SUSI refusal, opinions please

Hey,
I'm looking for some opinions and help here so I apologise if this is a bit long winded and complicated, bare with me here.


In 2006 I started but didn't finish a full time course in GMIT (level 7) but as that was well over 5 years ago it shouldn't have mattered to this.


I applied for college and SUSI last year. I got accepted by SUSI but but didn't get a course so I emailed SUSI to cancel my application with them. No problems with that.


So then I signed up a part time pre-university diploma course in NUIG (level 6) last September which I completed and passed, wahoo for me.


So this year SUSI have gone and refused my application. I assumed this was because of the course I did in 2006 as the letter they sent me gave a long winded, complicated explanation which didn't actually tell me what exactly they were refusing me on. It said something about previous course I had done but didn't say which one.


So I emailed SUSI requesting a review based on the fact it had been over 5 years since the GMIT course in 2006 and I should be second chance student. So I literally just found the reply they sent me a few weeks ago in my spam folder. I know I should checked my spam folder already but it never entered my head to look there.


Right so here is the main part of the email they sent me,

"As you have previously done a Diploma in Foundation Studies - Science, Engineering and I.T (DFS1) 2013/2014.

You have not had a 5 year break in your studies. The rule in Susi is an applicant who has attended a course but did not get a qualification may apply for a different course after 5 years. The applicant cannot have a qualification at the same level of the new course. The break in study must be a minimum of 5 years and is for any courses.
If the applicant has a qualification, regardless of when they got the qualification, if they want to return to college it must be at a higher level then the qualification they have received."


Now I'm confused, the course I did last year was a level 6 and the course I applied for this year is a level 8 so by that fact alone, sending me the above email makes no sense. From my reading of it, if my new course is at a higher level to the one I have just done, then I should be eligible. I have never spent any time on a level 8 course in my entire life so regardless of what I have done in the past, this year will be a progression, right???


I cant see what information I sent SUSI so I cant remember what I told them, I didn't lie about anything but there is always a chance I made a mistake where giving information about what I did last year. I may have put down level 7 instead of level 6 for the course I completed last year but I seriously doubt I would have put down level 8. So if I had made that mistake, going from level 7 to level 8 would still be progression, right??


Because of the time lost due to the spam folder incident, I think I have only a week to make an official appeal to the appeals officer so I could use some opinions here.


Can I ask for a "request review" more than once or has that particular ship sailed? Is the appeals officer the next step?


I have already printed out the appeals form so I will be ringing SUSI in the morning to see what they say but do you guys think I am right in my assumption about my new course being a progression from last year and therefore I should be eligible?


Does it make sense to you guys to use the above "progression" as my reason for appeal to the appeals officer?


BTW, I got my course in NUIG and have already accepted so if SUSI don't help me I'm up a particular creek with any method of propulsion.


I'm sorry for the long post, hope no ones head hurts after reading