.ie/maturestudents/

fionav3

Deleted User wrote: »

Jesus 6k??? Is that for every college? IT's and Universities?

Can be. I'm going back studying psychology in UL, and the fees for that are €7334 per year. Eye popping, isn't it? :rolleyes:

fionav3

fionav3 wrote: »

Can be. I'm going back studying psychology in UL, and the fees for that are €7334 per year. Eye popping, isn't it? :rolleyes:

this country is totally gone wrong! :mad:

bigchief

Hi everyone,

Sorry to highack the thread but I have a question. I have been accepted for a four year degree in UL, have been unemployed over a year and I have applied for BTEA. I am currently receiving Rent Allowance where I am living (co galway) but as I will have to move, I would need to re-apply for it according to my current CWO. Is there anyone out there who had to move to start college again on BTEA and who got Rent Allowance? I am just getting a bit nervous as I found a little cottage outside the city which takes rent allowance but I would not be able to afford it without the rent allowance. So I dont want to sign a lease for 6 months, be refused rent allowance and then have to move again to a shared house, I'd rather make the right choice straight away.

Thanks

BroFlo

i am in the same situation, but i am only on rent allowance 2 months and i have been told i will still be able to keep my rent allowance with my BTEA

From what I know is you go to the Social welfare in limerick and tell them and they will request your files from Galway to be sent down and you also go to the SW officer in limerick and tell him you have moved.

Hope that helps

bigchief

Hey BroFlo,

thanks for the reply. I am just very concerned as I am sharing a house at the minute and the cottage I want to rent in limerick I would rent on my own so the amount of rent allowance would considerably change. Then again I could be just a bit paranoid but I would hate to find myself stuck with no money and no accommodation, it could cause a few problems
It is a gamble I suppose but I wonder would I not be safer just sharing a house with other people and forgetting about the rent allowance?

BroFlo

bigchief wrote: »

Hey BroFlo,

thanks for the reply. I am just very concerned as I am sharing a house at the minute and the cottage I want to rent in limerick I would rent on my own so the amount of rent allowance would considerably change. Then again I could be just a bit paranoid but I would hate to find myself stuck with no money and no accommodation, it could cause a few problems
It is a gamble I suppose but I wonder would I not be safer just sharing a house with other people and forgetting about the rent allowance?

so u are getting rent allowance for renting a room, is it? the amount you get may vary because you are changing from s.w in Galway to S.w in Limerick so you will get whatever rate is in LImerick. Im nearly sure you can go from renting a room to renting a house but i think it may have to be a one bed and equal or below the s.w. rate.

This link below may be very useful, near the end of the page there are the rates required in every county,weather its a room/ house your renting etc.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/social-welfare/social-welfare-payments/supplementary-welfare-schemes/rent_supplement

bigchief

Hi BroFlo,

I am getting rent allowance for one room in a shared house yes. I had checked out the link and I will try to get in touch with CWO in Limerick tomorrow to see what the story is.

Thanks again.

sparkling sea

For anyone on BTEA make sure you apply to the VEC for you SSC exemption ASAP. I know of several people who have been told they are not entitled to this at their local corporation offices however you can download the form from student finance.ie and send it in directly.
Also if your parents have been made redundant recently this is also considered.
The form you use is the same as the maintenance grant one and covers your registration fees only. For those who are means tested under parents income the limit is €51380, the reckonable income limits increase for every extra child in college.
The BTEA doesn't cover your registration fees and you have to show the social welfare that you have registared to qualify for your €500 book allowance.

Casper Gomez

sparkling sea wrote: »

For anyone on BTEA make sure you apply to the VEC for you SSC exemption ASAP. I know of several people who have been told they are not entitled to this at their local corporation offices however you can download the form from student finance.ie and send it in directly.
Also if your parents have been made redundant recently this is also considered.
The form you use is the same as the maintenance grant one and covers your registration fees only. For those who are means tested under parents income the limit is €51380, the reckonable income limits increase for every extra child in college.
The BTEA doesn't cover your registration fees and you have to show the social welfare that you have registared to qualify for your €500 book allowance.

Do you have a link for this. Was on student finances but couldn't see it. Ta

Annasopra

Casper Gomez wrote: »

Do you have a link for this. Was on student finances but couldn't see it. Ta

http://www.studentfinance.ie/mp9530/support-for-those-on-social-welfare-or-btea/index.html

Casper Gomez

Johnnymcg wrote: »

http://www.studentfinance.ie/mp9530/support-for-those-on-social-welfare-or-btea/index.html

Thanks:)

BornToBe?

sparkling sea wrote: »

For anyone on BTEA make sure you apply to the VEC for you SSC exemption ASAP. I know of several people who have been told they are not entitled to this at their local corporation offices however you can download the form from student finance.ie and send it in directly.


Do you have a link for this? couldn't find it on the website

Casper Gomez

Yea, get on top of this asap. I was just told that VEC only cover fees for FETAC level 7 and up. If you are doing level 5 or 6 then yer knackered. This is a new change implemented since last years budget. I've never contacted an amount of people in my life who job position should include knowing this stuff but in reality most know f**k all

*Hank Scorpio*

sparkling sea wrote: »

For anyone on BTEA make sure you apply to the VEC for you SSC exemption ASAP.

When you say exemption do you mean that the SSC will be paid for you?

Piriz

what is SSC ??