BTEA. Did anyone get a reply?

Russian Blue

Just wondering did anyone hear anything yet about the BTEA?

Or anyone that applied early last year, when did they contact you?

Wondering how much more of a wait i have got. I want to sort things out before college starts, mainly accommodation. But i dont know where the money is going to come from.

Saoirsef

I got a letter after a week asking me for proof of my course acceptance. I am now waiting for the letter that says to activate payment i must provide them with proof of registration, i cant get that until later this month.

bc dub

I applied to the college directly and they accepted me.

They told me in mid August they would get back to me and then I should begin the BTEA process.

Is this correct or should I apply now?

IPushButtons

Im applying now, theres not rule to say you cant and you'll know ahead of time where you stand with finances.

bowlerjd

I applied six weeks ago when I got my acceptence letter from college. Haven't heard a peep since. The SW office said I have to just sit it out and wait till I hear from them

Russian Blue

I applied two weeks ago. I even had the registration letter with it. I mean, if they're opening others and sending letters asking for proof of acceptance within a week? How long does it take for them to decide?

bowlerjd

Russian Blue wrote: »

I applied two weeks ago. I even had the registration letter with it. I mean, if they're opening others and sending letters asking for proof of acceptance within a week? How long does it take for them to decide?

Agreed. There's two much to be getting on with, without having to waitfor SW to get their act together.

IPushButtons

Saoirsef wrote: »

I got a letter after a week asking me for proof of my course acceptance.

Where did you get this letter, was it from the CAO or the College its self.

bowlerjd

IPushButtons wrote: »

Saoirsef wrote: »

I got a letter after a week asking me for proof of my course acceptance.

Where did you get this letter, was it from the CAO or the College its self.

I sent them a copy of the receipt of the bank giro for the acceptence fee I had to pay. The giro form was sent out by the college

IPushButtons

No dramas i'll give the CAO a bell and ask them they will know where i can get a letter of acceptance

Saoirsef

Well i went to my local sw office in July to apply for btea and they told me they would accept applications for processing at the end of July, so that's what i did. I just need that letter of registration now as i said. They seem to move prety quick once your application is complete.

Saoirsef

IPushButtons wrote: »

Where did you get this letter, was it from the CAO or the College its self.

All applications are different, depending on courses, previous time on btea/vtos etc Unless they have asked you to get this for them then don't add paperwork to the pile. Stop worrying.

I was on btea before and even though i was approved(prob the end of july or early august) i didnt get the letter until sept telling me when my payments would start.

In my experience you cannot shift the social welfare movement on paperwork up a gear, its a waiting game.

Saoirsef

IPushButtons wrote: »

No dramas i'll give the CAO a bell and ask them they will know where i can get a letter of acceptance

Its just the letter you received after you officially accepted, the correspondence that your university sent you.

IPushButtons

Saoirsef wrote: »

Stop worrying.

Im not stressed, it's good to know tho the who, what, where, and when, should i need to

Saoirsef

IPushButtons wrote: »

Im not stressed, it's good to know tho the who, what, where, and when, should i need to

Ok, I didn't hear a peep last year from the sw until i registered as a student and was attending. So if that helps you may be waiting until then to hear from them. But i wouldnt wait for them to send out a letter, the minute you register, get the letter the same day, and drop it into the sw office.

Sir Gallagher

I've got a question about the BTEA that one of you guys might be able to clear up for me without me having to start a new thread. Basically i'm in receipt of the part-time social welfare payment i.e i work a few hours per week and get a social welfare payment on top of that depending on how many hours i do that week. Will I still be eligible for the BTEA?

IPushButtons

Depends on what welfare payment your getting and how long you've been getting it see here >> http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/back_to_education/back_to_education_allowance.html#l1f4da

Saoirsef

Sir Gallagher wrote: »

I've got a question about the BTEA that one of you guys might be able to clear up for me without me having to start a new thread. Basically i'm in receipt of the part-time social welfare payment i.e i work a few hours per week and get a social welfare payment on top of that depending on how many hours i do that week. Will I still be eligible for the BTEA?

Yes you may as long as you have still been signing on for the qualiying period. I work casual, i was on vtos last year which counts and i work part time and sign since June, i went in to them at least 4 times to make sure i qualify. They said that once i have been signing on for the qualifying time and receving payment, i will qualify for BTEA.

have you applied yet?

Saoirsef

Sir Gallagher

3. How do I qualify for BTEA?
The BTEA is for a wide range of people who might want to return to education, so people qualify in different ways, depending on their age and circumstances.

One way to qualify for BTEA is if you have claimed Illness Benefit for two years or more.

Another way to qualify is if you:

are aged at least 21, or
are aged at least 24 if you want to do postgraduate study, and
getting one of the following for at least,
3 months (78 days of unemployment) for the Second Level Option
9 months (234 days of unemployment) for the Third Level Option
Jobseeker's Allowance or Benefit,
Farm Assist,
One-Parent Family Payment,
Deserted Wife's Allowance or Benefit,
Widow's or Widower's Contributory or Non-Contributory Pension,
Prisoner's Wife's Allowance, or
Carer's Allowance.
You can also qualify for BTEA if you:

are aged at least 18, or
are aged at least 24 if you want to do postgraduate study, and
getting one of the following for at least,
3 months (78 days of unemployment) for the Second Level Option
9 months (234 days of unemployment) for the Third Level Option
Blind Pension,
Disability Allowance,
Invalidity Pension, or
Incapacity Supplement (based on a life Disablement Pension).
Note:
For Jobseeker's claims, the duration of claims are counted in number of days of unemployment. However, Sundays are not counted as a day of unemployment.

gowayuwilya

Saoirsef wrote: »

Sir Gallagher

3. How do I qualify for BTEA?
The BTEA is for a wide range of people who might want to return to education, so people qualify in different ways, depending on their age and circumstances.

One way to qualify for BTEA is if you have claimed Illness Benefit for two years or more.

Another way to qualify is if you:

are aged at least 21, or
are aged at least 24 if you want to do postgraduate study, and
getting one of the following for at least,
3 months (78 days of unemployment) for the Second Level Option
9 months (234 days of unemployment) for the Third Level Option
Jobseeker's Allowance or Benefit,
Farm Assist,
One-Parent Family Payment,
Deserted Wife's Allowance or Benefit,
Widow's or Widower's Contributory or Non-Contributory Pension,
Prisoner's Wife's Allowance, or
Carer's Allowance.
You can also qualify for BTEA if you:

are aged at least 18, or
are aged at least 24 if you want to do postgraduate study, and
getting one of the following for at least,
3 months (78 days of unemployment) for the Second Level Option
9 months (234 days of unemployment) for the Third Level Option
Blind Pension,
Disability Allowance,
Invalidity Pension, or
Incapacity Supplement (based on a life Disablement Pension).
Note:
For Jobseeker's claims, the duration of claims are counted in number of days of unemployment. However, Sundays are not counted as a day of unemployment.

Can i ask, is the postgrad option just limited to h-dips or does it cover all post-grads and masters?

Saoirsef

Note:
The postgraduate option of the BTEA scheme is only for people who wish to take:

a postgraduate course of study that leads to any Higher Diploma (H. Dip.) qualification in any discipline, or
a postgraduate Diploma in Education (Primary or Secondary teaching).
Other postgraduate qualifications including a Master's degree are not recognised for BTEA purposes.

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

Thats from the welfare.ie website

bc dub

Coincedntally to this thread, I got a letter from my college today...basically it says to come in on the 23rd of August with the course fee in full amongst some other items...
Then it goes on to say "If you have already applied through the VTOS or BTEA scheme please come on the day and we will give you a letter and forms for the social welfare"

Bit confusing because I didnt apply through that scheme but intend to. I know you have to be unemplyed 9months and today, I'm not, but by the time the course starts, I will.

Guess I'll get onto the social office asap!

hdowney

yea i am going to go get my form for btea today, fill it out and drop it to the social. i haven't heard anything specific from the college yet. i accepted my place via the cao after offers on the 7th july, and they said all further correspondence would be direct from the college so i presume i just keep waiting til they send me something to tell me when registration is, then go to reg and ask for a letter for the social that says i have registered?

the mother thinks some colleges won't write to any student until after the lc offers have gone out?

Saoirsef

Well it is ok for you to email the college aswell, if you are wondering when registration is and when you start, so drop them an email if you have not heard anything.

Colleges and universities are very used to people on vtos/btea asking for letters, so just tell them you need a letter saying that you are a fully registered student now.

My college had a hard copy last year for social welfare letters, they just filled in the blanks like names, pps course etc

dath

They told me, very nicely, in the Finglas office that they don't accept or process the applications until mid August.

bowlerjd

Saoirsef wrote: »

IPushButtons wrote: »

Im not stressed, it's good to know tho the who, what, where, and when, should i need to

Ok, I didn't hear a peep last year from the sw until i registered as a student and was attending. So if that helps you may be waiting until then to hear from them. But i wouldnt wait for them to send out a letter, the minute you register, get the letter the same day, and drop it into the sw office.

Went to the social welfare yesterday afternoon, the lady there reckons that the btea applications haven't even been opened yet.

IPushButtons

bowlerjd wrote: »

Went to the social welfare yesterday afternoon, the lady there reckons that the btea applications haven't even been opened yet.

What evidence did she give in support of this hypothesis ?

Hunchback

i rang the county council office in mayo, and the lady on the phone said the same thing, that applications ( in ny case for the maintenance grant) aren't looked at until mid august, and they will let us know by mid september

Jessibelle

The BTEA claims are dealt within the local offices by a specific officer, rather than one giant pool, so therefore the office in Cork may not have started processing them yet, whereas others might have started processing them weeks ago.

Ciderswigger

dath wrote: »

They told me, very nicely, in the Finglas office that they don't accept or process the applications until mid August.

Oh thank God, I thought my SW office were the only feckers who were refusing to take BTEA applications till the last week of August.... :mad:

Saoirsef

Cork city is definitely proessing since the last week of July, not sure about other places.