Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Independaent Mature staudent grant problems

Options
  • 26-07-2010 8:36pm
    #1
    KeithTS
    Registered Users Posts: 743 ✭✭✭


    Hi all,

    think this came up before but any advice would help me a lot here.

    Handed in my application today with all the relevant stuff but when it came to the evidence of independent mature student things I was told I need a utility bill.

    I gave in a P21, P45 and bank statements with my address on as the guidelines state they would suffice but apparently thats not good enough and as I get no bills in my name I can't get this for them.

    Has anyone come across this and if so do you have any suggestions to get it resolved?

    I was told to apply as a dependant mature student and if I did I would still be under the treshold but as I've lived on my own for years I wouldn't feel comfortable in doing that.

    Thanks guys,


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    sex panther
    Closed Accounts Posts: 90 ✭✭sex panther


    im the same as you, ive no bills in my name also i moved house at the end of october and kept nothing from my old house, i dont like clutter so i dump everything! apparently a lease is not good enough either.

    So i rang the Prtb (private residency tenants board) and they are gona send me on a letter stating that my landlord had me registered with them, also im gona send in lots of stuff with my address on it, bank statements etc whatever i can find, hopefully thats enough for them

    Maybe doing something like this would help you?


  • Options
    #3
    KeithTS
    Registered Users Posts: 743 ✭✭✭KeithTS


    My landlord isn't registered, it's a more casual thing as I'm living with a mate the last 5 years so that PRTB is out.
    All my bank statements, welfare, revenue and employment details have gone to my current address for a few years and I have evidence of that so I can't understand what the problem is.

    I asked about giving an affidavit from my landlord to state I'm a tenant and they said they need to research that, seeing as a lease won't do I can't imagine this will.

    I was told by the council to just say I live at home with my parents and they will process it that way, I would still qualify but can't get around why they would encourage me to lie and they'd go along with it to get the same result.


  • Options
    #4
    browne111
    Closed Accounts Posts: 100 ✭✭browne111


    KeithTS wrote: »
    My landlord isn't registered, it's a more casual thing as I'm living with a mate the last 5 years so that PRTB is out.
    All my bank statements, welfare, revenue and employment details have gone to my current address for a few years and I have evidence of that so I can't understand what the problem is.

    I asked about giving an affidavit from my landlord to state I'm a tenant and they said they need to research that, seeing as a lease won't do I can't imagine this will.

    I was told by the council to just say I live at home with my parents and they will process it that way, I would still qualify but can't get around why they would encourage me to lie and they'd go along with it to get the same result.
    What county council is this?


  • Options
    #5
    KeithTS
    Registered Users Posts: 743 ✭✭✭KeithTS


    It's Fingal.
    I've been in with them and they have all been very nice to del with, I'm just hitting a brick wall in getting them to understand I don't pay my TV or ESB bills.
    I'm gonna have no finger nails or hair left by the time I start college!


  • Options
    #6
    panda100
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,551 ✭✭✭panda100


    Bank Statments should be accepted as proof of adress. I handed Bank statments and work invoices into Dublin City Council and they seemed to have no problem with this?
    It says on the website these are adequate for POA so you should make that point to FCC.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    The_B_Man
    Registered Users Posts: 7,863 ✭✭✭The_B_Man


    Ye, can you not just change your bank address, get a statement, then change it back to the original one?


  • Options
    #8
    panda100
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,551 ✭✭✭panda100


    I am so f*cking pissed off!I recieved a letter saying I havent been approved a grant because I have not had a break of at least three years bewteen my udergraduate degree and postgraduate. I now have to apply for a grant based on my parents income.

    I've been working,on minimum wage, since May 2008.My parents income has nothing to do with me at this stage. I didnt realise that you had to wait three years to apply as an independent mature student?

    My parents are independently very wealthy and I will not be approved a grant under their salary.Is there anything I can do about this?


  • Options
    #9
    browne111
    Closed Accounts Posts: 100 ✭✭browne111


    The_B_Man wrote: »
    Ye, can you not just change your bank address, get a statement, then change it back to the original one?
    I am in a similar prediciment. If i did change my address and look for bank statement woul they give me one for october 2009 ya? would the fact todays date is on it affect it? Would a letter from the landlord who is a solicitor suffice? Please help, freaking out here!!


  • Options
    #10
    Annasopra
    Registered Users Posts: 41,062 ✭✭✭✭Annasopra


    panda100 wrote: »
    I am so f*cking pissed off!I recieved a letter saying I havent been approved a grant because I have not had a break of at least three years bewteen my udergraduate degree and postgraduate. I now have to apply for a grant based on my parents income.

    I've been working,on minimum wage, since May 2008.My parents income has nothing to do with me at this stage. I didnt realise that you had to wait three years to apply as an independent mature student?

    My parents are independently very wealthy and I will not be approved a grant under their salary.Is there anything I can do about this?

    You have a few options
    1 Apply based on your parents income
    2 wait until next year for the postgrad
    3 Try and get financial assistance through a credit union loan and/or the student assistance fund

    Also - go to your local TDs clinics and complain to them and contact USI and Ruairi Quinn TD and Fergus O Dowd TD

    It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.

    Terry Pratchet



  • Options
    #11
    Doop
    Registered Users Posts: 1,470 ✭✭✭Doop


    panda100 wrote: »
    I am so f*cking pissed off!I recieved a letter saying I havent been approved a grant because I have not had a break of at least three years bewteen my udergraduate degree and postgraduate. I now have to apply for a grant based on my parents income.

    I've been working,on minimum wage, since May 2008.My parents income has nothing to do with me at this stage. I didnt realise that you had to wait three years to apply as an independent mature student?

    My parents are independently very wealthy and I will not be approved a grant under their salary.Is there anything I can do about this?

    Im confused, ive just been refused a grant based on my parents income :mad:

    Its been 4 years since i did a FETAC course, no courses since then, but my understanding from the form was that I should apply as a 'dependant mature student'

    Could I have applied as an independant?
    I totally agree with you about your parents income having nothing to do with you. We're mature student FFS


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    panda100
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,551 ✭✭✭panda100


    Doop wrote: »
    Im confused, ive just been refused a grant based on my parents income :mad:

    Its been 4 years since i did a FETAC course, no courses since then, but my understanding from the form was that I should apply as a 'dependant mature student'

    Could I have applied as an independant?
    I totally agree with you about your parents income having nothing to do with you. We're mature student FFS

    Are you living with your parents? I got that impression from your other post? If you live at home you will always be classed as a dependent mature student


  • Options
    #13
    Doop
    Registered Users Posts: 1,470 ✭✭✭Doop


    panda100 wrote: »
    Are you living with your parents? I got that impression from your other post? If you live at home you will always be classed as a dependent mature student

    Currently yes I am, but this is where it gest confusing ive been living abroad for the last year and a half. I applied to do the course while abroad.

    I returned home (for the course) mid july and as soon as the course starts ill move out, as the college isnt where im from.

    The question they seem to ask is where were you living on the 1st of Oct 2009 (I was in Australia at that time)
    But I was under the impression from the forms that you need to be living in your local authority area for the previous year in order to apply for a grant. (is this correct?)

    A big problem id have is that ive very little paper work to say I was in Aus... other than the stamps on my passport.

    Appriciate any info / advice!


  • Options
    #14
    Annasopra
    Registered Users Posts: 41,062 ✭✭✭✭Annasopra


    Doop wrote: »
    Currently yes I am, but this is where it gest confusing ive been living abroad for the last year and a half. I applied to do the course while abroad.

    I returned home (for the course) mid july and as soon as the course starts ill move out, as the college isnt where im from.

    The question they seem to ask is where were you living on the 1st of Oct 2009 (I was in Australia at that time)
    But I was under the impression from the forms that you need to be living in your local authority area for the previous year in order to apply for a grant. (is this correct?)

    A big problem id have is that ive very little paper work to say I was in Aus... other than the stamps on my passport.

    Appriciate any info / advice!
    No if you were resident in Ireland for 3 of the the last 5 years thats fine

    do you have and can you provide any documentary from Australia at all?

    eg
    utility bills, such as telephone, gas or electricity;
    registration with the Private Residential Tenancies Board;
    documentation received, for example, bank statement or correspondence from a government department.

    It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.

    Terry Pratchet



  • Options
    #15
    HoPpiE
    Closed Accounts Posts: 492 ✭✭HoPpiE


    Doop wrote: »
    But I was under the impression from the forms that you need to be living in your local authority area for the previous year in order to apply for a grant. (is this correct?)

    No, that isn't correct as far as I'm aware, even though I was previously informed otherwise. Yesterday I went to my local authority - Dublin City, I've only lived here since the beginning of June - and they confirmed that I can apply there even though I had been living in Galway in Oct' 09.

    Hope this is some help.


  • Options
    #16
    Doop
    Registered Users Posts: 1,470 ✭✭✭Doop


    Thanks for that I might fill out the forms again as an independant and go up and talk to them about it. The paper work might be the downfall, I definately have correspondance in the form of emails from around last Dec from the government regarding my visa.

    Ill have to fish around and see if I can get a couple of bank statements together, I did start a job full time over there in Oct so maybe a coupleof payslips with my name and address on them. Def dont have any utility bills.

    ITs prob worth a shot dont have anything to lose at this stage. And I have definatly been here for 3 of the last 5 years.

    Cheers guys ill let you know how I get on.


  • Options
    #17
    Annasopra
    Registered Users Posts: 41,062 ✭✭✭✭Annasopra


    Doop wrote: »
    Thanks for that I might fill out the forms again as an independant and go up and talk to them about it. The paper work might be the downfall, I definately have correspondance in the form of emails from around last Dec from the government regarding my visa.

    Ill have to fish around and see if I can get a couple of bank statements together, I did start a job full time over there in Oct so maybe a coupleof payslips with my name and address on them. Def dont have any utility bills.

    ITs prob worth a shot dont have anything to lose at this stage. And I have definatly been here for 3 of the last 5 years.

    Cheers guys ill let you know how I get on.
    Try and dig out whatever you can as I think on that basis you might be eligible

    You are going to have to get as much documentation as possible to prove that you resided in Ireland for 3 of the last 5 years

    http://www.education.ie/servlet/blobservlet/he_heg_scheme.pdf?language=EN

    The Depts rules define

    "independent mature candidate" means a mature candidate who was not ordinarily resident with his/her parents or legal guardian from 1 October, 2009;

    It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.

    Terry Pratchet



  • Options
    #18
    browne111
    Closed Accounts Posts: 100 ✭✭browne111


    HoPpiE wrote: »
    No, that isn't correct as far as I'm aware, even though I was previously informed otherwise. Yesterday I went to my local authority - Dublin City, I've only lived here since the beginning of June - and they confirmed that I can apply there even though I had been living in Galway in Oct' 09.

    Hope this is some help.
    I know if u are applying as independent over 23 you have to show u were residing in the country for the past three years so would this not automatically rule u out?


  • Options
    #19
    browne111
    Closed Accounts Posts: 100 ✭✭browne111


    browne111 wrote: »
    I know if u are applying as independent over 23 you have to show u were residing in the country for the past three years so would this not automatically rule u out?

    Sorry im wrong, you only have to be resident here for three years in past five.


  • Options
    #20
    HoPpiE
    Closed Accounts Posts: 492 ✭✭HoPpiE


    Well in either case I'd have been eligible as I've lived here for 5/5 years.


  • Options
    #21
    browne111
    Closed Accounts Posts: 100 ✭✭browne111


    HoPpiE wrote: »
    Well in either case I'd have been eligible as I've lived here for 5/5 years.
    My post was meant for Doop


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #22
    The_B_Man
    Registered Users Posts: 7,863 ✭✭✭The_B_Man


    I'm the same as doop! Came back from Oz for this course.
    My gf just got a job so we're currently looking for an apartment. The problem is, we dont have an address yet.

    Can I fill in the form with my parents address (or leave it blank) and then later on go back with documentary evidence that I'm independant?
    Also, can the bank statement (have no bills) be from an Oz bank?

    Rang the VEC to ask all this but they're closed from 1pm every day! Pretty annoying since the closing date is Tuesday! I'll be struggling to get it in on time at this stage!


Advertisement