Maintenance Grant questions

Chris007

Hey guys I just have a few questions about the grant and i would appreciate if someone could answer them:

1) When can you apply for the 2010-11 grant?

2) Do you have to wait until you have been offered and accepted a college place before applying for the grant?

3) How is the grant paid? To your bank account, etc.?

4) Lastly, do you need to re-apply for the grant each year?

Any help is much appreciated!

brownacid

www.studentfinances.ie

JenniFurr

1) As soon as the forms are available from your local county council or VEC (usually summer time ish)

2) Yup, you need something like the acceptance letter from the college, university or plc school

3) From county council it's a cheque paid in three installments I think over the course of the year, from the VEC it's a monthly installment paid to your bank account for 9 months

4)Yup, you need to apply each year generally before the end of august if you want a grant each year you're studying

Sad Professor

It is usually a renewal form though, so you don't have to go through the same rigmarole with documentation again.

Icyseanfitz

Chris007 wrote: »

Hey guys I just have a few questions about the grant and i would appreciate if someone could answer them:

1) When can you apply for the 2010-11 grant?

2) Do you have to wait until you have been offered and accepted a college place before applying for the grant?

3) How is the grant paid? To your bank account, etc.?

4) Lastly, do you need to re-apply for the grant each year?

Any help is much appreciated!

Reply:
1) When can you apply for the 2010/11 grant ?. Many VEC's commence taking names & addresses early in the year i.e. January 2010. However, neither the VEC's or the councils can forward a grant application until the Department of Education & Department of Finance agree a scheme for the year.Therefore, from Easter onwards keep checking in with your local VEC/County Council.
2)Do you have to wait until offered a place to apply for a grant ? NO,Many applicants make this error. As soon as the applications are released complete it & immediately submit same. Applications are processed on a first come first served basis, therefore the earlier your application is in the quicker it will be processed. It will take u longer to submit your additional documentation i.e. parents P60's (now available) P21 from the Revenue Comms, Social Welfare full copy of birth Cert etc. Return your completed application form immediately & forward this documentation as soon as it is available to you. With your application form a separate sheet entitled "Final Course Acceptance Form" is attached - this is the sheet you will submit as soon as you are offered your course via CAO in August. This is how the Grant Authority know where you are going & if their grant scheme covers your course i.e. HEG or VEC. If you submit your application to the VEC & the course you accept is HEG (County Council) the VEC will know from the details on this form & will forward it to the local council.
3) Payment of Grant ? Yes, County Council is paid in 3 instalments. The VEC administer 3 grant schemes, VEC S/Ship which is for direct entry into a 4 year Hons Degree Level 8 Course usually in IT's, a TLT Grant for an Ordinary Degree (3years) & PLC Grants for local VEC Colleges.The VEC Scholarship Grant is paid by the VEC in 3 instalments i.e. October, January & April it must be paid by cheque as per DES guidelines. PLC Grants are paid by the local VEC directly into student bank accounts on a monthly basis & finally the TLT grants are awarded by the VEC, notified to the IT's but paid by the IT's into the student bank accounts on a monthly basis.
Sorry if this sounds complicated - in short County Councils administer one scheme & the VEC's administer 3 schemes with different rules appying.
4) Do you need to re-apply each year ? Different councils & VEC operate differently. If you are moving from a PLC to a TLT or VEC S/ship then you must submit a new application. However, many Councils/VEC's as per audit guidelines select a substantial % of applications for re-assessment on an annual basis. Even though you might not have to submit a new application you could be deemed for re-assessement.

I'd advise you to check your local VEC or Local Authority Website these can hold excellent information re payment dates for grants, q & a's etc. Teenage son was showing me how boards.ie worked when I saw your query & as a long serving public servant I am advising you to contact your local VEC Office for help & support. I worked for many years in the grants section of the local VEC so I hope my information will assist you. A lot of bad press is often given about the delays in processing grant applications, all I can say is the local VEC processed 1,500 applications & all applicants were notified of award, missing documentation etc by the Oct break. Staff who job share etc always work full-time for Sept & Oct & take time in lieu at quieter times of the year. Also staff work late nights & get time in lieu off - hour for hour. We don't blow our trumpets but aim to provide a quality public service to the general public who are experiencing such hardship in the current climate. Best of luck to you I hope you get the course you are seeking - make sure you submit your CAO shortly & avoid the rush. Unlikely I will find my way back to this website

Oubliette

Does anyone know approx. when we will get the next instalment of the maintenance grant. im in dublin city council.

Sad Professor

Oubliette wrote: »

Does anyone know approx. when we will get the next instalment of the maintenance grant. im in dublin city council.

February 1. See the thread below:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055789352

Oubliette

Cheers !