entitlement to grant as mature student

uiscebeatha

Hey, i'm sorry if there is a thread on this already, I looked but I am technologically retarded.

Basially I just want advice on whether or not i would be entitled to a grant.

I graduated with my BA in 2007 and want to go back to do the dip in order to teach.

My parents have earned too much money for me to get a grant now, especially since none of my siblings are in education any more, and they told me (and rightly so) that once i graduated i was on my own.

I won't be a mature student until the 2010/2011 year, which is when only my own earnings matter, i believe, as i don't live at home.

I worked last year in Ireland and since September I've been teaching English in Germany, I plan to go to Asia next September teaching English until August 2010, when the plan is to come home and do the dip.

I know if I earn too much I won't be entitled to anything, but believe me, through no design of my own that has not been a problem as i only have part time hours (although last year I did earn and save a lot).

Does anybody know if I would be entitled to a grant by then, or would the fact that I'm out of state matter, ie. I'm not getting social welfare credits or anything.

I tried contacting my co. council but the person I spoke to didn't have a clue. Is there any suggestions for other places to contact and find out.

I know it's a long way off, but I want to organize my finances for travelling and decide whether i need a loan or not.

If anybody has any advice on how to find out whether or not i'll be entitled to a grant please help!

uiscebeatha

Hi uiscebeatha,

There are plans in the pipeline for changes to take place in the grant system to allow under 23 year old people who are independent of their parents to be assessed on their own income. From September/October it is hinted that it will be in place - but I haven't heard of any concrete proposals being agreed yet (but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened).

If this doesn't change this year then based on the present scheme you would be assessed on your income and your parents' income, so if this is over the threshold then you would not get the grant.

I'm a bit rusty on the grant scheme so I can't recall other aspects that you mentioned (being out of the country, for example, for the previous year). But I do know that if you are earning before you enter college and you then leave that job your income is taken as 0 (as you are applying under a change in circumstances) although if you are to be assessed on your parents income as well this still applies.

The best people to talk to would be... well, I'd have said your Council or VEC but if you aren't going anywhere with them it might be worth trying the Student Support Unit (+353 (0)57 9321363 or +353 (0)1 8734700 ) - they're run by the Dept. of Education. Alternatively you could try someone else in your Council as they might have more of a clue.

Best of luck with the next few months at any rate!

Dónal

uiscebeatha wrote: »

Hey, i'm sorry if there is a thread on this already, I looked but I am technologically retarded.

Basially I just want advice on whether or not i would be entitled to a grant.

I graduated with my BA in 2007 and want to go back to do the dip in order to teach.

My parents have earned too much money for me to get a grant now, especially since none of my siblings are in education any more, and they told me (and rightly so) that once i graduated i was on my own.

I won't be a mature student until the 2010/2011 year, which is when only my own earnings matter, i believe, as i don't live at home.

I worked last year in Ireland and since September I've been teaching English in Germany, I plan to go to Asia next September teaching English until August 2010, when the plan is to come home and do the dip.

I know if I earn too much I won't be entitled to anything, but believe me, through no design of my own that has not been a problem as i only have part time hours (although last year I did earn and save a lot).

Does anybody know if I would be entitled to a grant by then, or would the fact that I'm out of state matter, ie. I'm not getting social welfare credits or anything.

I tried contacting my co. council but the person I spoke to didn't have a clue. Is there any suggestions for other places to contact and find out.

I know it's a long way off, but I want to organize my finances for travelling and decide whether i need a loan or not.

If anybody has any advice on how to find out whether or not i'll be entitled to a grant please help!

onemorechance

You do not need to tell them about being out of state. When you apply for 2010/2011, they will want your income for 2009. Your income, especially if it is part-time and only up to september, should keep you below the threshold for receiving the grant, around 30K. Also, get some proof, such as ESB bill that you are living on your own, and outside of a certain distance from the college (to get higher non-adjacent rate). If your income is lower than, around 15k, you will qualify for the top-up grant, which will pretty much double your grant from 3500 to 7000.

As Dónal said, if the change of circumstances apllies to you, you should be all set.

uiscebeatha

Thanks for the advice.

Prooving i live alone is no problem, as in Germany you have to register your address and details with the local citizens office/townhall when you move in and I have lots of bills, etc. Only thing is that everthing is in German....

The only other thing is that by the time I apply I won't live in Germany, I don't know where I'll live, and I use my parents address for post in Ireland, though I haven't actually lived with them since 2004. But I assume I'll have another address somewhere when I am applying so I'll use that, wherever it is.

I definately won't earn anything in the region of 30K this year. Wages in general are a lot lower here (though so is cost of living).

Thank you so much for your information, it's been a great help.

One more thing... can you recommend any websites with information on this?

http://www.studentfinance.ie was set up by the HEA and has most of the info you'll need, also your individual Council/VEC website should have some helpful info!

uiscebeatha

Thanks a million, That's great!

Pyjamarama

This whole area is really complicated, I was abroad last year and plan to go back to college this year and it does make things more awkward!

I know they have or are changing the rule that you have to be living in Ireland the year before you attend college (the tax year you are assessed for). Now I think it is that you have to be living in Ireland for 1 of the last 3 years.

You did need to have proof of another address outside your parents to be considered independent. This used to involve a signed alpha david from your landlord. I'm not sure of the details now given the new 1 in 3 years so I'm not sure how that will effect you if you were living abroad.

Good luck!

uiscebeatha

well, my biggest fear at the moment is that all the grants will be cut completely, or stopped for postgrads, or something by 2010!!

from what I've read I will have a problem if I'm not in the country as I'll need to prove I was resident at August of the year before....

It's hardly worth going back home for a year beforehand as I would most likely end up on the dole for a year if I can't get a job in a language school, as I'm unlikely to get a job subbing in a school like before with all the new cuts in education

Abstract Prude

i returned to university in 2005 as a mature student and father and was unable to get the full maintenance grant as i had been living in sweden the previous year. the situation remains the same as each year i am assessed on where i was living in october 2004! this is insane and i am seriously feeling the burn as my bills pile up! thank christ im finished in a few months.
i hope things work out better for you!

freddie777

Hi uiscebeatha,
I think u may hit problems with proof of address as you are out of the country...theres something about being a resident in the local authority/council area at the time you are being assessed on. Trust me, they will find every loophole possible to not approve you.
I returned to college in sept 2009 doing postgrad as mature student and because I changed address in february 2009 and I was being assessed on October 2008 I have been refused.
If you give the higher education authority a call they should be able to help you with regards to what you will and will not qualify for. I found them the only crowd who had any notion of what they were talking about. Citizens information aswell can be good enough, depending on who answers the phone
Best of luck anyway

AirmidOg

Hi,
Uiscebeatha I'm in somewhat of a similar situation as you. I graduated with my MA in 2007 then left the country for a year. I returned in January of 2008 and I've been working full time and living independent of my parents since. I've just been offered a place in UCD for the dip but the whole grant system totally confuses me.

I called my local county council yesterday and they're totally in the dark as they don't know until the Summer what cut backs are going to apply. It's all up in the air still.

Also can anyone shed any light on why they want me to claim my boyfriends income aswell?? Am I better off not mentioning him I don't see how it's relevant de facto relationships aren't recognised in Ireland are they?

jano1

You could ring the Dept of Education for further information but on their studentfinance.ie website it seems you can not get a grant as you have already completed a postgraduate course:

"You are eligible to apply for a grant if you meet either of the following conditions:

• I am entering an approved postgraduate course* for the first time in the 2009/10 academic year
  
  OR

• I am entering an approved postgraduate course* in 2009/10 to complete it (for the first time) after a break of one year or more, having previously entered an approved course.
  

*Approved under either the Higher Education Grants Scheme or the Vocational Education Committee Scholarship Scheme."