Grant Help

V480

After five years in college I applied to the VEC for the student grant this year for the first time. I was 'ineligable' all other years so this is the first time I thought I had a decent chance of getting one...I was relying on it heavily to be honest.
Suprise suprise but I have been turned down. I need a utility bill dating fron August '08 to October '09 to prove I lived where I did. I was renting a single room from an unregistered landlord so don't have any bills. I have rent books, p21's and a letter stating I'm on the electoral register at this addres.
My friends tell me I should keep arguing my case but to me it seems a lost cause. However, I've never had to deal with the VEC before so maby somebody here could advise me. Is there any way around my predicament at all?!:(

aluna

did the vec tell you that the reason your grant was refused was due to the lack of a bill? or is it because you were not elligible in the past? sorry you're having this trouble

X_X

This is interesting as seeing as though it is your first year applying for the grant then they should really give you one... Unless there is a certain restriction like only Undergraduate courses can be given a grant...

Maybe if you go onto the VEC website it might give you a little bit more information on the matter?

V480

I am doing a postgrad so maby this is the reason? They said that it is because I don't have a bill to prove I was at the address...

mr.mojorising

I knew somebody who had the same trouble with the vec. Had no bill to prove address. he tried got a local politician to try and intervene and also offered to get a sworn affidavit to prove his address but he dropped out of college shortly after starting and i don't think he pushed it as much as he could have. I would definitely recommend pushing them around and arguing your point. After all its not your fault that your landlord was not registered and your name wasn't on a bill. In all fairness you should get the grant. Try gathering up all correspondance you have at that address and calling into their office if ya haven't done so already. Its too easy for them to refuse you through the post or over the phone. Argue your point as well as you can and see what they say. Best of luck

V480

Yeah will do, thanks. I never thought of getting on to a politician. So they are good for something?!

X_X

I would definitely recommend going to the office as they are much better at dealing with problems than over the phone... That is what I did with my grant...

they even gave you out information on areas that you are concerned about...