Today's Budget changes in grants for mature students

Balagan

The 4% reduction obviously applies to all immediately, but wonder if the limiting of support for mature students as outlined applies to existing mature students or just those starting for the 2011/2012 academic year?


Student Support Scheme - 4% reduction in rates of grant, consistent with the % reduction in all DSP working-age payments; limit mature students benefits to those payable to ordinary students; and reduce proportion of students qualifying for the non-adjacent rate by changing qualifying criteria from 24km to 45km.

http://budget.gov.ie/budgets/2011/Documents/Summary%20of%20Measures%20Combined.pdf

ontour

I really want to know the answer to this too

amtaxi

These changes seem to come into effect straight away!(dept of ed website)
What may not be obvious to people is the major cuts mature students who do not live over 45km from college will get i.e.

a mature student who lives nearer than this will get the lower rate of grant which is as follows (not including 4% reduction)

Full Grant now €3250 going to now be €1300 = - 1950
Full grant plus top up now €6355 going to now be €2545 = -3810

Considering TDs salaries are getting a 10,000 reduction this seems very unfair and if because it was not "announced" in the budget many may not aware - there needs to be outcry now - if you notice the amount of reduction means for many people that there will be no more installments due next year!

ontour

so I wont even get my second installment :eek: or just 300e if this is the case Im completely screwed I live 42km from my college each way

Balagan

Remember last year's budget change to either BTEA or Grant and how it took many weeks for it to become clear that it was not applicable to then current students? If the mature student and adjacent rate changes are enforced immediately, it will be the end of the education road for many and to be left in the dark on this issue in the midst of exams is piling on the misery.

the keen edge

This is unbelievable, the grant is being cut from €3250 to only €1300?

Can someone confirm this? Is it to take effect with this years grants?

I'll be dropping out if this is the case.

the keen edge

Below is an excerpt from the Dept of Ed website. I'am afraid it doesn't read well for mature students:

• Savings of €4 million (€13 million in 2014) will be secured by reducing the automatic eligibility of mature students to the higher non-adjacent rate of payment, thereby bringing the arrangements for mature students into line with all other students.
Source



'...will be secured by reducing the automatic eligibility.....'
I wonder does this mean cuts in all cases of grants.
This much I know, if you were automatically getting €3250 this year, expect €1300 next time around.

Balagan

the keen edge wrote: »

Below is an excerpt from the Dept of Ed website. I'am afraid it doesn't read well for mature students:

• Savings of €4 million (€13 million in 2014) will be secured by reducing the automatic eligibility of mature students to the higher non-adjacent rate of payment, thereby bringing the arrangements for mature students into line with all other students.
Source



'...will be secured by reducing the automatic eligibility.....'
I wonder does this mean cuts in all cases of grants.
This much I know, if you were automatically getting €3250 this year, expect €1300 next time around.

Well, the mounting savings seem to point to a phased in implementation rather than hitting existing students with the full reduction? Hopefully...

rem

I called the Dept of Education today. The 4% cut will come into effect from January. The other measure re non adjacent rates will commence from next September, she was unsure whether it would affect all mature students or just incoming matures. They have not been given the full details themselves yet.

Superwhy

Oh my god I can't believe it! So they have more than halved my grant and I'm going to be down more than €50 a month with the reduction in social welfare and child benefit.

Does anyone know if we will still get the free fees or will we have to pay the €2000 as well. I read that: "The Student Contribution will apply to all students who currently benefit under the ‘free fees’ scheme."

Balagan

Superwhy wrote: »

Oh my god I can't believe it! So they have more than halved my grant and I'm going to be down more than €50 a month with the reduction in social welfare and child benefit.

Does anyone know if we will still get the free fees or will we have to pay the €2000 as well. I read that: "The Student Contribution will apply to all students who currently benefit under the ‘free fees’ scheme."

• Further savings of €27 million will be achieved by replacing the existing €1,500 per year Student Services Charge with a flat higher education Student Contribution of €2,000 with effect from the 2011/2012 academic year. The Student Contribution will apply to all students who currently benefit under the ‘free fees’ scheme. Higher education institutions will be asked to consider how they could put in place arrangements under which a student may opt to pay the charge in two equal instalments of 50% in September and 50% in January in a given academic year. The contribution will be paid by the Exchequer in respect of students who qualify under the third level grant schemes. These students, who account for some 43% of all undergraduates, will not be impacted by any increase in charges. The Government is also aware of the particular financial pressures that this charge may place on families where family income is marginally in excess of current eligibility levels for maintenance grant support and on families with more than one sibling in higher education at the same time. With this in mind, the current higher education grants schemes threshold will be increased to provide for an additional eligibility category of support qualifying for ‘50% Student Contribution’ (see detail in Appendix). In addition, arrangements will be made to provide that second and subsequent siblings from a single family will not have to bear the full increased cost of the new €2,000 charge.
http://www.education.ie/servlet/blobservlet/pr_budget_education_2011.pdf

rem

I always find that it's best not to panic in these situations. At least if we have until next September that allows some time to get used to the idea and make appropriate provisions.

I am worried and shocked myself, I am a single parent and struggling as it is. I get the full top up grant so I will be down €100 a week during the academic year..ouch.

However, I don't think there is much point in complaining, that is the price we pay for being dependent on the state, I intend to get off welfare as soon as I can so that I can have more control over my own finances. Nightmare.

cisco27

rem wrote: »

I called the Dept of Education today. The 4% cut will come into effect from January. The other measure re non adjacent rates will commence from next September, she was unsure whether it would affect all mature students or just incoming matures. They have not been given the full details themselves yet.

that's good news, so we'll still get our cheques in January , just less the 4%?

the keen edge

cisco27 wrote: »

that's good news, so we'll still get our cheques in January , just less the 4%?

That would appear to be the case.

The real big question is how the non adjacent rate will awarded, and to whom.
I can't really see that being awarded the non adjacent rate this year will ensure being awarded next year.

JohnMc1

rem wrote: »

However, I don't think there is much point in complaining, that is the price we pay for being dependent on the state, I intend to get off welfare as soon as I can so that I can have more control over my own finances. Nightmare.

The problem here is that many mature applicants were probably looking for courses to be upskilled so they could no longer be dependant on the Govt. Now make 3rd Level education a near impossibility will keep those people dependent on the Govt and will make more and more people dependent on the Govt.