MA offer Accepted

Fatboydim

I've been offered a place at the Huston Film School NUIG to do an MA in Production and Direction.

Now as I'm in on experience [I don't have a degree] I can still get fees paid. So have to apply for the grant any advice on that appreciated.

I should also get the BTEA.

ronano

I could be wrong and hopefully i am but according to citizens information i dont think you'd get the back to education allowance

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/back_to_education/back_to_education_allowance.html

'Postgraduate courses

You can get the Back to Education Allowance for a postgraduate course of study that leads to a Higher Diploma (H.Dip.) qualification in any discipline or a Graduate Diploma in Education (primary and secondary teaching). Other types of postgraduate qualifications are not recognised for BTEA.'

I truly hope i'm wrong, congrats on getting into the ma

Fatboydim

ronano wrote: »

I could be wrong and hopefully i am but according to citizens information i dont think you'd get the back to education allowance

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/back_to_education/back_to_education_allowance.html

'Postgraduate courses

You can get the Back to Education Allowance for a postgraduate course of study that leads to a Higher Diploma (H.Dip.) qualification in any discipline or a Graduate Diploma in Education (primary and secondary teaching). Other types of postgraduate qualifications are not recognised for BTEA.'

I truly hope i'm wrong, congrats on getting into the ma

I can under 1.8.1 Postgraduate Study
.... exception to eligibility based on "Life experience" whereby a person is admitted to a Masters programme without a primary degree.

Though you can bet that I'll be a performing dog jumping through hoops to get it . LOL.

ronano

that's brilliant,thank god i'm wrong! felt like an asshole even replying earlier. You will have to jump through hoops but keep hammering them, they'll say no 10000 times before they say yes as im sure you know

congrats again and good luck!

Fatboydim

Thanks Ronan

I'm limbering up for the hoop jumping

paperclip2

Hi OP, Can you post a link to that exemption based on acceptance to an MA without a degree. It would be really useful to have that info in the arsenal
Thanks

BTW: Congrats on getting the course. Great achievement

Fatboydim

I Hope I'm not getting confused here but first of all Cee-Jay in the Student Finances section answered this Question:
Quote: Originally Posted by Fatboydim

I've been thinking of returning to education... as I've been on Jobseekers Allowance for the last three years.

I never went to university and have applied for a 4 year BA course at NUIG, and GMIT ... Then I was told by the course admin at GMIT [who knows me] because of my work experience that I could go straight for an MA. [My field is screenwriting] This would of course then allow me to apply for jobs as a lecturer [Screenwriting] in future. The MA is one year.

Now from what I can tell - it now appears that I can't get BTEA for a Masters as outlined above... But I can get four years worth of fees for a course I don't need??

Is there any known exceptions to the above rule?

With this:

You could qualify for the MA - from the BTEA guidelines:

there is an exception to the eligibility rule for Masters based on ‘life experience’ whereby a person is admitted to a Masters programme without a primary degree. The person needs confirmation from the college detailing the basis of their offer of a college place and confirming that it excludes the requirement to hold a primary degree. A small number of cases have arisen where a college has granted an exemption from the requirement to hold a primary degree and has admitted a person to a Master’s course on the basis of relevant life experience. In the context of the ongoing review of the operation of the scheme, it was decided to extend entitlement to back to education allowance in these instances on an exceptional basis.

Then there is this from the Student Finances Website:

B: Fees and Maintenance Grants for new entrants to postgraduate studies

Students entering new postgraduate courses from the 2012-13 academic year onwards will not be entitled to any maintenance payment under the Student Grant scheme

However, students on the lowest level of income entering new postgraduate courses from the 2012-13 academic year who qualify for the special rate of grant will be eligible to qualify to have tuition fees paid up to the maximum fee limit under the Student Grant scheme

A limited number of other low-income students who would previously have qualified under the standard grant thresholds will qualify to have a €2,000 contribution made towards the costs of their fees. However, there will be a new income threshold for this payment which will be lower than the standard grant threshold. The income threshold for this level of grant is currently being determined in the context of the formulation of the student grant scheme for the 2012-13 year.

Now I take all that to mean that A: I will get the BTEA. and then in relation to fees... My Son and Daughter who are both in Uni at the moment both get the Highest Rate of maintenance grant [6000] My Son is currently doing his MA. - And that therefore I will get the full fees for the 1yr masters paid.

Though I am now beginning to doubt myself.

I'm researching further... but also wondering what other possibilities are open to me. As essentially I have applied for jobs teaching Screenwriting at Universities [Check out my link to see my level of experience] But cannot do so because I do not have a degree.

Link to BTEA section 1.8.1 http://www.welfare.ie/EN/OperationalGuidelines/Pages/bte_all.aspx

paperclip2

Thanks for that FBD.

You could have a right fight on your hands with DSP re the BTEA unless you have a decent Facilitator deciding your claim. Front of house DSP staff can be very badly informed about entitlements especially staff in the sub-contracted offices who aren't actually DSP staff but employees of the subcontractor.
I'd bring that info from welfare.ie with you when applying for BTEA or attach it to your application form.


RE the post grad fees info I'd take the same meaning from them as you have but it will be interesting to see what maximum they decide on as the cut-off point.

Best of luck with it.

Fatboydim

Guys just to update you on this. I have been approved today for BTEA.

Yay!

Start on Monday and can now look forward to it.:D

paperclip2

Congrats FBD, Best of luck with the course