Is Back to Education Allowance worth it?

MyNameIsMethos

So if you're waiting on a decision on BTEA, you're waived from the rule of "no social welfare while at college", until the time they make the decision? I've been worried that if a decision was not made by the time I began the course that I'd be left penniless in a grey area.

GotTheTshirt

MyNameIsMethos wrote: »

So if you're waiting on a decision on BTEA, you're waived from the rule of "no social welfare while at college", until the time they make the decision? I've been worried that if a decision was not made by the time I began the course that I'd be left penniless in a grey area.

Would be worth your while calling into your local SW office and speaking to someone at the schemes desk. They will put you straight. I found them very helpful last year and the changeover of my payments was seemless and that was about 3 weeks into the semester. Many others in my class were in the same boat but it wasn't an issue with our local office.

MyNameIsMethos

Called in to them in the mean time; what you say Tshirt is true.

flashback humour

nobodyknows wrote: »

So basically you should get free fees because it been 5 years NOT because you didn't complete your degree (e.g. if you had of tried to return to college in 2013 when the gap was just 4 years, you would of had to pay full fees)

Its actually combination of the two - you'll get free fees again if you didn't complete your first degree AND its been over 5 years since leaving the first course.

flashback humour

Thatdoesnt looksafe tome AHHHHHHH wrote: »

Hello, sorry to interupt the thread, i thought i was better to ask here then create a new thread on BTEA, My question is do you have to apply for BTEA before a certain time? i.e is there a closing date for applications for it? Thanks

Applications for BTEA must be made prior to commencement of an approved course of study.

paulie21

Hi,

I got word today that I have been accepted on to a course as an advanced entry student. I dropped out of the same course in 2009 in my 2nd year. I just have a couple of questions I hope somebody could answer?

1: What exactly does BTEA cover? Will it cover the registration fees?

2: If BTEA doesn't cover the fees should I apply to SUSI to see will they?

flashback humour

paulie21 wrote: »

Hi,

I got word today that I have been accepted on to a course as an advanced entry student. I dropped out of the same course in 2009 in my 2nd year. I just have a couple of questions I hope somebody could answer?

1: What exactly does BTEA cover? Will it cover the registration fees?

2: If BTEA doesn't cover the fees should I apply to SUSI to see will they?

Apply to SUSI asap, BTEA won't pay for any fees.

bizzyb

flashback humour wrote: »

Apply to SUSI asap, BTEA won't pay for any fees.

Closing date for susi was August 1st?

Guffy

bizzyb wrote: »

Closing date for susi was August 1st?

I think they will still process it but it will take longer

flashback humour

gufc21 wrote: »

I think they will still process it but it will take longer

Yep you can still apply after the closing date but you'll be bottom of the barrel then so you'll probably be waiting a long time to hear back. I don't think there's any pressure from the colleges to pay the charges up front once you can show that you've applied to SUSI.

Jalalabad

How does BTEA work if you're married? can your wife claim the JSA and allowance for kids or not?

paperclip2

To get BTEA you need to be getting a social welfare payment like Jobseekers Benefit or Allowance first. Even if you have statutory redundancy you have to establish an entitlement to a DSP payment before being considered for BTEA. If you are awarded a Jobseeker payment then you can apply for BTEA. If you are claiming for the family your BTEA will include the qualified child and adult dependent allowances.

paulie21

Applied for BTEA 4 weeks ago suppose to be starting course on Monday. The welfare told me today that there is a hold up and it might be another month before my application is processed. What should I do? Attend classes and hope I'm allowed onto BTEA?

carzony

paulie21 wrote: »

Applied for BTEA 4 weeks ago suppose to be starting course on Monday. The welfare told me today that there is a hold up and it might be another month before my application is processed. What should I do? Attend classes and hope I'm allowed onto BTEA?

just stay in your class for now would be my advice:D hopefully after the month you'll get lots of money back dated

steve3194

Last year I did a fetac level 5 course and got the back to education allowance for the year. Switched over to jobseekers for the summer. I got an offer for a third level course last month and applied for the back to education again. My course has since started and I am continuing to collect my jobseekers while I wait for a decision to be made about the btea. Last year I stopped collecting the jobseekers once the course started but I was told I shouldn't have by someone working in the welfare office.

I'm 20 and last year I got 160 Euros per week on the back to education. I read online that you have to be on job seekers for 9 months to qualify for btea for a third level course. Does anyone know if being on the back to education last year would contribute towards this or is it strictly jobseekers? So far I've only been asked to provide proof of college offer. Really hope there isn't any problems with this as I was already denied the susi grant and had to take out a loan to pay the first half of the course fees.

Guffy

Still awaiting btea. Is there a small lump sum at the first payment?

An additional sum I means for books, materials, etc.

Guffy

steve3194 wrote: »

Last year I did a fetac level 5 course and got the back to education allowance for the year. Switched over to jobseekers for the summer. I got an offer for a third level course last month and applied for the back to education again. My course has since started and I am continuing to collect my jobseekers while I wait for a decision to be made about the btea. Last year I stopped collecting the jobseekers once the course started but I was told I shouldn't have by someone working in the welfare office.

I'm 20 and last year I got 160 Euros per week on the back to education. I read online that you have to be on job seekers for 9 months to qualify for btea for a third level course. Does anyone know if being on the back to education last year would contribute towards this or is it strictly jobseekers? So far I've only been asked to provide proof of college offer. Really hope there isn't any problems with this as I was already denied the susi grant and had to take out a loan to pay the first half of the course fees.

I'm not sure who your provider was, mine was FAS, but I qualify as I was unemployed before I started ans since I finished. the time on course is then taken into account.... so I was told when I rang. Still awaiting confirmation.

paperclip2

steve3194 wrote: »

Last year I did a fetac level 5 course and got the back to education allowance for the year. Switched over to jobseekers for the summer. I got an offer for a third level course last month and applied for the back to education again. My course has since started and I am continuing to collect my jobseekers while I wait for a decision to be made about the btea. Last year I stopped collecting the jobseekers once the course started but I was told I shouldn't have by someone working in the welfare office.

I'm 20 and last year I got 160 Euros per week on the back to education. I read online that you have to be on job seekers for 9 months to qualify for btea for a third level course. Does anyone know if being on the back to education last year would contribute towards this or is it strictly jobseekers? So far I've only been asked to provide proof of college offer. Really hope there isn't any problems with this as I was already denied the susi grant and had to take out a loan to pay the first half of the course fees.

Time spent on BTEA counts toward the qualifying period. As long as you are getting Jobseekers immediately before, i.e for the week before, the new course starts that will fulfil the length of time qualifying period.

Edit, you would also have to have the remaining potion of the qualifying time met while on BTEA.

paperclip2

gufc21 wrote: »

Still awaiting btea. Is there a small lump sum at the first payment?

An additional sum I means for books, materials, etc.

No there isn't any additional payment with BTEA. The cost of education €500/€300 payment was stopped a few years ago.

steve3194

paperclip2 wrote: »

Time spent on BTEA counts toward the qualifying period. As long as you are getting Jobseekers immediately before, i.e for the week before, the new course starts that will fulfil the length of time qualifying period.

Great thanks for the info

jay8701

Does anyone know if you are doing a straight add on, level 7 to level 8 and have been on the BTEA system the previous year, if u will be treated as a new applicant even when I had to refill the original btea form? my reason for asking is because I work part time 2 days and my partner minds the kids, what I was getting last year(BTEA) was more than my summer SW payment(JA). but this year with the new law JA=BTEA, I would be getting much less (€50 less) than last year and will make it difficult to pay rent. so the question remains am I a new entrant or am treated as being on the system already?

mightyreds

What do you mean ja=btea does that mean you can't do the 2 days

jay8701

I meant to say what I received for JA after means tested for working 2 days e.g. weekends during summer, would be the same amount I would receive for BTEA , because the working condition would b the same 2 days and the new law for new entrants. Last year my BTEA was bumped up to the maximum allowance irrespective of what I got in the summer(JA) and part time work cos I was on BTEA for 3 years and might be different now cos I am doing an add on.

jay8701

Since 1 January 2013, if you are a new BTEA participant aged over 25 your weekly BTEA rate will be equal to your previous social protection payment (the payment that qualified you for participation in the scheme).

paperclip2

jay8701 wrote: »

Does anyone know if you are doing a straight add on, level 7 to level 8 and have been on the BTEA system the previous year, if u will be treated as a new applicant even when I had to refill the original btea form? my reason for asking is because I work part time 2 days and my partner minds the kids, what I was getting last year(BTEA) was more than my summer SW payment(JA). but this year with the new law JA=BTEA, I would be getting much less (€50 less) than last year and will make it difficult to pay rent. so the question remains am I a new entrant or am treated as being on the system already?

I had a look at the operational guidelines for BTEA and it says:

BTEA participants who are progressing to the next year of their course or who are progressing from second level to third level approved undergraduate qualifications or from undergraduate qualification to BTEA eligible postgraduate courses will have their BTEA reinstated from the commencement of the new academic year irrespective of whether they were in receipt of an unemployment payment for the summer period

It doesn't specifically mention level 7 to level 8 add on but if they recognise progression from 2nd to 3rd level education theres a good chance they will recognise progression within 3rd level.

Taken from dsp website: http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Back-to-Education-Allowance-Scheme.aspx#1.10

andreas gross

As some regulations on BTEA have changed, and they aren't paying the fees anymore.
So i will have to find a job to pay my fees.
Do any one knows if there is a limit of days or hours that a person studying full time can do?

Guffy

andreas gross wrote: »

As some regulations on BTEA have changed, and they aren't paying the fees anymore.
So i will have to find a job to pay my fees.
Do any one knows if there is a limit of days or hours that a person studying full time can do?

From what I understand.. no. I don't know how this will work in the summer though

andreas gross

I was just reading about it and yes, the person can work part time, but they don't mention how many days or hours...and they don't pay fees anymore...so the person have to look after the fees...
Does anyone knows it more accurately, how many days and hours is a full time student allowed to work if the person is on BTEA?

carzony

andreas gross wrote: »

I was just reading about it and yes, the person can work part time, but they don't mention how many days or hours...and they don't pay fees anymore...so the person have to look after the fees...
Does anyone knows it more accurately, how many days and hours is a full time student allowed to work if the person is on BTEA?

25 hours a week.

HausOfTony

Are you still able to collect your JSA while you wait for a decision to be made re: BTEA?