in a pickle and confused about my status!

forgetfulgirl

hello,

ive read so many websites and im still confused about grant stuff. Im 21, final year arts student and want to do a masters next year. My parents have supported me but come may im on my own. Ill be moving out, renting on my own, hopefully have a summer job. Basically independant. I did not qualify for a grant as an under grad but since ill be on my own for postgrad, do i qualify?

Ive been on the student finance website and all i can find is that im considered living with my parents until im 23 even if im not?

i have student loans as it is and really hoped a grant would let me further my education and now im stumped. if i was on the dole this summer would it increase my chances of getting a grant as it would be proof im not getting any help from my parents?

sorry for such a long post, but theres no point applying for a masters if i cant afford to do it.

cheers

At present, you can't be assessed on your own income if you're under 23. However, this incredibly stupid rule has been talked about being changed recently, with 2009/10 academic year being the timeframe mentioned often. So at the moment, no. But keep an eye on http://www.studentfinance.ie/ as well as in the papers (And here!) for updates on this, since it was discussed to come in this year.

Síle28

I will be doing my PGDE in sept if I get a place, fingers crossed! I will be living alone and not working as it's a fulltime course. I'm 28 so surely I can be considered independent, how do I go about seeing if I get a grant? My only money will be very small amount borrowed that I will have to pay back when I finish.

Síle28

Síle28 wrote: »

I will be doing my PGDE in sept if I get a place, fingers crossed! I will be living alone and not working as it's a fulltime course. I'm 28 so surely I can be considered independent, how do I go about seeing if I get a grant? My only money will be very small amount borrowed that I will have to pay back when I finish.

Your status on whether you're independent or not depends on where you were living the 1st October the year before you enter college, so if you were entering college in September 2009 it would depend where you were living on the 1st October 2008. If you were living with your parents, you'd be 'dependent' on them. If you were living away from them (and could prove it), you'd be assessed independently.

(note that the grant system is subject to change this year in particular)

forgetfulgirl

if there has been any updates about this rule? thanks for any info

Just looking up the regulations now, they don't appear to have been updated yet unfortunately - your local Council/VEC would have more readily available information though, so it might be best to contact them first.

scheister

i was talking to the VEC in kildare about the mature student thing. It is still a case ya have to be over 23 the october before ya start college.