Grant entitlements for Mature students

becah

Hey guys, my sister wants to return to college this september, she will be 25 when she goes back. She did her leaving cert in 2000, went to UCD to do a degree but really disliked it and dropped out, and didn't sit her first year exams.
Since then she has been workin, but now has decided that she wants to return to another college do a different course, she has enough points for the degree and has applyed through the CAO.

One major issue is that she will be supporting herself financially on her own, her job was not the best paying one and she is quite worried about financing four years in college. I want to help her as much as I can, as she really determined to go back.

What I would be interested in is finding out is what funding would she be entitled to, has anyone been in a similar sitaution?
Where does she find out her entitlements?
Will she have to pay fees as she dropped out?
When should she start applying for grants etc, providing she is applicable?

Thanks a million in advance!!!

becah

becah wrote:

Hey guys, my sister wants to return to college this september, she will be 25 when she goes back. She did her leaving cert in 2000, went to UCD to do a degree but really disliked it and dropped out, and didn't sit her first year exams.

Ok, first question - when did she drop out of UCD? Was it just coming up to the end of year exams, or half-way through? If it was close to half way through the year (i.e. at Christmas or possibly at January) then she should have filled out a form in UCD going through her tutor, someone in Student Services, or whatever it is called which just is for her to drop out of college. If she didn't submit a form, she will probably be eligible to pay one full year of college - but if she left around the middle of the year, she might only have to pay half a year's fees. If it's the second case (and didn't submit any form stating that she was withdrawing from UCD), tell her get on to UCD immediately.

Since then she has been workin, but now has decided that she wants to return to another college do a different course, she has enough points for the degree and has applyed through the CAO.

One major issue is that she will be supporting herself financially on her own, her job was not the best paying one and she is quite worried about financing four years in college. I want to help her as much as I can, as she really determined to go back.

What I would be interested in is finding out is what funding would she be entitled to, has anyone been in a similar sitaution?

There are several possible sources of funds which she could apply to. The first one is the Back to Education Allowance - there's a PDF document here which details the criteria. If it gets confusing, give the Dept. of Social & Family Affairs or your local Social Welfare Office a ring (LoCall Leaflet Line: 1890 20 23 25).

The second one would the the maintenance grant - since she is over 23, she can apply as a mature student. If she is living away from home and supporting herself, she can apply as a mature independent candidate and would be assessed solely on her and her spouse's income, if applicable (otherwise, if she still lives at home she would apply as a mature dependent candidate and would be assessed on her income, her parents income, and her spouse's income if it is applicable).

There are various levels of grant which you can apply for - the basic one is just to cover the registration fee (which is at around €800) while the highest level would be around €6,000.

However, because she has done one year, she may not be entitled for a grant for her first year of college (as it is technically classed as a 'repeat year' even if she is doing a different course!). The local authority are the people who can waive this requirement, so she will need to get in contact with them.

Where does she find out her entitlements?

There are a few websites - first one is the government's new shiny Citizens' Information website (linkee: here - Smashey/Karoma, if you're reading this, this link needs to replace the Oasis.gov.ie link in the resources ). I have a website myself which (tries) to explain some of the information she'll need to gather. Have a gander at it anyway (linkee: http://www.mygrant.ie/) as it might help in parts. My website hasn't been updated for 2006/7 yet (I'm studying!), so be warned about that.

Ignoring websites, the main people to talk to will be her local authority. Now, to apply for a grant you need to submit an application form by the 31st of August 2007 - but the application forms haven't even been thought up so far! Usually there's an announcement in June or so and you will have to contact your local County Council or VEC in order to get them to send you a form. The VECs (Vocational Education Committees) might be taking over all the application forms this year, but you'll hear about that. Last year, (generally) the Councils took all the University applications and the VECs took all the ITs applications but there are exceptions, ifs, buts, and other non-interesting parts to this.

(Karoma/Smashey, if the links aren't ok I don't mind them being removed)

Will she have to pay fees as she dropped out?

I've covered this above methinks. If the course is 4 years, she'll only pay 3. And if it's 3 years, she'll only pay 2 etc. That again depends on what I said above about when she dropped out.

When should she start applying for grants etc, providing she is applicable?

The deadline as I said is the 31st of August each year, but either way to be thinking about it in January is a good start! It will take an awful long time to get all she needs together (paperwork wise) so it would be worthwhile getting in contact with her local authority around May or June so that she knows what's going on.

If she runs into financial trouble during college, she can apply to her student services office for a bit of the Student Assistance Fund - basically each college has a certain amount to give to students who are facing hardship. It'll only be a small amount, but it's better to know as a just in case.

Oh, I almost forgot... the Department of Education & Science have a Student Support Unit, which can be helpful if you have a query about grants or anything else really. Their contact details are:

The Student Support Unit,
Department of Education and Science,
Portlaoise Road,
Tullamore,
Co. Offaly
Tel: (0506) 21363 or (01) 8734700
E-mail: StudentSupportUnit-Tullamore@education.gov.ie


Right, I think that's about it. If that didn't make much sense, apologies, I tend to feck up things while describing them.

smashey

Smashey/Karoma, if you're reading this, this link needs to replace the Oasis.gov.ie link in the resources

Done. Thanks Myth.

(Karoma/Smashey, if the links aren't ok I don't mind them being removed)

They're fine.

becah

Thanks so much for all that info, was really helpful, have printed out that reply and will tell her about the links, so hopefully we will be able to get our heads around it!

With regards to dropping out, as far as I know, she dropped out just before the summer exam period, about april/may, not too sure how she went about it, whether she compleated the relevant paper work etc., but will ask her. I do know that she has been on to UCD, as she needed soem info for her CAO, so will ask her about that.

Thanks again for all the help!

bat boy

Thanks for the excellent info myth. I'm in a similar situation as becahs sister, hoping to return to college this year as a mature student, i dropped out in my first year of a course a few years ago. Its very handy to get this info, good on you for setting up the website.

dvega

Myth wrote:

Ok, first question - when did she drop out of UCD? Was it just coming up to the end of year exams, or half-way through? If it was close to half way through the year (i.e. at Christmas or possibly at January) then she should have filled out a form in UCD going through her tutor, someone in Student Services, or whatever it is called which just is for her to drop out of college. If she didn't submit a form, she will probably be eligible to pay one full year of college - but if she left around the middle of the year, she might only have to pay half a year's fees. If it's the second case (and didn't submit any form stating that she was withdrawing from UCD), tell her get on to UCD immediately.
.


There are several possible sources of funds which she could apply to. The first one is the Back to Education Allowance - there's a PDF document here which details the criteria. If it gets confusing, give the Dept. of Social & Family Affairs or your local Social Welfare Office a ring (LoCall Leaflet Line: 1890 20 23 25).

The second one would the the maintenance grant - since she is over 23, she can apply as a mature student. If she is living away from home and supporting herself, she can apply as a mature independent candidate and would be assessed solely on her and her spouse's income, if applicable (otherwise, if she still lives at home she would apply as a mature dependent candidate and would be assessed on her income, her parents income, and her spouse's income if it is applicable).

There are various levels of grant which you can apply for - the basic one is just to cover the registration fee (which is at around €800) while the highest level would be around €6,000.

However, because she has done one year, she may not be entitled for a grant for her first year of college (as it is technically classed as a 'repeat year' even if she is doing a different course!). The local authority are the people who can waive this requirement, so she will need to get in contact with them.



There are a few websites - first one is the government's new shiny Citizens' Information website (linkee: here - Smashey/Karoma, if you're reading this, this link needs to replace the Oasis.gov.ie link in the resources ). I have a website myself which (tries) to explain some of the information she'll need to gather. Have a gander at it anyway (linkee: http://www.mygrant.ie/) as it might help in parts. My website hasn't been updated for 2006/7 yet (I'm studying!), so be warned about that.

Ignoring websites, the main people to talk to will be her local authority. Now, to apply for a grant you need to submit an application form by the 31st of August 2007 - but the application forms haven't even been thought up so far! Usually there's an announcement in June or so and you will have to contact your local County Council or VEC in order to get them to send you a form. The VECs (Vocational Education Committees) might be taking over all the application forms this year, but you'll hear about that. Last year, (generally) the Councils took all the University applications and the VECs took all the ITs applications but there are exceptions, ifs, buts, and other non-interesting parts to this.

(Karoma/Smashey, if the links aren't ok I don't mind them being removed)



I've covered this above methinks. If the course is 4 years, she'll only pay 3. And if it's 3 years, she'll only pay 2 etc. That again depends on what I said above about when she dropped out.



The deadline as I said is the 31st of August each year, but either way to be thinking about it in January is a good start! It will take an awful long time to get all she needs together (paperwork wise) so it would be worthwhile getting in contact with her local authority around May or June so that she knows what's going on.

If she runs into financial trouble during college, she can apply to her student services office for a bit of the Student Assistance Fund - basically each college has a certain amount to give to students who are facing hardship. It'll only be a small amount, but it's better to know as a just in case.

Oh, I almost forgot... the Department of Education & Science have a Student Support Unit, which can be helpful if you have a query about grants or anything else really. Their contact details are:

The Student Support Unit,
Department of Education and Science,
Portlaoise Road,
Tullamore,
Co. Offaly
Tel: (0506) 21363 or (01) 8734700
E-mail: StudentSupportUnit-Tullamore@education.gov.ie


Right, I think that's about it. If that didn't make much sense, apologies, I tend to feck up things while describing them.

Great info,goin back to college myself this year,exactly what i needed to know

JOJOC

Cheers Myth
Hoping to go back to college in Sept myself.
I did a PLC course about three years ago but I didnt apply for a grant then, if Im applying for one this time round will that affect whether i get one of not?

Thanks

JOJOC

JOJOC wrote:

Cheers Myth
Hoping to go back to college in Sept myself.
I did a PLC course about three years ago but I didnt apply for a grant then, if Im applying for one this time round will that affect whether i get one of not?

Thanks

It kinda depends whether you finished it or not. From here[DOC] it looks like you won't be able to get a grant if you have completed that level of training/learning before, but I don't really know the ins and outs of PLCs.

Best thing to do would be to contact your local VEC as they'd know more then I would in this situation. If you don't know who they are, there's a link to most of them in my other post.

Sad Professor

I'm no expert on grants but afaik if you've never applied for one before then they have no record of you so previous levels/courses you've taken shouldn't matter. In any case - in Co. Dublin VEC anyway - plc grants are a separate scheme to those provided for approved university courses. I may be mistaken however.

Yup, given that my interpretation does not matter since the VEC could interpret something completely different, s/he should definitely contact them to make sure.