Back to education

AMER · 01-08-2014 1:46pm #1

Hi, just wondering if anyone has applied for the back to education allowance and has been awarded it yet this year?

flashback humour · 07-08-2014 12:28pm

I've gotten a letter in the post to say that I've been provisionally awarded.

AMER · 07-08-2014 1:20pm

flashback humour wrote: »

I've gotten a letter in the post to say that I've been provisionally awarded.

Can I ask how long were u waiting to hear back from them? I applied 2weeks ago but haven't heard anything :-(

mynamewasgone! · 07-08-2014 1:22pm

AMER wrote: »

Can I ask how long were u waiting to hear back from them? I applied 2weeks ago but haven't heard anything :-(

You do realise you are dealing with the social welfare office? 2 weeks for them to process something like that would be very optimistic.

flashback humour · 07-08-2014 1:42pm

I was waiting for less than 2 weeks actually. It all depends on where you're based and your local social welfare office though. I was getting it for a Fetac a couple years ago and I was waiting 6 weeks or something to hear back - I was living in a different area then though.

No news is good news anyway.

mynamewasgone! · 07-08-2014 1:45pm

You had a much better experience than I had. I had to get the ombudsman involved which dragged out for quite some while.

AMER · 07-08-2014 4:06pm

flashback humour wrote: »

I was waiting for less than 2 weeks actually. It all depends on where you're based and your local social welfare office though. I was getting it for a Fetac a couple years ago and I was waiting 6 weeks or something to hear back - I was living in a different area then though.

No news is good news anyway.

Thanks flashback humour, fingers crossed I'll hear soon enough :-) I really hope I get it!

keith ireland · 18-08-2014 8:08pm

Hey guys , just looking for a bit of info on BTEA .. I've applied months ago for it and I've been provisionally approved . Ive heard horror stories though of people been denied by their case officer .. I was just wondering on what grounds would the case officer deem you illegible for BTEA .. Ive fit all criteria ad far as I know . Just worried because we all know how important BTEA is fr survival through the academic year .. So basically .. Why would someone be denied ? Has anyone any idea when the decision will be made ?
Kind Regards.

flashback humour · 20-08-2014 3:27pm

keith ireland wrote: »

Hey guys , just looking for a bit of info on BTEA .. I've applied months ago for it and I've been provisionally approved . Ive heard horror stories though of people been denied by their case officer .. I was just wondering on what grounds would the case officer deem you illegible for BTEA .. Ive fit all criteria ad far as I know . Just worried because we all know how important BTEA is fr survival through the academic year .. So basically .. Why would someone be denied ? Has anyone any idea when the decision will be made ?
Kind Regards.

If you've been provisionally approved then they have already deemed you eligible so I think you pretty much have it. You must still have a social welfare claim right up until the day you start your course and you must send them proof that you have registered/enrolled with the college before the beginning of October, other than that I'd say you have nothing to worry about!

AMER · 27-08-2014 11:02am

I just got a phonecall to say I have an interview with a woman bout my back to education application.
Has anyone done this interview? Is this a good sign or just routine? Thanks.

keith ireland · 27-08-2014 6:05pm

Yeah I heard that the interview is a new thing since June 2014. They will interview you about your course to see will you have definite job opportunities once you complete your course . It lasts around 10-15 minutes from what I read and they are standard questions. Its no big deal . Just be sure you have info on what jobs you will be qualified for once you complete your college course . Still waiting to hear back about my BTEA .. Fingers crossed. Good luck in your meeting

stalking_zebra · 28-08-2014 5:13pm

I had this interview last week. It only lasted about 5 minutes and was really just about what I thought I would get out of the course and that was it. He told me straight away that I was approved, shook my hand and wished me luck. I was delighted and to be honest the chap dealing with me could not have been nicer.

amandaf675 · 28-08-2014 6:48pm

I only applied for BTEA yesterday! Registration monday! Ive a feeling Ill be broke for a few weeks as i need 900 on monday for fees

AMER · 29-08-2014 1:53pm

keith ireland wrote: »

Yeah I heard that the interview is a new thing since June 2014. They will interview you about your course to see will you have definite job opportunities once you complete your course . It lasts around 10-15 minutes from what I read and they are standard questions. Its no big deal . Just be sure you have info on what jobs you will be qualified for once you complete your college course . Still waiting to hear back about my BTEA .. Fingers crossed. Good luck in your meeting

Thanks Keith, defo felt better after reading ur post! I just had the interview, I was in there for bout five mins, she asked me what course I was doing and had I ever applied for BTEA before and that was basically it. I'm hoping its a good sign! ðŸ‘

edwood · 02-09-2014 5:06pm

Hi can someone please help me..I am provisionally approved for Back to education since july, and today I picked up a letter from my college stating i am temporarily registered on my course and the start and finish dates of my course. Is that enough for the dole to get my payments started? Or will there be a problem because i am temporarily registered and waiting for susi to pay my student contribution and wont be fully registered till then? Please help.

keith ireland · 02-09-2014 10:54pm

Hey edwood

Pretty certain that will not be enough . Your letter will state in bold writing " a fully registered student " .
Once SUSI approve your grant your college fees will be paid and you will then be a full time registered student.
Until then you will not be full registered so as far as I know intreo will not accept this.
I'm in the same category as you, but dont worry. You have until Oct. to provide the social welfare with the proof they require.
Until then you will be able to continue collecting your social welfare payment. Hope this helps and good luck.

The Friendly Newcomer · 12-09-2014 8:56pm

Can you get the back to education allowance for a fetac level 5 course?

stalking_zebra · 12-09-2014 8:58pm

The Friendly Newcomer wrote: »

Can you get the back to education allowance for a fetac level 5 course?

You sure can. I got it and start my course on Monday morning.

The Friendly Newcomer · 12-09-2014 8:59pm

stalking_zebra wrote: »

You sure can. I got it and start my course on Monday morning.

Brilliant. Good luck with your course.

keith ireland · 02-10-2014 6:11pm

Hi guys

Just wondering how people have got on with their BTEA applications.

I dropped in my proof of registration to the social, but am still waiting to hear anything at all

Anyone got any info ?

Thanks very much

amandaf675 · 02-10-2014 6:29pm

I got my first payement last friday for 3 weeks and got paid today then as normal

puma90 · 19-03-2015 3:15pm

I signed off jobseekers now now i will be signing back on again, i am planning on doing the PME in primary education in september but I seen on citizens information that you need to be signed on for 12 months before you start. Has any1 else got back to education without having been on jobseekers for the designated amount of time?? even though i fulfill all other requirements

dottybows · 07-07-2015 6:57pm

Hi,

I'm currently on JB which will prob change to JA in the next couple of weeks (got a letter a few weeks ago).
I've asked this question in a different thread already..
A woman in the Social Welfare Office asked me a few months back if there is any courses I would like to do and when I told her I was looking into Early Childhood Care and Education she said I should check with the local college.
I did, signed up for it, paid the admin fee and got a letter saying I will be called for an interview late August/early September. There is no mention of a course fee or what sort of hours it will be.

I am not sure what I have to do next. Do I apply for BTEA even though I have not yet been offered a place? Does this cover course fees as well? And if it doesn't include course fees, how is that covered? I can't afford to pay for a course but was told to sign up for it. I read that they want fees on enrollment. How long will this take for them to process?

As I am also not sure of the hours I can't look into childcare for my daughter yet. They told me that they won't know until September when the course will be held (morning, afternoon or evening)
CETS provide subsidized childcare for people going back to education, but I can't apply for that yet either because I don't know if I have a place or not or if I even need childcare and I'm afraid if I don't do anything until September I won't get a place for my daughter.
I contacted SUSI but they said to apply for BTEA first and then to try with them but at the same time told me final admissions are on August 1st.

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