Tuition Fees in Wales...HELP!!!

mars411

Hi Guys,

I have just recieved a place in Bangor University in Wales to do Primary Teaching for which i am delighted.

However, from my own knowlege and also from my career guidance
teacher Irish students studying in Wales only had to pay half of the tuition fee - as a few years ago the Welsh Assembly had introduced a fees grant of 1,800 sterling to all students attending University in Wales. Which ment that the maximum fees any Irish student attending college in Wales will pay is £1,200.

But after i made a few phonecalls and contacted the college this is the first year that these tuition fee grants no longer exist. Leaving me with a tuition fee of £3,290. :eek:

I went into my career guidance teacher (useless) today to tell him this and he contacted another career guidance teacher who deals more with students studying abroad and he also said that as an Irish student studying in Wales that i should only have to pay £1,200.

Surely career guidance teachers should be up to speed with all this??

Does anyone know what the story is with the tuition fees for Wales and is there any way i only have to pay half or none at all avoiding getting the student loan?

I feel bad that my parents would have to pay the full amount of £3,290, although they said it was no problem as they paid for my older brothers to go to college.

Any advice would be great.
Thanks

randylonghorn

Some info.

Looks like the system has been replaced with a Student Loan system ... whether this applies to RoI students is unclear from that page.

The reality is that the UK is in recession as well ... hard to see why they would be paying Irish students' fees tbh.

mars411

Anyone else going to Wales? or even Bangor??:)

mittle

I'm off to Bangor! English and Film! And it looks like we're paying the full amount. I too thought it would be cheaper so chances are I'll be getting the ol' student loan and try to chip in, my parents have payed enough as it is for my education *le sigh*.

Have you got accommodation yet? Glad to see another person's going! Very excited.

mars411

The loan it is then. Im doing Primary teaching and i got into halls aswell, me and another girl is going over. where are you from? is this your first year?:)

mittle

I'll see you there then!

First year! I've been told there's a lot of Irish there because it's so close but couldn't find anyone going! I'm from Dublin. Still have to find out what halls I'm going in to, it's a stress because I need to book all the travel stuff. It was my insurance choice though so I'm probably down the list a bit.

Seems like a great college, I was there for the open day and was very impressed. Didn't think I'd actually be going to the UK when I applied but now I can't wait! Especially with the way the CAO points went this year :eek: The requirements for Bangor were nothing compared to it! Did you go to the open day?

mars411

Ive got all mine booked. I had an interview last January, its really nice over there and its not too big or too small. Did you not apply for halls? I got my halls letter last week so im all sorted.

mittle

I did apply!! They just haven't gotten back to me yet. A few people are waiting still though so I'm not too worried. If they don't tell me by next week I'll ring them. Final thing to do and then I can begin to get ready!

mars411

Im going over the 18th so cant wait at this stage. So is there other people going over that you know also?:)