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

abceire

Cheers paper, I think it's just for a few days a week over xmas, the extra cash will be very handy, my clothes are getting a bit thread bare. Cool !

bri007

Just quick question paperclip. Can a mature student get the dole in the summer if they aren't in receipt of the back to education? Does this matter do you know

paperclip2 wrote: »

Yes, you can get it for the summer period if you qualify

paperclip2

bri007 wrote: »

Just quick question paperclip. Can a mature student get the dole in the summer if they aren't in receipt of the back to education? Does this matter do you know

This is what the DSP say re students and Jobseekers on their website:

Students
....
Third-level students cannot claim Jobseeker's Allowance or Benefit while they are studying full-time. This disqualification also applies to the summer holiday periods between academic years (unless you are a mature student). However once you have finished college permanently you can claim a jobseeker's payment if you cannot find work. This is also the case if you leave college without finishing your course.

http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/1057_Jobseekers-Allowance.aspx

So if you are a mature applicant you might be able to claim. You should certainly apply anyway.

abceire

Christmas work? I'm getting btea, I've got 7 days Christmas work, weekends, do I just do the usual, give the job my last p45, bring tax credit cert?
The tax cert was issues during the summer when I found 2.5 months work at landscaping. So will I need a new tax cert now I on BTEA?
Do I need to let BTEA people know I'm working or anything like that?

abceire

General advice sought on the above.

grasshopper1

That's a really hard one to answer. If it's cash in hand mmm. If you're helping out a friend or family, and they throw a few bob your way mmm. On the dole official page: they guarantee to renew your dole immediately once your p/t work has finished. If you give the 7-day job your p45, then you must inform the dole.

grasshopper

abceire

But I'm not on the dole I'm on BTEA . As far as I know you can work and get the BTEA once you are still time student. I am still on my full time course. Just wondered do I need to let anyone know or anything?

grasshopper1

I understand, you're on BTEA. --For me it's inter-changeable because, in Summer it's the Dole, but once we're back in college it's BTEA. As I say it's a hard one. It might be best to ring up your local Social Welfare office and check with them -- you don't have to give your name. It's better to be safe than sorry.

grasshopper1

grasshopper1

Found this from the Dept. of Social Protection: "If you are unemployed, parenting alone or have a disability and are getting certain payments from the Department of Social Protection, you may attend a second-or third-level education course and get the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA). You can work part-time without affecting your BTEA payment".

grasshopper

paperclip2

However in the summer you will be on Jobseekers, possibly so the regulations concerning Jobseekers will more than likely apply.

grasshopper1

Of course. According to the S.W. homepage, it's only when you are on BETA can you also work

grasshopper

abceire

Thank you, I've not done anything bar do the job and give all the details to the company they asked for. I've not said anything to the BTEA.

choufleur

HI Guys

I want to go back to college this september, currently working part-time getting the xs and os. Dropped out in 07 and want to do a different course this time.

So want to know if I'd get the bted, free fees or suis for the year. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Or anyone could point me in the right direction to get all my questions answered.

Maldesu

You'd have to be on the dole for 9 months for the BTEA (Think its 234 days) - assuming you don't have a degree already. You could be entitled to second chance 'free fees' as you have been out of education for 5+ years and don't have a degree. You'd still have to pay the Student Contribution Charge but you can apply to SUSI for that, but I'm not sure of their current rules on incomes.

grasshopper1

Hiya, I would check very carefully if you are eligible for "free fees". It would depend on many points, what year you dropped out, if you arranged with the uni on when you would return, etc., I would check with the uni you want to go to. But do your research first.

grasshopper

sparkthatbled

I'm putting my documents together this evening to post tomorrow to
CAO. Anyone know if i need some kind of cover letter or anything in there?

paperclip2

sparkthatbled wrote: »

I'm putting my documents together this evening to post tomorrow to
CAO. Anyone know if i need some kind of cover letter or anything in there?

No, not really as long as you have your name and CAO number on everything that's enough. If you are a mature applicant have you included a personal statement, (assuming you need one for the courses you've chosen)?

sparkthatbled

paperclip2 wrote: »

No, not really as long as you have your name and CAO number on everything that's enough. If you are a mature applicant have you included a personal statement, (assuming you need one for the courses you've chosen)?

Yeah I have 4 different personal statements going in. I have a header on each saying what it's for.

paperclip2

sparkthatbled wrote: »

Yeah I have 4 different personal statements going in. I have a header on each saying what it's for.

Errr...it says in the current handbook on page 14 in large type that you provide a single, overall personal statement.

What could happen with your 4 is that all of them will be sent to each college you've applied for.

grasshopper1

sparkthatbled wrote: »

I'm putting my documents together this evening to post tomorrow to
CAO. Anyone know if i need some kind of cover letter or anything in there?

Whatever you do, Make Sure that you have copies of ALL originals. I have heard horror stories about documents.

Yes, write a cover letter detailing exactly what documents you are sending to them, and make a copy of that letter. Get the post office to give you a date of postage or something like that. KEEP copies
grasshopper1

Bouncy11

Hello jus hav a few questions about cao entry. I qualify for mature student also qualify for disablity route and am currently doing a fetac course. So I've seen that having all three can help individually for some people but just interested to know which I would fall under ? As this whole thing is abit over my head.
Thanks

grasshopper1

First check with the school/college you want to attend. Check online for citizeninformation, they have all the information and talk with with Social Welfare. Remember travel takes up a lot of your allowance.

Just take your time and over the next few months and get all the information you need. Then when the time comes to apply to SUSI you'll have everything ready to start your new journey

grasshopper1

paperclip2

Bouncy11 wrote: »

Hello jus hav a few questions about cao entry. I qualify for mature student also qualify for disablity route and am currently doing a fetac course. So I've seen that having all three can help individually for some people but just interested to know which I would fall under ? As this whole thing is abit over my head.
Thanks

The DARE route is only for students under 23 who are applying on the basis of a Leaving Cert so if you have MS status that's not an option for you.

You can apply both as a Mature applicant and on the basis of FETAC. Its done automatically as long as you complete the relevant portions of the application form.

Bouncy11

paperclip2 wrote: »

The DARE route is only for students under 23 who are applying on the basis of a Leaving Cert so if you have MS status that's not an option for you.

Ahh crap skipped over that part & have submitted forms for it in all!
Thanks for reply

CBDexia

Hey guys I was hoping someone could give me some advice.
I went to uni back in 2007 and dropped out in 2009 without a degree. I received a student grant those two years and when I dropped out I didn't notify the university I just never returned.
This year or next I am hoping to go to college as a mature student starting over in year one so I know I am not entitled to a student grant the first two years but what I am wondering is if I'm entitled to any help. I am working at the moment so I won't be entitled to btea and you can't draw job seekers for the academic year.
If I can't get a weekend job is their any other aid I can claim for or am I on my own?
Does any one know about the fee grant?

paperclip2

CBDexia wrote: »

Hey guys I was hoping someone could give me some advice.
I went to uni back in 2007 and dropped out in 2009 without a degree. I received a student grant those two years and when I dropped out I didn't notify the university I just never returned.
This year or next I am hoping to go to college as a mature student starting over in year one so I know I am not entitled to a student grant the first two years but what I am wondering is if I'm entitled to any help. I am working at the moment so I won't be entitled to btea and you can't draw job seekers for the academic year.
If I can't get a weekend job is their any other aid I can claim for or am I on my own?
Does any one know about the fee grant?

If its 5 full years since you left college and as long as you didn't get a qualification at any level while there your free fee and grant eligibility may be re-instated under the 2nd chance rule for mature students.
You would need to check with your original college as to the exact date they took you off their books and get a letter from them to that effect. This is the start date for the 5 year period.

Apart from BTEA and the maintenance grant there is no other state support for fulltime education.

To get the registration fee grant from SUSI you would still need to be at least 5 years out of education.

FatherFrost

Just realised I have to reapply to the CAO by tomorrow, for a deferred mature student spot in a NUI Maynooth course. Can I just blaze through it and just put in info like name address etc, and stick in that I'm just reapplying for deferred spot and pay the €40?

Or do I have to fill out everything again about qualifications, work and so on, also I don't have to mail in old leaving certs and the likes do I, seeing as I got accepted last year for going through that process for the mature spot?

Thanks

paperclip2

FatherFrost wrote: »

Just realised I have to reapply to the CAO by tomorrow, for a deferred mature student spot in a NUI Maynooth course. Can I just blaze through it and just put in info like name address etc, and stick in that I'm just reapplying for deferred spot and pay the €40?

Or do I have to fill out everything again about qualifications, work and so on, also I don't have to mail in old leaving certs and the likes do I, seeing as I got accepted last year for going through that process for the mature spot?

Thanks

Page 5 of the CAO book says you have to send in all the documentation again which seems a bit mad to me. I'd give Maynooth a quick ring to see if you really have to go to the rounds of sending copies of certs and personal statements again.
If you do have to submit these you still have seven days from submitting your CAO application to get this stuff in.

CAO Handbook page 5:

Deferral Procedure: (B) Taking up a deferral:

In order to take up a deferred place, you must :

• Re-apply through CAO in the succeeding year and pay the appropriate application fee;
  
• Place the deferred course as your only preference on the application form;
  
• Indicate your deferral by ticking the deferred place indicator box on your application.

It is important to read the letter granting you the deferred place for further instructions.

You will breach the conditions of your deferred place if you enter more than the single deferred course code on your application. In that event, you will forfeit the guaranteed place and enter the competition for places in the normal way.

When reapplying in the succeeding year, you must complete an application FULLY. In other words, you must include again any documentation, etc., which you provided with the original application.

steve7448

Hey there sorry this is troubling me if anyone can help.
Hoping to go back to college in september coming 2014 to maynooth doing accounting,
I am 30yrs old
I have enough cao points to get my course but missed out on mature student deadline 1/02/14
Have been claiming jobs seekers since september 19 2013.
Have 1 child and live with my partner she is a primary teacher and were renting a house

Have looked on welfare, all forums, rang social office, rang cao, rang susi, and keep going around in circles no one can give me an answer. Hope you's can help....

- Can i still apply as a mature student since feburary deadline is now over or would i be better of going through cao route.
- Am i entitled to Back to education allowance (BTEA) when college starts in september.
- Would it be more benefical for me to apply for local council grants instead of BTEA
- If i go through cao route can i still claim the Back to education allowance.
- If im eligible for BTEA do i still have to pay fees


Thank you all for your responces in advance

Mr.Saturn

Not able to answer all questions, but you can opt for mature and LC points route once you tick the relevant boxes on the CAO form; if you don't get in on mature entry, then you're in the running on points and vice-versa.

As for the BTEA requirement you'd have to have been on JSA for roughly nine-months prior to applying for it, so it doesn't seem like a goer. There is a maintenance grant available via SUSI, though these specifics of it are beyond me.

If you've never attended 3rd level before, or dropped out, it's free-fees and SUSI will pay the student contribution charge once you qualify. BTEA and fees are independent of one another, though getting the former will rule you out of getting the maintenance grant.