Mature Student grant, living with parent.

Mabillon

Sorry for starting yet another grant thread but here goes:

I have a degree and a h.dip. I feel it would probably be in my best interests career wise to do a masters and I have been offered a place.

However I was on the BTEA for both the degree and the H.dip, and this was absolutely peachy. I didn't have to work and I did really well in both courses.

As you know the BTEA does not cover a Masters degree. I have never applied for a grant. It seems a grant would be the only source of funding I might obtain

I am currently living with my father. My mother is deceased. Although I am now well over 23, it still seems they will want my father's p21 or whatever. I know he will flat out refuse to disclouse any financial details with me(why should he, given my age), and even so he probably makes more than the 38K a year cut off.

Is there anything I can do? Is it written in stone that the council will not entertain any sort of discussion that one's parent will not give personal finanical documents?

I hate to say this, but could I say I was actually living at a different address, say a friends?

I would really like to a Masters, but finances would be a problem. A bank loan might suffice but again, father refuses to guarantee loans. (He mistakeingly thinks that if he guarantees one load, I can keep getting fresh loans without his permission, stupid i know but there's no telling him).

So i take it there's no hope of getting a grant?

Thanks.

Mabillon

Mabillon wrote: »

Sorry for starting yet another grant thread but here goes:

Hey, no bother. Sure the forum is here to be filled!

I have a degree and a h.dip. I feel it would probably be in my best interests career wise to do a masters and I have been offered a place.

However I was on the BTEA for both the degree and the H.dip, and this was absolutely peachy. I didn't have to work and I did really well in both courses.

As you know the BTEA does not cover a Masters degree. I have never applied for a grant. It seems a grant would be the only source of funding I might obtain

I am currently living with my father. My mother is deceased. Although I am now well over 23, it still seems they will want my father's p21 or whatever. I know he will flat out refuse to disclouse any financial details with me(why should he, given my age), and even so he probably makes more than the 38K a year cut off.

Is there anything I can do? Is it written in stone that the council will not entertain any sort of discussion that one's parent will not give personal finanical documents?

I've said this to a few people, there have been cases where people have been assessed as being independent even if they were under 23 - but these are few and far between. There are no set guidelines when it comes to getting the Council to agree to something like this, and I can't give any advise on how to do so because ultimately it can be seen as fraud. The only thing I can really advise is to discuss with the Council the difficulties you are having to see if something can be worked out.

I hate to say this, but could I say I was actually living at a different address, say a friends?

I would really like to a Masters, but finances would be a problem. A bank loan might suffice but again, father refuses to guarantee loans. (He mistakeingly thinks that if he guarantees one load, I can keep getting fresh loans without his permission, stupid i know but there's no telling him).

So i take it there's no hope of getting a grant?

Thanks.

Again, I'm afraid I can't necessarily talk about the possibility of living at a different address. It may work, it may not. I'm sorry for coming down heavy on this but there are high penalties involved for anyone assisting anyone else defrauding the government (including the getting of grants under false circumstances).

The only possibility on this would be to meet with your Council to discuss how you are basically stalemated by both their rules and your father's unwillingless to help.

On the point of a bank loan, perhaps could you get someone you know from a bank to chat to him about it?

jazzyobrien

Mabillon wrote: »

Sorry for starting yet another grant thread but here goes:

I have a degree and a h.dip. I feel it would probably be in my best interests career wise to do a masters and I have been offered a place.

However I was on the BTEA for both the degree and the H.dip, and this was absolutely peachy. I didn't have to work and I did really well in both courses.

As you know the BTEA does not cover a Masters degree. I have never applied for a grant. It seems a grant would be the only source of funding I might obtain

I am currently living with my father. My mother is deceased. Although I am now well over 23, it still seems they will want my father's p21 or whatever. I know he will flat out refuse to disclouse any financial details with me(why should he, given my age), and even so he probably makes more than the 38K a year cut off.

Is there anything I can do? Is it written in stone that the council will not entertain any sort of discussion that one's parent will not give personal finanical documents?

I hate to say this, but could I say I was actually living at a different address, say a friends?

I would really like to a Masters, but finances would be a problem. A bank loan might suffice but again, father refuses to guarantee loans. (He mistakeingly thinks that if he guarantees one load, I can keep getting fresh loans without his permission, stupid i know but there's no telling him).

So i take it there's no hope of getting a grant?

Thanks.

I have the solution and i`ve been in similar circumstances...email me jazzyobrien@gmail.com

Cainer

Sorry to hijack your thread Mabillion, but my brother is in a similar situation and I would love to be able to help him.

Basically he's a mature student living at home with my mother who is on a FAS community employment scheme so he should be entitled to the Higher Education Grant. He has everything in order for the grant apart from my mother’s P21.

This is where it becomes complicated. My mother and father are separated but their taxes are still calculated together. My father is self employed so he can’t provide a P21.

My mother has provided a separation affidavit to prove the separation and all they can give her in the tax office is a balancing statement for the year ending 2006, which is obviously no use!

The VEC has been of very little help so I would welcome all suggestions.

Cainer

Cainer

Cainer wrote: »

Sorry to hijack your thread Mabillion, but my brother is in a similar situation and I would love to be able to help him.

Basically he's a mature student living at home with my mother who is on a FAS community employment scheme so he should be entitled to the Higher Education Grant. He has everything in order for the grant apart from my mother’s P21.

This is where it becomes complicated. My mother and father are separated but their taxes are still calculated together. My father is self employed so he can’t provide a P21.

My mother has provided a separation affidavit to prove the separation and all they can give her in the tax office is a balancing statement for the year ending 2006, which is obviously no use!

The VEC has been of very little help so I would welcome all suggestions.

Cainer

Hrm, that does sound quite complicated, sorry to hear it. I wouldn't know where to start in circumstances like this, so the only people I can advise you go to would be the Student Support Unit - they were set up by the Dept. of Education to deal with queries related to the grant scheme/fees/whathaveyou, so they may be able to advise you accordingly.

The Student Support Unit
Department of Education and Science
Portlaoise Road
Tullamore
IRELAND
Tel:
+353 (0)57 9321363 or +353 (0)1 8734700

Email:
StudentSupportUnit-Tullamore@education.gov.ie

Cainer

Myth wrote: »

Hrm, that does sound quite complicated, sorry to hear it. I wouldn't know where to start in circumstances like this, so the only people I can advise you go to would be the Student Support Unit - they were set up by the Dept. of Education to deal with queries related to the grant scheme/fees/whathaveyou, so they may be able to advise you accordingly.

Thanks Myth, I'll pass that information on to him.

jazzyobrien

Cainer wrote: »

Thanks Myth, I'll pass that information on to him.

please email rather than using boards i can help

lorribmw

sorry to keep this going but i am in the same suitation my dad is just at retirement age and he refuses to give me his employment details,(as said can you blame him) as i am 27.

as far as i can see if you have a child or a few kids you get on much better no wonder so may young girls are havin kids they get their house, money and if they want to go back to college they get full grant.

i am recieving job seekers benefit cause i was let off from work the girl in the fas office said i would be entitled to full grant but how wrong was she

once again sorry

Mabillon

It's closing date tomorrow and I'm just banging in the application form, complete with a typed letter by myself explaining my situation - that my father refuses to hand over any personal financial information. I know the council will ignore it - they must get plenty of "sob stories" included with the grant applications every year.
Still, I'd better try anyway.
I've never got the grant for any stage of my education.

It's annoying though, the dole office doesn't assess you on your parent's income when you're over 25 (or 26 maybe) so why should the grant office? They're both government.
Do they think your parents still give you pocket money?

ontour

Do people over 23 not living at home have to provide parents income? What do you need as proof that you weren't living at home?