Info needed on grants

Justin10

Some information needed.
I completed the LC last year but decided not to go to college. I have applied again to the CAO but on problem have last year i forget the information i was told about Grants and fee refunds.

When do i apply to for the Higher Education Grant, I was told june but last year i applied during my school year. Also where else can i apply for grants, I have applied to DIT NCI Tallagh IT and Blanch

Thanks

paddyb125

I'm nearly certain you apply to your local council for a grant

White-Teeth

I think that if you apply to a university, you go to the County Council, and if it's an Institute of Technology, your local V.E.C. deals with it. Anyway, I'd start by ringing up or calling into your local county council and they'll point you in the right direction.

As for the time of year to apply. The closing date is normally the end of August, I think. Whenever I was applying, the application forms themselves didn't appear until mid-June at the earliest. But again, your county council will advise you on this.

tootyflutty

I'm pretty sure there is a website with info on all grants for second level students, its something like studentfinance.ie or close to that.
Otherwise you could go back to your old school and talk to the career guidance teacher again, I'm sure they won't mind.

Synods

does anybody have any experience of trying to get a grant with divorced parents?? i checked studentfinance but all they could say is that such situations are "taken into consieration".....live with one parent and i would definitely qualify under their income but think the other parent (who i have little contact with) could push it over threshold?

Yeah it's looking to be changed so that it's only going to be your local VEC who will do it, but at the moment the scheme still says that both Councils and VECs administer the scheme. Best to ring up either way, they'll let you know.

As for applying, the closing date is usually the last working day in August (29th August 2008 for last year). This, along with lots of things are looking to change for 2009, but there's been nothing official talked about yet. As above, your Council/VEC will show you the way.

As for divorced parents I remember hearing about how you will need to send in the separation agreement (or something like that) along with your application, so you should be grand and only assessed on the parent you're living with. Again, check with the Council/VEC.

Have a look on http://www.studentfinance.ie/ if you've any other information you're looking for. If there's anything else, feel free to drop by the Student Finances forum and you'll probably get some guidance, but since the Councils/VECs administer the scheme, they will be the ones who can give the official answer to your questions!

Dónal

Pigwidgeon

for divorced parents it goes by the parent you are living with but as far as i know you can choose the one with the lower income.

they aren't too strict on the deadlines i don't think either, my mum forgot to apply for my brother and it was approved around christmas time i think.

kateos2

kateos2 wrote: »

they aren't too strict on the deadlines i don't think either, my mum forgot to apply for my brother and it was approved around christmas time i think.

Careful now - they're not required to accept the applications after the date, and whether they take them is up to them (i.e., some don't).

Justin10

Do u pay the fee first and then get ir refunded to u or what???