Benefits at college

DeathMachine

Hi, my girlfriend is attending a course at GTI Galway, she works only 2 days a week - not out of choice but that's all that's available - and she's struggling to get by. Rent is 300 a month, bills, food, cost of transport into town on top of that...try managing all that at 120-150 euro a week - she's spiraling into brutal debt and now she can't get any more help. Welfare told her that she's entitled to nothing when she's in full time education (shes 25)...surely there must be something she can do or get? At this rate she's going to be evicted and starving.

Likewise I'm at college, live at home, but pay my parents 40 euro a week, loans are 50 a week, and then there's the cost of getting a bus daily at the very least (20 a week)- despite only getting 100 a week from work (again, not through choice) and my parents blank refuse to waiver the 40 I give them. I'm only 21 though, but life is just one horrible financial mess and neither of us know what to do.

Gadfly

To the best of my knowledge there is nothing available outside the usual grants. However, you could inquire about a 'hardship grant' from the college. I think it's administered by the Chaplin or someone like that.

I was in college a few years ago as a mature student.

Breaktown

http://www.studentfinance.ie/

There are different thing available depending on what college you're in.