The Great Grant Swindle

Paulie Walnuts

I am a mature student in my 2nd year of a worthwhile engineering degree course. I am repeating the year because of spell in hospital meant I couldn't sit my exams. I have been trying to sort out my grants/allowances for the coming college year and have noticed something very strange happening every time I go to check my eligibility for a grant.
Rather than the person behind the desk thinking...

"How can I help this person to get a grant"....

.....the first reaction invariably seems to be

"What reasons can I give to immediately exclude this person from eligibility".

This is the situation with the DSW for BTEA, for the VEC for a student grant, for the college for fees and also for student assistance. There seems to be a never ending obstacle course to satisfy the bureaucracy in these institutions. Right now my only option seems to be to drop out of college, go on the dole and maybe do a FAS course in flower arranging or something pointless like that.

Anybody else getting this?

dotsflan

yep im experiencing that for the BTEA at the moment!! very annoying

kenon

Paulie Walnuts wrote: »

I am a mature student in my 2nd year of a worthwhile engineering degree course. I am repeating the year because of spell in hospital meant I couldn't sit my exams. I have been trying to sort out my grants/allowances for the coming college year and have noticed something very strange happening every time I go to check my eligibility for a grant.
Rather than the person behind the desk thinking...

"How can I help this person to get a grant"....

.....the first reaction invariably seems to be

"What reasons can I give to immediately exclude this person from eligibility".

This is the situation with the DSW for BTEA, for the VEC for a student grant, for the college for fees and also for student assistance. There seems to be a never ending obstacle course to satisfy the bureaucracy in these institutions. Right now my only option seems to be to drop out of college, go on the dole and maybe do a FAS course in flower arranging or something pointless like that.

Anybody else getting this?

I've been in a similar situation but knew that I wouldn't qualify for a grant so I didnt apply.

They arent going to pay you twice for the same year. So, even if you started a new course, you wouldnt qualify for a grant in first and second year as you have already received a grant.

annabellee77

You could be eligible for a grant if you are a Medical Repeat. I.e if you are officially back in college due to medical reasons (your college has to have you on the books as a medical repeat) and you can provide statement/cert from doctors (not GP) confirming the health thing you should be eligible for grant again....

Also everyone should try remember that staffs attitudes vary to person, I know people who work in grants office now and they go out of their way to get stuff for people they lieterally have NO power over decisions, its the Dept of Education that appeals go to etc and who set the rules...

But I can understand peoples frustration...

Helper_Monkey

I'm in the same boat.

I was ill last year and had to go off books. So I'm now repeating my first year of a two year masters at Trinity.

I reapplied for the Dublin City Council Higher Education Grant but only got my fees covered. This is very generous of them as college has already agreed to waive the fees due to my illness last year.

I don't understand the system one bit. I'm looking for a mere 3300 euro so I can support my self on a subsistence living to get an education so I can get a decent job, and invariably start paying taxes. What I'm being faced with is the possibility of not being able to continue and costing the tax payer 13+k euro a year on dole not to mention rent allowance etc.... Moronic stuff.

Has anyone been in the same boat and appealed, or got other loans??