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Postgraduate financial assistance

  • 30-01-2008 1:55pm
    #1
    The Saint
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,932 ✭✭✭


    Hello there good people. I hope some of you might be able to help me with my inquiry. I have recently been awarded my degree in International Studies from the Open University. I am now curently putting together applications for full time MA courses in UL and UCC. I did the OU degree part time while working. I have been working for the last 10 years in Dublin full time and plan to leave my work to study full time. I am from Limerick and my family is there.

    What I am concerned about is how I am to support myself for the year of doing the MA. Am I entitled to any financial support for the duration of the course. I've been told that since I've been in employment I will not be entitled to anything. Is this true? It seems a bit strange that the government would want to discourage people from undertaking futher study in this way.

    So good people of Boards, can anyone help me out with this?
    Cheers.


Comments

  • #2
    Esmereldina
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 444 ✭✭Esmereldina


    The Saint wrote: »
    Hello there good people. I hope some of you might be able to help me with my inquiry. I have recently been awarded my degree in International Studies from the Open University. I am now curently putting together applications for full time MA courses in UL and UCC. I did the OU degree part time while working. I have been working for the last 10 years in Dublin full time and plan to leave my work to study full time. I am from Limerick and my family is there.

    What I am concerned about is how I am to support myself for the year of doing the MA. Am I entitled to any financial support for the duration of the course. I've been told that since I've been in employment I will not be entitled to anything. Is this true? It seems a bit strange that the government would want to discourage people from undertaking futher study in this way.

    So good people of Boards, can anyone help me out with this?
    Cheers.

    Local Authority grants are means tested. I would be very surprised if eligibility had anything to do with whether you had been employed or not. I don't know much about them apart from that, so hopefully someone else will jump in at some point with reams of helpful information for ya ;)


  • #3
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 16,720 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Employment is indeed nothing to do with grants - although it is something to do with the Back to Education Allowance (as is lack of employment!). The level of your income does matter, but since your income will be dropping with your taking up of a course full-time, you can apply for a grant under a 'change in circumstances'.

    The best thing to do would be to have a read yourself on what's available. There's some information in my signature, as well as on http://www.studentfinance.ie/. There's many ifs and buts and maybes involved in the applying for a grant, but if you've any questions feel free to ask and I'm sure myself or someone else will do our best to help.

    One other thing - you should enquire in the college about any possible scholarships that might be available. You never know what's out there.


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