Mature student - Grants and allowances

sammylouth

Hi All,
I was just wondering if anyone could answer a few questions for me regarding grants and allowances.
I have been offered a place in the Hdip in UCD.
I am currently working and I am going to leave work to go back and study.
I am married with 2 kids.
I was just wondering could anyone tell me what I would be entitled to or where to go to find out what I am entitled to.

Thanks.
Sammy

sammylouth

sammylouth wrote: »

Hi All,

Afternoon Sammy,

I was just wondering if anyone could answer a few questions for me regarding grants and allowances.
I have been offered a place in the Hdip in UCD.
I am currently working and I am going to leave work to go back and study.
I am married with 2 kids.
I was just wondering could anyone tell me what I would be entitled to or where to go to find out what I am entitled to.

Thanks.
Sammy

Sure thing. I assume the HDip is a full-time course for a year or so? Grant are, at present, only given out to those students pursuing full-time courses. For part-time courses you should look at tax relief (as well as full-time).

If you're married both your income and your spouse's income will be taken into account. But since you'll be leaving your job you can take your income as 0 and your spouse's as the limit (it gets a bit more complicated but that's the gist of it!) There are income limits to be adhered to but they haven't been decided for this year yet, although you can have a look at some of the links in my signature for last year's figures.

As for where you would go to find out, well for this year it will be your Council and/or your local VEC who will be administering the scheme. The best thing to do would be to ring them up to go through the scheme, but as I said above you can have a look at some of the information available on the internet (in my sig) as a starter.

If there's anything more specific feel free to ask! It's difficult to go into detail without more information.

Dónal

sammylouth

Thanks very much for that information Donal.

If there's anything else feel free to ask - if I can't help someone else probably can, or you'll be pointed to the right place to find out!

lenburtle

hi Donal, i seen your response to sammy's question. i was wondering if you could help me, im about to embark on a college course in DBL (dublin buisness school).
im currently unemployed, but i will be starting a new job as an outreach worker with a company contracted be the HSE.
my query is also in relation to grants or funds??
the course is an evening degree programme. i did contac my local citizens info centre. she said i was not entitled to anything as its part time, however i have been told by others(none qualified to say its right or wrong) that there are still funding or grants available under certain conditions???? do you know of any lead i can take to find out morw on this?
so a quick recap
im currently unemployed since june 09.(in receipt of job seeker allowance)
ive applied and been offered a place on an evening (ba hons)degree programme.
when garda vetting/hse training has been completed, i will be working 20hrs per week as an outreach worker.
i live 30 miles from the college.
im single with no kids.
i know this is very long winded, and maybe not very explainitory, but if you feel like responding to this, id love to hear any words or wisdom/direction.
thanks in advance,
K

gemmabella

I would like to go to study in Italy but i cant seem to find out if its possible to get a grant to pay your fees if you study abroad I know they pay your fees in Ireland but how can I make it happen abroad?? Does anyone know or if its possible to become''exempt'' from fees??