Back to Education Allowance or Grant

marrakechheat

Hi,

I am currently doing a Level 5 FETAC course. I am a mature student and receiving BTEA at the moment. Im very interested in furthering my education to Level 6 FETAC in any college in the country but have some reservation. I would never be able to afford going to higher education without any benefit.

Will I be eligible for BTEA or Grant or any kind of benefit that can support me while Im on a Level 6 course? I know first thing it has to be a full time course if I want to get BTEA at all, which it will be.

If I wont be eligible for BTEA, how about Grant? How do I go about getting a Grant and what is the rate?

Thanks very much for helping

eastbono

One of the qualifying criteria for BTEA is that you progress to a higher level than you have already attained. As you will be doing a Level 6 having previously attained a Level 5 you should qualify again for BTEA.

marrakechheat

eastbono wrote: »

One of the qualifying criteria for BTEA is that you progress to a higher level than you have already attained. As you will be doing a Level 6 having previously attained a Level 5 you should qualify again for BTEA.

thanks eastbono.

i needed reassurance . will i also get 500euro book allowance again?
i magine id have to switch my BTEA to JSA during Jun - Sept and switch back to BTEA during college (higher level)?

now when i finish my Level 5 and switching back to JSA, do i go to new claim again and go through waiting time etc? its my first time switching like this, i havent a clue .

thanks

eastbono

marrakechheat wrote: »

thanks eastbono.

i needed reassurance . will i also get 500euro book allowance again?
i magine id have to switch my BTEA to JSA during Jun - Sept and switch back to BTEA during college (higher level)?

now when i finish my Level 5 and switching back to JSA, do i go to new claim again and go through waiting time etc? its my first time switching like this, i havent a clue .

thanks

You shouldnt have to make a new claim. It should revert to JSA but you still have to be looking for work when you revert to JSA and yes you should get the book allowance again once it is a full time course and of course an approved course of study.

cee_jay

From the BTEA Guidelines:

Where BTEA participants (Second or Third Level Option) are unable to find employment during the summer period, subject to satisfying the usual qualifying conditions, they may be entitled to claim an unemployment payment (JA/JB).

SWLO's will contact, in March/April of each year, BTEA participants who were previously in receipt of an unemployment payment to determine their intentions for the new academic year. Participants will also be requested to supply the date of last attendance for the current academic year. Payment of the allowance will continue to this date.

Failure to notify the Department of intentions in respect of the forthcoming academic year will result in the immediate suspension of the Back to Education Allowance.

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/OperationalGuidelines/Pages/bte_all.aspx#3.3

You normally have to make a repeat claim for jobseeker's once your college course finishes, however this is a paper exercise and your payment should not be affected.
You receive the Cost of Education Allowance for each year you partake on BTEA.

marrakechheat

thanks eastbono and cee_jay,

really appreciate the help

Balagan

marrakechheat wrote: »

thanks eastbono.

i needed reassurance . will i also get 500euro book allowance again?
i magine id have to switch my BTEA to JSA during Jun - Sept and switch back to BTEA during college (higher level)?

now when i finish my Level 5 and switching back to JSA, do i go to new claim again and go through waiting time etc? its my first time switching like this, i havent a clue .

thanks

As mentioned to you, there is every possibility that you will be able to receive BTEA for the Level 6 course if it is in the same field/discipline etc., but you need to be clear that when BTEA is awarded, it is awarded in respect of the course which is applied for i.e., could be a one year course up to a three or four year degree course but when the course for which you have been awarded BTEA is completed, you do have to apply again for BTEA for a further (necessarily higher) course. They state that you could qualify for the new course even if you got employment in that summer between the end of one course and the start of the higher course, but are clear that you do have to apply again for BTEA for the next course.

If you are going on to the next year of your course or moving to a higher qualification, you will get your BTEA again from the start of the new academic year regardless of whether you got an unemployment payment for the summer.
If you finish one course, but intend moving to a higher qualification in the following academic year, you must re-apply for BTEA. The allowance is not paid between courses.
http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/SW70/Pages/ABacktoEducationAllowanceBTEA.aspx

marrakechheat

Balagan wrote: »

As mentioned to you, there is every possibility that you will be able to receive BTEA for the Level 6 course if it is in the same field/discipline etc., but you need to be clear that when BTEA is awarded, it is awarded in respect of the course which is applied for i.e., could be a one year course up to a three or four year degree course but when the course for which you have been awarded BTEA is completed, you do have to apply again for BTEA for a further (necessarily higher) course. They state that you could qualify for the new course even if you got employment in that summer between the end of one course and the start of the higher course, but are clear that you do have to apply again for BTEA for the next course.

If you are going on to the next year of your course or moving to a higher qualification, you will get your BTEA again from the start of the new academic year regardless of whether you got an unemployment payment for the summer.
If you finish one course, but intend moving to a higher qualification in the following academic year, you must re-apply for BTEA. The allowance is not paid between courses.
http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/SW70/Pages/ABacktoEducationAllowanceBTEA.aspx

thanks very much Balagan. ill remember this . oh i rung my local VEC and they told me that i can get BTEA while the registration fees is paid by Grant, which is a huge help cuz i wont be able to afford it myself and i really want to further my edu.

ill have to find out more about the other fees that i have to pay myself :P

eastbono

Just a note to Balgans posting.... your next level up does not have to be in the same area of study. You can do a Level 6 in a completely different field and still qualify for BTEA.