Need Help Asap!

Omega28

Hi all

Im applying as a mature student to DCU.
I was about to fill out my CAO just there and fill in my forms for the college etc when I seen it says, u must be 23 from the 1st of Jan!
Now I am 23, but I was 23 on the 16th! So does this mean I cant apply?
Would I have to wait till the following year cause of 2 weeks?! this is a joke!!:mad:

Berthram

Unfortunately I cant answer your question as to whether there is any flexibility in the date.

The only thing I can say that in my own personal case, I spent a year on VTOS in order to qualify. Although this delayed my application for a year, I was very happy on the course and it was useful in terms of touching up on my writing skills.
The age limit for VTOS is 21.
Best of Luck.
http://www.ncge.ie/documents/VTOS%20Handbook.pdf

redout

Dylanmc111 wrote: »

Hi all

Im applying as a mature student to DCU.
I was about to fill out my CAO just there and fill in my forms for the college etc when I seen it says, u must be 23 from the 1st of Jan!
Now I am 23, but I was 23 on the 16th! So does this mean I cant apply?
Would I have to wait till the following year cause of 2 weeks?! this is a joke!!:mad:

Unfortunately I think it means you have to wait until next year.

Best thing to do is call both DCU and the CAO first thing monday morning.

Note that application to the CAO are suppose to be in by this coming monday Feb 1. Also the mature application form from DCU also needs to be in by monday so I advise you get in your car and get yourself over there pronto come monday morning unless you call and they give you extra time,

Laydee

If it turns out that you will need to wait a year, you could do a PLC course or apply for the University access courses, I don't know if DCU have one but Trinity & UCD do & some PLC colleges run them.

nix1

hi, im in the exact same position!! well ive done my degree but want to do an MA, but only turned 23 on d 5th jan. ive checked with college, citizens info and with the vec/co council grants section and they will not make any exceptions sadly for both of us d only choice is to either figure out some way of managing in college dis yr, or wait til sep 2011. its completely ridiculous and misleading considering a mature student is deemed to be over 23 yet for either of us to qualify for that category we'd have to wait til sep 2011, meaning in reality age wise that would be 24 going on 25!!
good luck hope you find a way in!

Omega28

ah no way!! thats madness, surely theres a way around it, so your expected to wait for a year cause of a few days?! madness!

Its totally misleading nix1, were both 23, surely we can apply! im so furious right now!:mad:

nix1

nope, its a dead end, im fumin 2 :mad:
of course u can apply, but they wont accept u as a mature student so if you apply for a grant it will be based on your parents earnings. whole things a joke. im in 4th year now(Finally!!) and have been smashed broke and struggling since i started. I hate d way dey try 2 put every1 in little boxes and categories, cos i dont fit ne of dem!!
im so dissapointed, i thought great il finally be assessed on my own dis yr as a mature student, but no i wont!! i dont even live with my parents, get no financial support and am raising a child but because im not a 'mature student' none of this matters!!
also not entitled to back to education allowance cos I was under 21 wen i started d course.
i no ders plenty of people out der dat look down der noses at youing single mothers, and think were all spongers, or dat i got pregnant on purpose to rip off d state!! but rather than sit at home on welfare or work in a minimum paid job with crappy hrs(i honestly dont no how ne single parent can survive on a minimum salary!) I wanted 2 go 2 college get educated and set a good example 4 my daughter and build us a stable and happy life.
sorry 4 d rant, im stealing ur thread!!
really was looking 4ward 2 going straight in2 d masters and get some teachings hrs while im doing it hopefully setting myself up 4 a decent enough job wen i finish, now i dunno wot t do

what r ur circumstances job wise? could u maybe apply for BTEA?

Omega28

well im workin but im only workin part time.
no go ahead, your entitled to have a rant! well fair play to ya for tryin to set a good example for your child!
I just cant get over this, a few days and we have to wait another yr! Im going to go up on monday morning to DCU and see what the situation is, If I dont get answer, I'll then be going on a rant myself!
I applied to the CAO an all, which seems to be a waste of money now!

nix1

well let me no if u get newhere!!
ud need 2 claim social welfare 4 9 months or somethin 2 get ne help from BTEA, so dont tink dats an option 4 u.
the system isnt really encouraging 4 people getting in2 education wit all its red tape, endless forms 2 fill out and nobody on d end of a phone with any useful advice :mad:
bah humbug!!
would it be possible 4 u 2 keep up d p/time work an start dis yr, at least by d time u hit 2nd yr ul be a mature student?
it just seems very unfair dat ud have 2 waste a year wen u could be studying just 2 fit in2 der little box!!
i dont c why dey cant be more flexible an work on it case by case rather dan having a blanket rule of under 23/over 23(and even wen u r 23, ur still not eligible!! :rolleyes:)

Omega28

sent ya a pm!

ye I'll let ya know how I get on. I doubt I'll get anywhere though! so annoyed I dont even know where to start!:(

Omega28

went to DCU today, they wont make any exceptions, a few days outside the date, have to wait to sept 2011, feel gutted:mad:

redout

Dylanmc111 wrote: »

went to DCU today, they wont make any exceptions, a few days outside the date, have to wait to sept 2011, feel gutted:mad:

In all fairness the same rule applies (though different month I think) as regards when kids can start school in this country. I know that is not what you want to hear but just pointing out that it is not only the CAO/Colleges doing this and it has been in place for god knows how many years.