Second Chance Student Scheme

stivystivstiv

Hi all,

I am looking for information on the Second Chance Student Scheme, whereby students returning to college after at least a 5 year absense having previously failed to complete a course have their fees paid by the government.

I have read all the information at citizensinformation.ie and studentfinance.ie which isn't very much.

I seem to meet all the criteria as laid out on these sites and I have just received a letter offering me a place on yr1 of a 4yr degree course, along with a page detailing fee amounts (€6000+ per year) and a bank giro for fee payment.

I was wondering what my next port of call should be. Do I deal with the fees office in the University I've applied to, or do I need to apply to some other educational body i.e. the HEA or to my local governing authority.

Any advice especially from people who have successfully availed of this scheme would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
stiv.

Hi stiv,

You should contact both the Department of Education and your college. Your college should be contacted in order to let them know that you are a second chance student - it mightn't have been put on your form/student information, so they might be able to check for you. There's usually a date that you've to pay the fees by too, so letting them know early would be a good idea. I might be wrong, but I think the Dept. of Education would be able to let you know other details, and would confirm your eligibility for the scheme.

Hope it all goes well!

Dónal

motherfunker

If you qualify for the VEC grant you get your fees paid automatically but you still get sent the giro form. I'm a mature student, did a course in 2000 and was told I could get the grant if it was 5 years or more since the course. Nobody mentioned a secondchance scheme to me, this is the first I heard of it.

civis_liberalis

Sort of on the same subject...

I was in GMIT in 2002 but did not get past xmas. The following year I did another course in GMIT and soon realised I had made another mistake in choosing my course.

I have done a lot of research and have spoken to many students and lecturers and will be doing a course in GMIT in sept.

Basically it will have been 5 years since I attended college. I'm shítting it that I will be hit for fees and not get any grant and also be hit for registration.

To make things even more interesting, I'm currently unemployed. So, yay for me...

If you're unemployed check out the Back to Education Allowance Scheme.

If it's been over 5 years essentially you're grand for fees - you'll have them paid for you by the gov. If I am wrong (and I don't think so!) the very very worst situation would be that you would be only ineligible for fees & reg fee for the first half of the first year, and then you'd have the fees paid for you as normal. Same with grant, you could get it from the start of the second half of the year. The Council/VEC will be able to give more info on this.

Any links you're probably looking for would be available here.

So I don't think it's as bad as you might think. Congrats at deciding on going back to education, by the way

If there's anything else sure fire away.

Dónal

stivystivstiv

thanks all for the advice and encouragement.
I'll post back and let ye all know how i get on.
slán
stiv