BTEA and previous qualifications

Mrs Garth Brooks

I have read up on the BTEA and still confused about it all.

I think i may be entitled to it. Finished a one year course at level 5. Lived of savings during the year as I wasn't entitled to the grant and left a job so wasn't getting any social welfare to be on the BTEA. On the dole for the summer since may. Got results and passed and i will be progressing to level 6 in september. Im going to a PLC college.

Because its a PLC college, i only need to be on the dole for 3 months which i will be in august.

Is there anything im missing? Will having a previous qualification affect it? I have a level 7 diploma.

SuperTyper

Hi

I didnt qualify for the BTEA as I already held a Level 7 award and wanted to do a PLC level 5 FETAC award. As far as I know you have to be progressing upwards from the award you already hold.

Mrs Garth Brooks

I have read different things on the internet regarding this BTEA and previous qualifications.

The social welfare website doesn't make any of it clear. I have read other posts by other people where some people got it and already having a degree.

Its all very confusing.

I even took a trip into the office just to ask whether i would be entitled to the BTEA and its looking good. But i didn't mention that already hold a level 7. Im not sure what to do.

I have to pay a deposit for the course soon. I dont know if im better off paying it in full now, so i can get the letter of the college ASAP stating i will be a full time student from september. If i have the application in early, i hope i hear something soon. Cause without it, i have to apply for a loan. Thinking about going into a bank and just asking about a loan if i dont get the BTEA, but i wont know until august anyway. By august, i have to search for accommodation, which i cant if i dont know where the money is going to come from.

donegal11

Why didn't you tell them about your previous qualifications if you wanted to know if you qualified for btea? here is the link to student finance website http://www.studentfinance.ie/mp7928/back-to-education-allowance/index.html

I already have a higher education qualification, however my career plans have changed and I want to do another undergraduate qualification at an equivalent level. Is it possible to get the BTEA in these circumstances?
In general, no. Only in very exceptional cases is it possible to get the BTEA in these circumstances. You should contact your local social welfare officer for guidance.

paperclip2

The reason why some people get BTEA despite having previous qualifications at a higher level is that BTEA is not a statutory payment. It is awarded at the discretion of the local DSP facilitator. He/ She can award the payment to those who may not fit the eligibility criteria if they believe that the individual concerned will substantially enhance their employment prospects through completing the course.

smurf2010

Hi paperclip,

How do you get in touch with this 'facilitator', I got accepted to the HDIP but have been unemployed the past year where i spent my time volunteering on youth programmes, anyway I got the hdip for next year and I will need to get BTEA and Grant for my fees to get thru the year, I meet all the criteria bar the course progression part as I have a masters from the UK, the masters i did is basically of no use now as the planning in Ireland is shot, I was contemplating witholding my masters from my application as i think it will disqualify myself from the btea. any ideas?

paperclip2

smurf2010 wrote: »

Hi paperclip,

How do you get in touch with this 'facilitator', I got accepted to the HDIP but have been unemployed the past year where i spent my time volunteering on youth programmes, anyway I got the hdip for next year and I will need to get BTEA and Grant for my fees to get thru the year, I meet all the criteria bar the course progression part as I have a masters from the UK, the masters i did is basically of no use now as the planning in Ireland is shot, I was contemplating witholding my masters from my application as i think it will disqualify myself from the btea. any ideas?

Hi Smurf.

You can usually make an apt to speak to a facilitator through your local DSP office.

Looking at your info I would be concerned that your Masters could cause problems for you in relation to a number of funding streams.

For BTEA, social welfare generally don't like funding someone to do a course at a lower level than than they currently hold. But as I said the Facilitator has discretion and can decide to give you BTEA especially if your Masters is construction related.

The main problem is the fees. The DES will not provide free fees to anyone taking a qualification at a lower level than one they already have achieved. This also holds true in the majority of cases for the grant especially these days.

I'm not going to say one way or another whether or not you should withhold information on your masters from applications but if you are caught it can make things tricky as you will have lied by omission on official documents. You may have to repay any funding you have received.

If it was me I would have a chat regarding the grant & fees situation with the relevant grant awarding authority or you could get some clarification from the Student Support Unit of the DES in Tullamore. Tel: (057) 9325317.
Citizens Info can also provide more info on this 1890 777121.

Hope this helps.

smurf2010

Thanks paperclip, i will call them in the next few days and see what the story is, dont want to have to withhold the masters info but if worst comes to worst i may have to... It is annoying as I paid for my masters in the uk myself without any assistance and it turns out that it may rule me out of everything :mad: Do you think there would be much cross checking between grant awarding body and the postgraduate application centre? It is only them that I have given details of my masters

Thanks again, you seem better than the citizens advice

paperclip2

smurf2010 wrote: »

Thanks paperclip, i will call them in the next few days and see what the story is, dont want to have to withhold the masters info but if worst comes to worst i may have to... It is annoying as I paid for my masters in the uk myself without any assistance and it turns out that it may rule me out of everything :mad: Do you think there would be much cross checking between grant awarding body and the postgraduate application centre? It is only them that I have given details of my masters

You're welcome Smurf.
Re the cross checking, in previous years govt depts and application bodies didn't share as much info although this is tightening up. Your PPS number is easily identifiable and not hard to check. So if you have disclosed information on your Masters to PAC then there is a chance the relevant grant awarding body will have access to this.

I know that DSP runs spot checks with all colleges to see if anyone on Jobbseekers is registered as a full-time student so its even easier for the DES to check up on students with previous qualifications as its within the one government dept.

smurf2010 wrote: »

Thanks again, you seem better than the citizens advice

I'm just nosey.