Postgraduate fee grant

markg86

I am in final year of my undergrad course at the moment and have been accepted on a masters programme for next September.

I have been on BTEA for the 3 years as I am an independent mature candidate and have no other source of income.

Wondering will I qualify for the full postgrad fee grant of 6270. I am fairly sure I should, but rang susi today wasn't given an answer.

Long Term Louth

You may get full fees if you meet the requirement i.e under €22,708, but as you probably know no BTEA for masters

markg86

Long Term Louth wrote: »

You may get full fees if you meet the requirement i.e under €22,708, but as you probably know no BTEA for masters

Yeah I am aware of that, no btea or maintenance bummer.

Anyway cheers. have to pay my deposit for the masters tomorrow 1K,, hikes!!

[Jackass]

€6,270 is the maximum amount though, right?

Really hope this lasts through one more budget

markg86

[Jackass] wrote: »

€6,270 is the maximum amount though, right?

Really hope this lasts through one more budget

Thats it yeah 6270 you can pay the rest yourself.

Fingers crossed for you it does.

[Jackass]

Has it been steadily decling does anyone know? I know maintanance and all is gone, but has post grad support been hit pretty bad? I feel like this is an easy target for budget cuts in education.

Annasopra

[Jackass] wrote: »

Has it been steadily decling does anyone know? I know maintanance and all is gone, but has post grad support been hit pretty bad? I feel like this is an easy target for budget cuts in education.

Yes it has been declining. You used to get a maintenance grant. Now you can only get a fee grant.

Annasopra

Long Term Louth wrote: »

You may get full fees if you meet the requirement i.e under €22,708, but as you probably know no BTEA for masters

Just to point out

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/third_level_education/fees_and_supports_for_third_level_education/maintenance_grant_schemes_for_students_on_third_level_courses.html

Budget 2013

The income thresholds for entitlement to the student grant are reduced by 3% for those qualifying in 2013.

So in order to qualify for the fee grant of 6270 you will need to be earning less than 22,022 and in receipt of a social welfare payment

In order to qualify for the fee grant of 2000 you will need to be earning less than 30,555

misha1970

Just to mention it is important that you are in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment, as specified in Schedule 2 of SUSI's fee payment qualifications. If you are not in receipt of one of these payments, it doesn't matter how low your income is, you'll only get a 'fee contribution' which is basically 2k off your tuition fees. I'll give you an example, I earned nothing at all- I was in hospital. No income, no social welfare claim. I didn't qualify- you might be entitled to the claim as I most certainly was (I was in a coma), but if you're not actually in receipt of that claim, you pay the fees minus 2000. I was shocked by this, but I appealed and they pointed out you MUST be in receipt of a 'qualifying social welfare payment'. I had to pay myself:rolleyes:

Viva La Gloria

misha1970 wrote: »

Just to mention it is important that you are in receipt of a qualifying social welfare payment, as specified in Schedule 2 of SUSI's fee payment qualifications. If you are not in receipt of one of these payments, it doesn't matter how low your income is, you'll only get a 'fee contribution' which is basically 2k off your tuition fees. I'll give you an example, I earned nothing at all- I was in hospital. No income, no social welfare claim. I didn't qualify- you might be entitled to the claim as I most certainly was (I was in a coma), but if you're not actually in receipt of that claim, you pay the fees minus 2000. I was shocked by this, but I appealed and they pointed out you MUST be in receipt of a 'qualifying social welfare payment'. I had to pay myself:rolleyes:

I thought it was based on level of income irrespective of anything else. If the combined income of the household was less than €31,500 then you qualify for the €2,000 assistance. But if the combined income is above €22,500 then you are not eligble for full fees - it must be below €22,500 to claim any more than €2,000. That's what I thought it was anyway

GTE

Does the masters have to be in Ireland or can it be in the UK? And if so, can I apply for a fee grant given that I started it 12 months ago and have 6 months left?
I was advised I can not, but as money gets tight I am wondering if that was bad advice :pac:

misha1970

Viva La Gloria wrote: »

I thought it was based on level of income irrespective of anything else. If the combined income of the household was less than €31,500 then you qualify for the €2,000 assistance. But if the combined income is above €22,500 then you are not eligble for full fees - it must be below €22,500 to claim any more than €2,000. That's what I thought it was anyway

No, there has to be a social welfare payment in addition to the thresholds being below that figure. Its quite easy to qualify for the 'contribution only' bit- ie the 2k off your fees. But the problem comes when you're looking for full tuition fees, in other words if you don't want to be landed with the 4k-odd extra.

misha1970

Long Term Louth wrote: »

You may get full fees if you meet the requirement i.e under €22,708, but as you probably know no BTEA for masters

Studentfinance.ie say "Postgraduate students who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant will be eligible to have their post-graduate tuition fees paid up to the maximum fee limit (€6,270). Please note the income limit for the Special rate is €22,703."

This is a little misleading as it suggests the ONLY qualifying condition that needs to be met is the threshold, ie if you have an income of less than 22,703 you AUTOMATICALLY qualify for the special rate. You don't. They're REALLY strict about another condition- you must be in receipt of a 'qualifying social welfare payment'. Unemployment assistance/benefit is NOT such a payment, nor is SWA, but disability allowance is for example. It isn't as straightforward as it looks.

Viva La Gloria

Wow, that's mad. I didn't even qualify for the €2,000 paying off a loan now. But hoping to get tax relief off the fees. Sent an angry email to my local Labour TD :P

bowsie

misha1970 wrote: »

Studentfinance.ie say "Postgraduate students who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant will be eligible to have their post-graduate tuition fees paid up to the maximum fee limit (€6,270). Please note the income limit for the Special rate is €22,703."

This is a little misleading as it suggests the ONLY qualifying condition that needs to be met is the threshold, ie if you have an income of less than 22,703 you AUTOMATICALLY qualify for the special rate. You don't. They're REALLY strict about another condition- you must be in receipt of a 'qualifying social welfare payment'. Unemployment assistance/benefit is NOT such a payment, nor is SWA, but disability allowance is for example. It isn't as straightforward as it looks.

Jobseekers allowance and benefit ARE "qualifying payments" in cases where the payment of JA has been for more than 391 days and JB for a year.