Cost of College

tribble

Mods move this if you want - but the Edu/College board is VERY quiet so I'll provisionally stick it here.

I've just applied to do Computer Science through Arts in UCD.
I've been to college before (3 years in DIT Comp/Chem.) so I presume the government won't pay my fees this time round.
So I head over to the UCD website to look at the fees...

€5095 per year :eek:

I thought it might be half that, at most.

So few questions,

1. I only did 1st and 2nd year in DIT, does that mean the government will pay for year 3/4 this time?

2. Is there any way I can reduce the amount I will have to pay?

3. What's the cheapest source of finance for short (1-2 yr) loans?


tribble

uberwolf

1. yes, afaik you'll have 3 & 4 for gratis.

2. not to my knowledge

3. Credit Union for short term small sums, prob banks for larger longer terms

tribble

1. yes, afaik you'll have 3 & 4 for gratis.

Anyone confirm this or suggest who to ask?

2. not to my knowledge

Was afraid of this, but screw it, for a degree it's worth it.

tribble

seamus

Your previous course - was that a 3-year degree, or a non-completed course. If it's been more than 5 years since you failed to complete a third-level course, and you're 23 or over, the Government will pay for you to go to college all over again.

www.oasis.gov.ie

tribble

Your previous course - was that a 3-year degree, or a non-completed course. If it's been more than 5 years since you failed to complete a third-level course, and you're 23 or over, the Government will pay for you to go to college all over again.

Yup, failed but only last year

Cheers for the link.

Imposter

If you have gotten 2 years of fees previously you will be liable for those years of fees. You won't have to pay for years 3 and 4 (unless the free fees dissapear). I changed course midstream and this was the situation I found myself in. The same applies if you were getting a grant.

maxheadroom

But, fees are tax deductible at your highest rate of tax. Might not help you if you're not working full time, but if you got your parents to pay it and then claim it back, you could get up to 40(ish)% back, depending on their taxbracket..

(This only applies to fees, not the "student services charge")

tribble

Originally posted by maxheadroom
But, fees are tax deductible at your highest rate of tax. Might not help you if you're not working full time, but if you got your parents to pay it and then claim it back, you could get up to 40(ish)% back, depending on their taxbracket..

(This only applies to fees, not the "student services charge")

Had forgotten about this - yup with my savings money and the aul fellas tax back this might be closer to what i'd budgeted.

Cheers lads (any further comments welcome)

tribble

whosurpaddy

Originally posted by seamus
Your previous course - was that a 3-year degree, or a non-completed course. If it's been more than 5 years since you failed to complete a third-level course, and you're 23 or over, the Government will pay for you to go to college all over again.

www.oasis.gov.ie

sorry to hop onto your thread tribble, but have a question for seamus, ive done a degree already, and am starting to research doing a masters, does being a mature student (ie over 23) have any bearing on the fees i will be paying?

seamus

Originally posted by whosurpaddy
sorry to hop onto your thread tribble, but have a question for seamus, ive done a degree already, and am starting to research doing a masters, does being a mature student (ie over 23) have any bearing on the fees i will be paying?

Heh, this info is all new to me today too

[Edit: I lie. I was looking at the wrong page.

You are not eligible for free fees, but you are eligible to apply for a student grant (whether you get it is another story).

Repli

Why dont you try to complete the course you're in now? At the end of the day your goal is to get a degree. Employers dont care where you get it from once you have it. They also dont care a huge amount about the content of your course. Once you have proven you can work hard, you know how to learn, and you are committed to something then they will feel more confident employing you.

whosurpaddy

cheers man, ill dig a little deeper.

Blue Duck

You should talk to the college bank, for UCD its the AIB.
Or your own bank if different.
Thay tend to give ok interest rates if you are a student, and lower again if doing a post-grad.
Thay do however require you parent(s)/guardian to guarantee the loan.

In ref to the masters question.
If you are doing a taught one i.e lectures and a thesis you must pay fees generally starting at about 5 grand, but all depends on what one you chose.
If you are doing a research one, you are likely to get funding from your department, they may pay all or half of your fees and may also pay you.
If you have gotten a grant in college and now finished your degree, your local authority should pay your fees and continue your grant.

tribble

Originally posted by Repli
Why dont you try to complete the course you're in now? At the end of the day your goal is to get a degree. Employers dont care where you get it from once you have it. They also dont care a huge amount about the content of your course. Once you have proven you can work hard, you know how to learn, and you are committed to something then they will feel more confident employing you.

It was a dual degree (comp/chem).
I passed 80% of the subjects (Computers, Business, French and Maths) but...

1. I can't emphasise enough how much I hate chemistry.It was taking all my study time and I was still getting nowhere - I don't believe I could have passed it to the point I'd almost lost the will to live.
2. While the courses are solid Kevin street's a dump, the grafitti (sp?) in the jacks wasn't in pen like most places, it was in excrement pasted onto piss soaked fiberboard.
3. I wasn't mates with anyone in the year, this is my fault.

tribble

whosurpaddy

Originally posted by Blue Duck
In ref to the masters question.
If you are doing a taught one i.e lectures and a thesis you must pay fees generally starting at about 5 grand, but all depends on what one you chose.
If you are doing a research one, you are likely to get funding from your department, they may pay all or half of your fees and may also pay you.
If you have gotten a grant in college and now finished your degree, your local authority should pay your fees and continue your grant.

its most likely going to be a taught one. although i havent decided on a specific course yet im just starting to think about it and get an estimate of what id have to have saved for this time next year. i did get a grant while in college, and finished my degree a year ago. ill definitely look into it with the local authority . thats a mill Blue Duck

tribble

Originally posted by whosurpaddy
sorry to hop onto your thread tribble

Not at all - the more the merrier