Going back to College? Check here for Mature/Disabled/Access/Grant & Fees information

paperclip2 · 24-07-2012 9:19pm

artvanderlay wrote: »

Hi there,

I wonder could anyone help with my query. Basically I did a year of a degree back in 08-09 as a second chance student (after a break of more than 5 years since my previous study) and got the free frees and grant for it, but I didn't finish the year because I lost my part-time job and ran out of money. Now I have a chance to go into second year of a different degree and I'm finally eligible for back to education allowance, so I just want to know would I still be eligible for the free fees for the second (and subsequent) years of this degree?

thanks.

You would need to satisfy the 2nd chance conditions again and since its less than five years since you last attended college you would probably not have an entitlement to free fees etc for the first year of the new course. But you could check with the college.

artvanderlay · 24-07-2012 10:31pm

Hey thanks for the reply. I would only be looking for free fees from second year onwards so maybe I'll have a chance with it. I'll call the college and grants office tomorrow.

ditzyfairy · 25-07-2012 7:54pm

Hi just wondering if someone could tell me if I will qualify as a second chance student for free fee's this year if I completed one year of 3rd level from year 2006-2007

paperclip2 · 26-07-2012 10:28pm

ditzyfairy wrote: »

Hi just wondering if someone could tell me if I will qualify as a second chance student for free fee's this year if I completed one year of 3rd level from year 2006-2007

If you have a full five years between the date you were officially recorded as having left the college and the date you want to re-enter and if you haven't received any qualification at third level in the mean time you should be ok for 2nd chance free fees.

ditzyfairy · 26-07-2012 10:54pm

paperclip2 wrote: »

If you have a full five years between the date you were officially recorded as having left the college and the date you want to re-enter and if you haven't received any qualification at third level in the mean time you should be ok for 2nd chance free fees.

ok so if i sat the summer exams in May '07, didn't do the repeats or register for 2nd year when would I be recorded as having left?

also I done a level 5 and level 6 part time courses in a privately run college since then, would they count?

paperclip2 · 27-07-2012 9:20am

ditzyfairy wrote: »

ok so if i sat the summer exams in May '07, didn't do the repeats or register for 2nd year when would I be recorded as having left?

also I done a level 5 and level 6 part time courses in a privately run college since then, would they count?

You need to check when the college officially recorded that you left. If you didn't officially notify them at the time you could have been on their books for longer than you think.

It depends on the level 6 course that you did. If it was FETAC you should be fine. If it was HETAC it might be a problem.

DJW11 · 27-07-2012 7:21pm

paperclip2 - you might be able help me with this, as a returning mature student, with btea, im wondering if i was to get married during my 3 years in study could i lose my btea once married?? due to means testing or something?

ditzyfairy · 27-07-2012 7:54pm

thanks a mill for your help paperclip

Brenireland · 29-07-2012 5:09pm

Hi just wondering if anybody could correct me here,I've done My Leaving Certificate & have completed FETAC Level 5 course in 2010 & have reapplied for a college place through the CAO & I'm U-23..

Is it this Thursday when I may recieve my offer?,I'm not a mature student..I'm not sure what I am,I am between being Mature & unemployed

paperclip2 · 30-07-2012 11:31am

DJW11 wrote: »

paperclip2 - you might be able help me with this, as a returning mature student, with btea, im wondering if i was to get married during my 3 years in study could i lose my btea once married?? due to means testing or something?

Hmm, that's an interesting one alright. Generally you are expected to let DSP know of any change in circumstances but if you are approved for BTEA for a 4 year course for example you should be ok for the duration. If it was me I'd talk to the main BTEA section in Carrick on Shannon, they are usually pretty helpful if you have a direct question. I'll PM you the name / number of the person I speak to.

Brenireland wrote: »

Hi just wondering if anybody could correct me here,I've done My Leaving Certificate & have completed FETAC Level 5 course in 2010 & have reapplied for a college place through the CAO & I'm U-23..

Is it this Thursday when I may recieve my offer?,I'm not a mature student..I'm not sure what I am,I am between being Mature & unemployed

Hi Brenireland. As regards the colleges you are a 'Standard Applicant' as you are applying to college on the basis of Leaving Cert and FETAC qualifications.

From the pov of SUSI, since you aren't 23 you are classified as a dependent candidate. This means that your parents income etc would be needed to assess your grant entitlements etc.

From the perspective of DSP if you are aged over 21 and have been getting a Jobseeker payment for the last nine months you are eligible for BTEA.

If you are wondering when you might get an offer you could contact the college directly. Sometimes they will give you the info over the phone.

s08t · 10-08-2012 10:12pm

Hi. I was wondering if you were able to recieve a BTEA and a VEC grant at the same time. Thanks for the thread. Very helpful. anyone can help, it wud be most appreciated. Thanks

Linda b · 10-08-2012 10:23pm

hi, could some1 help me... i am a married mom of two and i am interested in returning to college next year full time to do science ed. i am working three days a week at the moment and my husband is a part time fire fighter, but my question is if i give up work would i be entitled to any BTEA or a grant??

paperclip2 · 13-08-2012 9:38am

s08t wrote: »

Hi. I was wondering if you were able to recieve a BTEA and a VEC grant at the same time. Thanks for the thread. Very helpful. anyone can help, it wud be most appreciated. Thanks

Hi OP. Just to clarify that there are no more VEC grants. They are all SUSI grants now

Generally if you get a BTEA payment you can't get the SUSI maintenance grant. However you may be eligible for the fee grant which covers the registration fee for third level courses.

In some cases if your original DSP payment was a One Parent Family Payment or a Disability payment you may be able to retain these payments and get both the Maintenance grant and the fee grant.

paperclip2 · 13-08-2012 9:42am

Linda b wrote: »

hi, could some1 help me... i am a married mom of two and i am interested in returning to college next year full time to do science ed. i am working three days a week at the moment and my husband is a part time fire fighter, but my question is if i give up work would i be entitled to any BTEA or a grant??

Hi Linda,

To get the BTEA you would need a minimum of 9 months on a social Welfare payment before starting the college course. It doesn't have to be a full rate of social welfare, a partial rate will be ok. If you get BTEA you cant get the Maintenance grant but you could apply for a fee grant to cover the college registration fees.

If you aren't eligible for BTEA then you can apply for both the Maintenance and fee grants from SUSI. Eligibility is determined on the basis of a means test, nationality and residency.

missinginfo · 13-08-2012 8:17pm

hi, thanks for the answers, i attended in 09/10 for 3 months and had to withdraw due to illlness, got accepted at ucc this year, just got notification that the previous college drew down 50% of HEA student tuition fees for 09/10, can i still get a maintenance grant as i never got that and pay the other 50% tuition fees myself...confused

paperclip2 · 14-08-2012 9:33am

missinginfo wrote: »

hi, thanks for the answers, i attended in 09/10 for 3 months and had to withdraw due to illlness, got accepted at ucc this year, just got notification that the previous college drew down 50% of HEA student tuition fees for 09/10, can i still get a maintenance grant as i never got that and pay the other 50% tuition fees myself...confused

Yeah you should be ok for half first year free fees and grant.You can check directly with the dept of education office that administers free fee policy: Tel: 057 9325317. Tell them your circumstances and they can give you an accurate answer.

TinyTom26 · 14-08-2012 8:48pm

Hi,

I would be extremely grateful if someone could clear this up for me

Basically I dropped out of college only completing my 1st yr of college in 07/08 (fees and maintenance were used for that full college term of 07/08) .

I have now gotten accepted for UCC this coming September (12/13). I am just curious if I am now eligible for free fees for this 4yr degree course i.e. have I cleared my 5yr break in order to be eligible.

If not, is there any possibility of just getting my student registration (2250 euros) waived?

Advice most most welcome.

Tom.

paperclip2 · 15-08-2012 9:25am

Hi Tiny Tom,

As far as I know you would need a full clear five years between when you left college and the start of your new course. At the moment you only seem to have a 4 year gap. That usually means that you won't be eligible for free academic fees, the registration fee grant or the maintenance grant for this year at least.
The only source of support for the registration fee is the fee grant.

You can contact the Dept of Ed Student Support Unit to double check what charges you could be facing. Tel: 057 9325317

s08t · 17-08-2012 11:53am

Originally posted by Paperclip2 :To get the BTEA you would need a minimum of 9 months on a social Welfare payment before starting the college course. It doesn't have to be a full rate of social welfare, a partial rate will be ok. If you get BTEA you cant get the Maintenance grant but you could apply for a fee grant to cover the college registration fees.

This is also advice for people applying for grants etc.

Hi Paperclip2, Do you have to be on a social welfare 9 mnths before starting a college course? I applied last yr for the BTEA allowance ( I was on the social welfare 9 mnths before starting the course). But I applied as well for the maintenance grant (cos my friend told me I cud apply for both.) now I know u cant. I recieved a letter from the VEC saying I was getting over 3000. I then got a call after starting college for the BTEA saying I cudnt get the BTEA as I was getting the maintenance grant(which I expected). I got the fee grant of 2000 last sept, then waited and waited for the rest, when I rang they said that I wasnt entitled to a maintenance grant just a fee grant. I told them they sent me out a letter saying I was entitled to over 3000, but they said they have no recollection of that letter. I searched the house high and low for the letter but cudnt find. then they rang back a week later and gave me just under 3000. I was unhappy cos I didnt get what I was entitled to at the start. Just anyone out there who are applying for grants etc. keep all letters, reciepts etc to keep you right. But what I was wondering paperclip 2 is i applied for the BTEA this year as well, but they say I cant get cos my claim is up ( I am not on social welfare 9 mnths previous to college), but I was wonderin as seen as I applied and it was accepted las yr but then didnt get it wud I be in the right to get it this yr instead?
Thanks in advance for any advice. and also wud I be in a position to get a rent allowance? Thanks.

paperclip2 · 17-08-2012 12:41pm

s08t wrote: »

Hi Paperclip2, Do you have to be on a social welfare 9 mnths before starting a college course?

Hi s08t

To my knowledge you have to have 9 months receipt of a DSP payment before being BTEA approved. This can be made up of short stretches broken by period of work as long as none of those breaks is more than 1 year. You also need to be on a DSP payment immediately before the course starts

s08t wrote: »

I applied last yr for the BTEA allowance ( I was on the social welfare 9 mnths before starting the course)..
But I applied as well for the maintenance grant (cos my friend told me I cud apply for both.) now I know u cant. I recieved a letter from the VEC saying I was getting over 3000. I then got a call after starting college for the BTEA saying I cudnt get the BTEA as I was getting the maintenance grant(which I expected).

It’s no comfort now but last year you could have cancelled your grant in favour of BTEA at this point. If you did that then you would have been able to claim BTEA with no problems.

s08t wrote: »

But what I was wondering paperclip 2 is i applied for the BTEA this year as well, but they say I cant get cos my claim is up ( I am not on social welfare 9 mnths previous to college), but I was wonderin as seen as I applied and it was accepted las yr but then didnt get it wud I be in the right to get it this yr instead?

Ooh you poor thing. It looks like a right mess and what I’m saying here please get double checked by your own local Job Facilitator. You can usually get in thouch with them through your local office or you can check this info with the the main BTEA office: Tel: 071 967 2616 or Locall:1890 927 999

Ok, as you accepted the grant you were taken off the DSP’s books while you did your course and so your SW claim lapsed.
BTEA is dependent on having an entitlement to a social welfare payment immediately before your course starts or re-starts. You would need to be getting a social welfare payment now in order to claim BTEA for the coming year as well as having a previous claim history of at least nine months duration that may be broken by periods of less than one year.
So from what you have outlined and an interpretation of the rules it looks unlikely that you would get the BTEA this year. However please get it checked out fully with DSP.

s08t wrote: »

Thanks in advance for any advice. and also wud I be in a position to get a rent allowance? Thanks.

This is an awkward one and almost seems to have different rules depending on what area you are in. I would definitely suggest you apply for it. Your local CWO should be able to advise you on it.

Hope this helps somewhat

s08t · 17-08-2012 12:59pm

Thanks so much Paperclip2. Ye id be uncertain now if id get the BTEA but will def look into it. I got under 3000 (2000 of fees) last yr as a grant, I just thot as a mature student having worked for the last 10 yrs id of been entitled to more.

I do have a previous claim history of 9months duration unbroken by periods of less than a year. but have not been recieving the SW since sept 2011. so when im not on the SW now it seems i wont be entitled to BTEA. Just seems funny people who are wrking part time thus getting the SW gets more of a grant than someone not in work. Thanks again will look into it.

patk72 · 21-08-2012 4:27pm

My partner just got refused her grant application for a level 7 degree course as she already has a level 8 degree but from 20 years ago, was wondering was there any way round this or is it that black and white. Her previous degree is not relevant to get a 'job' in this present envoirnment any advise appreciated.

paperclip2 · 21-08-2012 4:43pm

patk72 wrote: »

My partner just got refused her grant application for a level 7 degree course as she already has a level 8 degree but from 20 years ago, was wondering was there any way round this or is it that black and white. Her previous degree is not relevant to get a 'job' in this present envoirnment any advise appreciated.

You can appeal the decision but with all the cutbacks the rules are being enforced pretty rigorously.
Info on appeals here: http://www.cdvec.ie/getattachment/Student-Supports/Grants/SUSI-Appeals-Form---August-2012.pdf.aspx

ditzyfairy · 21-08-2012 4:53pm

patk72 wrote: »

My partner just got refused her grant application for a level 7 degree course as she already has a level 8 degree but from 20 years ago, was wondering was there any way round this or is it that black and white. Her previous degree is not relevant to get a 'job' in this present envoirnment any advise appreciated.

I had this problem last year, it's because it's a qualification that she already has or lower... you can only get it if your "upskilling" I don't think there's any way around it, i tried everything last year

patk72 · 21-08-2012 5:18pm

Many thanks to both paperclip and ditzyfairy. Your responses were appreciated:)

AsanteSamuel22 · 21-08-2012 5:34pm

Hi guys, just a quick question. I know that if you are applying for a course and it is not your first degree that you would be liable for full fees. Is this still true if this is your first course was NOT in Ireland? If you have not officially taken up a position on the CAO would you still be counted as having done a first degree? e.g Baechelor of Arts in an American University

paperclip2 · 22-08-2012 9:17am

AsanteSamuel22 wrote: »

Hi guys, just a quick question. I know that if you are applying for a course and it is not your first degree that you would be liable for full fees. Is this still true if this is your first course was NOT in Ireland? If you have not officially taken up a position on the CAO would you still be counted as having done a first degree? e.g Baechelor of Arts in an American University

Hi

Yes, unfortunately the Dept of Ed will only provide free fees for your first shot at a complete undergrad course. If you hold a qualification at the same or higher level than the one you are now going to do then its very unlikely you would get free fees or any grant support.
It doesn't matter where you did your initial qualification. The only loophole would be if your existing degree was assessed as being at a lower level than a comparable Irish qualification, e.g. if your course was considered comparable to a level 7 degree in Ireland then you could qualify for free fees etc for a one year 'top-up' course to bring it to a level 8 standard.

p38 · 23-08-2012 11:27am

Hi newbie here hope im posting in the correct thread? My question is i just finished a 2 year course with vtos where i received my full btea But it finished in june and i was signed off. I applied for third level and was excepted as a mature student but the problem is I am still waiting to hear from social welfare to see if I am entitled to anything and I dont know should I fill in the back to education form and send it in

confused:

ditzyfairy · 23-08-2012 11:43am

p38 wrote: »

I am still waiting to hear from social welfare to see if I am entitled to anything and I dont know should I fill in the back to education form and send it in confused:

fill it out and send it in, if you don't qualify there's nothing lost

paperclip2 · 23-08-2012 12:50pm

p38 wrote: »

Hi newbie here hope im posting in the correct thread? My question is i just finished a 2 year course with vtos where i received my full btea But it finished in june and i was signed off. I applied for third level and was excepted as a mature student but the problem is I am still waiting to hear from social welfare to see if I am entitled to anything and I dont know should I fill in the back to education form and send it in confused:

Hi I'm a bit confused. Were you on VTOS or BTEA because they are two separate things?

If you are going to college you should definitely send in the BTEA application form. If you are currently on Jobseekers you can't keep this payment and study so you have to apply for BTEA. To get BTEA for college you need nine months on a Social welfare payment and this can include time spent on VTOS or previous BTEA as long as you are now currently on Jobseekers.

Going back to College? Check here for Mature/Disabled/Access/Grant & Fees information

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