Fee Paying For Former FETAC Students

Travy1991

Hey guys,

New to this forum so if a thread like this has already being posted, I apologise. So here's the story and I was wondering if anyone else has faced a similar experience.

I did my Leaving Cert last year and got 2 CAO offers from Griffith College. Because Griffith College was a fee paying college and I wasn't aware of it at the time of choosing it as one of my courses, I eventually realised I couldn't go there because neither me nor my parents could afford to send me there.

So I had three options:

1. Repeat the Leaving Cert (yuck!)
2. Get a job (Not easy in today's climate)
3. Do a PLC course

Naturally, I chose the third option as another way of getting into college. Much to my delight, a month ago, I got accepted into DCU to do Communications and I'm hugely excited about it.

However, today I got some bad news. Because I had done a previous third level course (the PLC), I may be required to pay tuition fees. This was never explained to us at the PLC course. Thankfully, I'm a little better off this year (I got a Summer job and saved a load of cash) so I don't think my DCU dreams are smashed. But it definitely puts a dampener on things and will cause some stress.

I was just wondering if anyone else found themselves in a situation like this. Are former FETAC students generally required to pay tuition fees? Are tuition fees expensive? I've checked the DCU website and there's nothing about FETAC students having to pay fees so I'm a little p***ed of that this was never explained to us!

Thanks a lot!

P.S. Apologies if this post is confusing and/or rambling.

implausible

Travy1991 wrote: »

However, today I got some bad news. Because I had done a previous third level course (the PLC), I may be required to pay tuition fees.

Who told you this?!:eek: You have done a FETAC Level 5 course (I presume). It's not exactly third level as it's equivalent to the LC. Once you are progressing through the framework of qualifications, there are no fees involved.

Travy1991

DCU sent a letter out to me today. They said that I had received an offer for a third level institution already and they need me to fill out a form (where they ask me to tick if I had already done a PLC course before) and then they would assess whether I am liable for free fees or not.

Now I talked with my aunt-in-law who is a secondary school teacher and she told me that most likely PLC students won't have to pay fees seeing as I only earned a Level 5 certificate from it and not a degree. She said that because I received an offer from Griffith College last year, that might also be the reason why they sent out a letter.

I'm hoping with all my heart I don't have to pay fees. I'm not sure if this is exclusive to DCU or all colleges for former FETAC students. I'm gonna ring the fees office at DCU tomorrow and I'll update you on whether I have to pay or not.

TomJoe Wallace

I'd say it really depends on what course you're doing as well as the college.

I'm doing a radio Production course and I have to pay:
40 euro tuition fee, 50 euro Arts and Craft (I'm guessing this is all the equipment etc)
And another 50 for something else they said I can't exactly remember what they said.
Bad memory sometimes.

Is this the kind of fees you're talking about or are you think of something else?

implausible

Travy1991 wrote: »

She said that because I received an offer from Griffith College last year, that might also be the reason why they sent out a letter.

Your aunt is right and it's to do with that offer, not the PLC. They're just checking you didn't avail of free fees by accepting your place last year and dropping out.

TomJoe Wallace wrote: »

I'm doing a radio Production course and I have to pay:40 euro tuition fee, 50 euro Arts and Craft (I'm guessing this is all the equipment etc) And another 50 for something else they said I can't exactly remember what they said.

Is this the kind of fees you're talking about or are you think of something else?

He's talking about the full fees for third level courses. You only have to pay if you're repeating.....or if the Govt. get their way:rolleyes:

TomJoe Wallace

Well no that shouldn't be the case if it's a PLC course.
Why should you have to pay for Third Level when it's only a Fetac level 5?

TheReverend

Dont worry you wont have to pay fees, as long as you are doing a higher level course you dont need to pay