Third Level Grant Woes

scojones

OK here's my story. I got a letter last week saying i have qualified for the third level vec grant. (i've been in college since sept and it has taken this bloody long!!!) But i was told by the financial dept in my college that i will no recieve any payment until may 7th. The thing is the next grant payment is this day week (april 15th) and i got accepted LAST week. I am in major debt. I am several weeks behind my rent and really need to pay up. I also owe my parents and my girlfriend a considerable amount of money. I cannot last another week in college if i do not recieve this grant by next Tuesday. What am i to do

Gordon

Emigrated to Business/Finance

Victor

Talk to your college counsellor or students union, there is likely to be a student hardship fund from which they cna give you a laon based on the grant you will get or talk to your student officer in your bank.

See also the advice on this similar thread http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?postid=808205

Is there anyway to cut down on your expenses?

Just my opinion, but don't jeporadise your exams by getting a job at this stage.

scojones

I went to the student union. they are calling the financial dept tommorrow morning for me. If i can't get it by tuesday i'll try the chaplin for that hardship fund. I'll keep you guys posted. Thanks. /me crosses fingers

Victor

Oh yeah cause a fuss (but don't get their backs up).

scojones

Damn toot'n. I intend to be heard.

Carbiens

as you know i used to be in the same college (until i realized i have the mental age of a fifteen year old and decided to leave further education until such a time as i have the mental capacity to be educated, in short im an idiot)
Aanyway, i went about getting a student loan in september in the bank of ireland branch in the college, you can borrow quite a bit or quite little amounts and the rates are riduculously good, as well as this you dont have to start payments immediatly, you can start paying them back during the summer when you get a job or whatnot. thing is once you start payments you cannot stop, you have to keep up payments once you start.

i know people reading this are probably thinking that your only going to end up getting yourself into more debt if you take a student loan but it might be an option for you just to tide you over for a while and maybe help pay off some of those debts too.

if you decide to do this you'll need to give up your student card for a few days coz they'll take for obvious identification purposes and also you'll need to get a guarantor signiture, your parent or boss etc.

its just an idea, maybe not the best but its still maybe a last ditch option, you can check it out anyway, without any commitments just to see what the story is.

let me know how it goes too, best of luck

scojones

no luck with the grant office, they definately won't let me receive it till may 7th. So i got the hardship fund. It tied me over nicely. Everything is paid (wahey!!! ) and I have set up a direct debit so that when the grant comes in, the money i got from the hardship fund is taken out from it. No fuss.