Masters and Dole

fire_man

I have registered for a master last week but found out i wount be getting grant so that means i cant do this course.Will i know lose my dole as I have registered for a full time course even though i cant do it now?

Nolanger

Better to get a letter from the college stating you're definitely not doing their course in case Welfare stop your claim when the course starts.

quiz

You wont get dole (Back to education allowance) for a masters. first degree and higher diploma only. there are some good higher diplomas that could be worth doing but a lot of deadlines have passed and fees are generally about 5k if your not getting the grant. sorry to be giving bad news.

mrsbouquet

Masters does not qualify for back to education allowance

Darlughda

Are not the higher diplomas specifically limited to those in Education?

Cat Melodeon

You should contact your future lecturers and explain your situation. sometimes they have discretion to waive fees, and may be able to offer you tutoring work to make up for your lost dole. When I did my MA, I was earning €120 pw from tutoring and earned a bit more from giving grinds to Leaving Cert students. It did vary a bit from week to week and I didn't earn over the semester breaks, but with careful budgeting you can average more than dole. Worth considering before you give up entirely.

quiz

Darlughda wrote: »

Are not the higher diplomas specifically limited to those in Education?

no. it may need to be related to your primary field of study but there is a range of eligible hdips. you can no longer get both grant and btea afaik.

Axwell

quiz wrote: »

no. it may need to be related to your primary field of study but there is a range of eligible hdips. you can no longer get both grant and btea afaik.

This is incorrect. If you are doing masters you arent entitled to the dole or BTEA, they only give it for a postgrad or HDip in Education as Darlughda said above.

snubbleste

Axwell wrote: »

This is incorrect. If you are doing masters you arent entitled to the dole or BTEA, they only give it for a postgrad or HDip in Education as Darlughda said above.

You can get the Btea for any HDip.

Balagan

Postgraduate courses

You may get the Back to Education Allowance for a postgraduate course of study that leads to a Higher Diploma (H.Dip.) qualification in any discipline or a Graduate Diploma in Education (primary and secondary teaching). Other types of postgraduate qualifications are not recognised for BTEA.

You will not get BTEA if you already have a postgraduate qualification.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/social-welfare/social-welfare-payments/back-to-education/back_to_education_allowance

Bluetonic

Axwell wrote: »

This is incorrect. If you are doing masters you arent entitled to the dole or BTEA, they only give it for a postgrad or HDip in Education as Darlughda said above.

It not that straight forward as if you have been admitted to the Masters based on experience and don't have a undergraduate qualification you will be entitled to BTEA once you pass the other criteria. I understand this is a tiny amount of individuals but they still exist.

quiz

I got the btea for a hdip in economics last year. only certain colleges are eligible. people need to stop giving advice that they dont know is fact. no btea for any masters. Apply early, it takes the social a couple of months to get back to you with a decision. good luck.

theglobe

Bluetonic wrote: »

It not that straight forward as if you have been admitted to the Masters based on experience and don't have a undergraduate qualification you will be entitled to BTEA once you pass the other criteria. I understand this is a tiny amount of individuals but they still exist.

Can I ask why you cant get dole if you're doing a masters? Is there really a big difference between a hdip and a masters? It seems theyre basing it on the old traditional view of the masters, and if you're doing one it means you're upper class or something. Im not sure if i speak for everyone, but when im looking for a course to do, I only look if it is a masters or a hdip as an after thought.

Bluetonic

quiz wrote: »

I got the btea for a hdip in economics last year. only certain colleges are eligible. people need to stop giving advice that they dont know is fact. no btea for any masters. Apply early, it takes the social a couple of months to get back to you with a decision. good luck.

See my post above. There ARE exceptions.

theglobe

Bluetonic wrote: »

See my post above. There ARE exceptions.

Well I got an undergraduate done. So I'm definitely fecked if I'm doing a masters!

Annasopra

theglobe wrote: »

Well I got an undergraduate done. So I'm definitely fecked if I'm doing a masters!

yeah well then you won't get BTEA

enda_4

I'm in a similar situation. I'm currently doing my masters thesis, its an add on from a post grad last year. I have no class time and will be more that likely doing all of the work from home. I am actively looking for work as I'm not eligible for the grant, would I be eligible for any dole?

Pope John 11

Heres my story.

I applied to do a post-graduate course this year.

I phoned HEA regarding to obtaining a grant, guess what I cannot get a grant based on the post-graduate course being part-time.

I phoned up SW to obtain the BETA, guess what I cannot get the BETA based on the post-graduate course being part-time.

I have decided to go ahead & try to fund the post-graduate course myself for this year.

However should I not obtain any work here following the course, I would like to travel in order to obtain work or go back and do an under-graduate course next year.

But guess what, I will not be entitled to any BETA next year, because I will have completed a post-graduate programme this year!!!

Any advice from anyone

hello932

Balagan wrote: »

Postgraduate courses

You may get the Back to Education Allowance for a postgraduate course of study that leads to a Higher Diploma (H.Dip.) qualification in any discipline or a Graduate Diploma in Education (primary and secondary teaching). Other types of postgraduate qualifications are not recognised for BTEA.

You will not get BTEA if you already have a postgraduate qualification.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/social-welfare/social-welfare-payments/back-to-education/back_to_education_allowance

Can someone please explain to me how high a higher diploma is rated? Is a higher diploma better or worse than a degree/masters?

hello932

hello932 wrote: »

Can someone please explain to me how high a higher diploma is rated? Is a higher diploma better or worse than a degree/masters?

Also is a higher diploma a postgrad course-so you would have to be at least 24 or over to qualify for btea?

quiz

as stated already hdip is a basically the only postgrad so the min age applies. a hdip that is not in education in a nutshell is a one year degree so no soft first year courses. you cannot get btea for undergrad degree if you previously received a college qualification. you are better off asking these questions in your local social office as some people are giving bad advice here that someone might take as gospel and miss out on a college opportunity.

Annasopra

quiz wrote: »

you are better off asking these questions in your local social office as some people are giving bad advice here that someone might take as gospel and miss out on a college opportunity.

The social welfare office are not experts by the way - I was told the other day no postgrads get BTEA

patrickguerin

theglobe wrote: »

Can I ask why you cant get dole if you're doing a masters? Is there really a big difference between a hdip and a masters? It seems theyre basing it on the old traditional view of the masters, and if you're doing one it means you're upper class or something. Im not sure if i speak for everyone, but when im looking for a course to do, I only look if it is a masters or a hdip as an after thought.

I completed an undergraduate degree in business studies for the 2009-2010 academic year, I got both the grant and BTEA but as I am now interested in completing a Master I get nothing. There is nothing available for anyone doing a Masters, maybe in grant form but I have been unable to find anything (but if anyone on this site knows of any form of grants available when completing a masters I would greatly appreciate hearing about it) but the BTEA is absolutely out of the question for Masters.

Annasopra

patrickguerin wrote: »

I completed an undergraduate degree in business studies for the 2009-2010 academic year, I got both the grant and BTEA but as I am now interested in completing a Master I get nothing. There is nothing available for anyone doing a Masters, maybe in grant form but I have been unable to find anything (but if anyone on this site knows of any form of grants available when completing a masters I would greatly appreciate hearing about it) but the BTEA is absolutely out of the question for Masters.

You can get the maintenance grant for a masters see www.studentfinance.ie

quiz

i will always regret not finding out about the btea before my degree.

xOxSinéadxOx

yeah you can get a maintaince grant if you're doing a masters and if you qualify they pay a certain amount of the fees as well, not sure how much it is.