EU Grants and Social Welfare

DAVIDDOLAN

I am considering going back to college next year 2012/2013. I am trying to figure out my options money wish, If you are an Irish citizen studying in europe, can you apply for an EU grant or any other type of Social welfare payment while attending a full time 3rd level course in the country that you are studying in.

The BTEA allowance in Ireland is in a messy situation and they have made it quite difficult for a mature student which I am to return to an Irish education.

As I understand you can use certain Irish grants in fellow EU country,s, Is it possible in Ireland to be on job seekers or similar social welfare payment for say 4 months then go back to college and be maintained for the further 5 months on a grant scheme, then switch to a BTEA allowance, As far as i know you need to be claiming a job seeking social welfare payment for 9 months before applying for BTEA.

Any information you have would help hugely

annex

I'm not sure if this is any help to you, I applied to 2 universities in the UK but I had to cancel them because the grant wouldn't pay for the fee's and I didn't have access to £12k-£16k for 3/4 years fee's
I assume that this will apply for colleges in Europe too.

As for the BTEA, you only have to be unemployed for 6 months to qualify but I would imagine that they too will worm out of paying the fee's.

I am not sure I fully understand the last part of the question but you can get either the BTEA or the grant, not both.

pow wow

BTEA is a fairly unique concept, and not one which many other EU countries, if any, have - especially for non-citizens coming to study from other EU states. You would presumably be eligible for the maintenance grant in Ireland, as well as free fees? To my knowledge (and I'm open to correction) that's as good as it's going to get from the circumstances you've outlined both in Ireland and elsewhere in the EU as the Irish grants/fees system is comparatively generous.

If you aren't eligible for BTEA (there's more info in the student finances & social welfare payments forums) then the grant is the next best thing financially. From a logical perspective it's unlikely other EU states would support foreign students with welfare payments whilst studying as there's no real benefit or incentive to do so.

kathola

If there is a university in Scotland that runs the course you want to do the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (www.student-support-saas.gov.uk) will pay for your tuition fees as an EU student.

I'm currently studying in Edinburgh and although they pay my fees I still have to work while I'm there and get money from my parents to live.

I am pretty sure I am eligible for a maintenance grant but it's almost impossible to apply for one when you live out of Ireland (trying to get documents together etc) so make sure you apply while you are still there!!

Perplexed22

kathola wrote: »

If there is a university in Scotland that runs the course you want to do the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (www.student-support-saas.gov.uk) will pay for your tuition fees as an EU student.

I'm currently studying in Edinburgh and although they pay my fees I still have to work while I'm there and get money from my parents to live.

I am pretty sure I am eligible for a maintenance grant but it's almost impossible to apply for one when you live out of Ireland (trying to get documents together etc) so make sure you apply while you are still there!!

You really should apply for your maintenance grant - you can get a form from www.studentfinance.ie. I know it's hard to get paperwork together when you're away from home but maybe one of your parents woul fill it in and gather the documents and all you'd have to do is sign it.

magneticimpulse

You could find information on the European Commission website. I have an EU grant to study in Europe but I am doing Post Grad study. I am not sure what level of study you are interested in?

Also it is possible to claim social benefits in other EU countries. Whatever you are entitled to in Ireland you should be entitled to in another EU country...afterall on paper it should be like living in the USA. (as in all countries are united)

Rooneysdaman

If you study a health-science course in the UK - Radiography, Orthoptics, Occupational Therapy etc. - the NHS will pay your fees. You will also be eligible for a maintenance grant from the Irish government to help with your living costs but they really do make it difficult, you have to jump through a lot of hoops to get not a lot of money.
I am off to Uni in Liverpool next week as a mature student. To save money I applied for (and got) a position as a Residential Adviser in a dorm. I will have 45 first-year students who can come to me if they are having a problem & I'll tell them where to go to solve it and I'll also be on call one night in ten if anyone has a night-time emergency. In return I get a small flat & daily breakfast and lunch at a 60% discount. Might be something you could consider wherever you are planning to go.

elefant

In the Netherlands if you work 32 hours a month you are treated as an EU worker and so are elligible for the student grant that all Dutch students get.

I think it's around 250euro a month, plus a free transport card for weekdays or weekends.

brownacid

magneticimpulse wrote: »

You could find information on the European Commission website. I have an EU grant to study in Europe but I am doing Post Grad study. I am not sure what level of study you are interested in?

Also it is possible to claim social benefits in other EU countries. Whatever you are entitled to in Ireland you should be entitled to in another EU country...afterall on paper it should be like living in the USA. (as in all countries are united)

Have you got a link to this? I'm due to start post grad course in the EU and am trying to figure out how to fund the bloody thing!