Dropping and changing course?

ForeverYoung90 · 11-03-2010 10:23AM #1

Hey,Im a first year doing an engineering course that I regret doing now,I tried to stick it through but now I just want out!Can I leave now and do a course in a different area like business next year.Whats the story with fees etc.
thanks.

ForeverYoung90 · 11-03-2010 05:37PM

anyone?...

SomethingElse · 11-03-2010 07:24PM

Not 100% certain on this but I think if you drop-out now you will only have to pay the 1st years fees if you start another course. So years 2, 3, 4 would be covered by the free fees you're due. Fees seem to be about €6k+ per year

ForeverYoung90 · 12-03-2010 02:31PM

SomethingElse wrote: »

Not 100% certain on this but I think if you drop-out now you will only have to pay the 1st years fees if you start another course. So years 2, 3, 4 would be covered by the free fees you're due. Fees seem to be about €6k+ per year

Ill have to pay 6000 for the 1sr year?:eek:

SomethingElse · 12-03-2010 04:27PM

At least! But the longer you stay in your course the fee multiplies. If you drop out after 2 years you would have to pay 2 years fees. Double check this with the fees of the college you would be doing your new course in. I think you could do a course in Scotland and apply to the Scottish government to get free fees

ForeverYoung90 · 12-03-2010 04:57PM

SomethingElse wrote: »

At least! But the longer you stay in your course the fee multiplies. If you drop out after 2 years you would have to pay 2 years fees. Double check this with the fees of the college you would be doing your new course in. I think you could do a course in Scotland and apply to the Scottish government to get free fees

But what if I did a different course in the same college?

SomethingElse · 12-03-2010 05:13PM

Meant to say "double check this with the 'fees office' of the college" in the previous post. I'm not too sure if staying in the same college would make a difference. My interpretation of the whole thing is the college MUST get the course fee each year. The EU pays this for you -> once for 1st year, once for second year, once for third year etc. If you have to repeat you pay the fee yourself, or if you change course you need to pay fees for the years you already claimed free fees for. There might be the possibility of the college allowing you to switch courses by transferring into 2nd year of another course next year, but I'd say if they do allow it, it would have to be a related course.

ForeverYoung90 · 12-03-2010 05:20PM

SomethingElse wrote: »

Meant to say "double check this with the 'fees office' of the college" in the previous post. I'm not too sure if staying in the same college would make a difference. My interpretation of the whole thing is the college MUST get the course fee each year. The EU pays this for you -> once for 1st year, once for second year, once for third year etc. If you have to repeat you pay the fee yourself, or if you change course you need to pay fees for the years you already claimed free fees for. There might be the possibility of the college allowing you to switch courses by transferring into 2nd year of another course next year, but I'd say if they do allow it, it would have to be a related course.

Ok thanks for the help!You think its around 6000e for the fee so ya?

SomethingElse · 12-03-2010 08:29PM

That would be the low end of the market. It varies depending on the college and the course. I was taking a look through a few of the college's websites and NUIG seemed to have the cheapest fees. Arts was the cheapest course - I think it was €6k. If you can find any cheaper let me know!

ForeverYoung90 · 12-03-2010 08:35PM

SomethingElse wrote: »

That would be the low end of the market. It varies depending on the college and the course. I was taking a look through a few of the college's websites and NUIG seemed to have the cheapest fees. Arts was the cheapest course - I think it was €6k. If you can find any cheaper let me know!

Im in an I.T.!Are there fees usually cheaper?

Thomas20 · 12-03-2010 08:46PM

The fees in an I.T. are definitely cheaper.I had to pay 7500 to repeat firsr year in ul.:mad:

13-03-2010 12:09AM

Yeah the tuition fees in universities are a lot more expensive than in I.Ts. I mean for a year of Accounting in one IT, tuition was only €1417, while a year of Arts in an university was €4, 070 (both excluding registration fee).

If you had dropped out before January 31st, you would only be liable to pay half a years tuition fees when you go back to college in your new course.

They have what I consider unfair loopholes around it though, which I'm not sure work for everybody but do for some. You could do 2 years of your degree, and considering you are in an IT (assuming they operate like this), you will get a higher certificate for this. Then apply for a new level 8 course that you want to do. They won't charge you tuition as you are seen as 'progressing'.

You could wait 5 years and then you could apply for colleges and you won't have to pay tuition fees.

All the above are according to the governments CURRENT third level education policies and so could change in the future.

What I did was take a year out and work so I could afford the tuition fees.

SomethingElse · 13-03-2010 01:26AM

I find it hard to accept that in order to get back into college you have to (i) work hard for the year to raise the fees [nothing wrong with this!], or (ii) go on the dole for the year and have them payed for*.

*Not directly payed for, but there's a scheme that continues to pay you dole while you're in college. It should cover the fees!

I think the IT's would be a bit cheper alright.

year of Arts in an university was €4, 070

Roberttt, where was this? I'm interested in doing Arts but I'm looking for somewhere with the cheapest fees

13-03-2010 11:07AM

SomethingElse wrote: »

I find it hard to accept that in order to get back into college you have to (i) work hard for the year to raise the fees [nothing wrong with this!], or (ii) go on the dole for the year and have them payed for*.

*Not directly payed for, but there's a scheme that continues to pay you dole while you're in college. It should cover the fees!

I think the IT's would be a bit cheper alright.

Roberttt, where was this? I'm interested in doing Arts but I'm looking for somewhere with the cheapest fees

Yeah I know, the government basically penalise you for choosing the wrong course. Well maybe if they provided a proper secondary school career advise service in the first place! In Scotland, in our situation, we would not have to pay tuition as our 1st year would be considered a ''a false start''. Pity our government couldn't have the same policy. I actually despise them (the government, not the college) for it to be honest, I worked hard during my year out, when I easily could of sponged off them, makes me more determined to emigrate when I get my degree. I won't even look to do a masters here.

The €4,070 tuition is for Arts in UCC. Thank god Economics is a subject in it, because there is no way I would have started it if it wasn't, unless I wanted to be a teacher that is. Look at the colleges websites to see how much the fees are, they are all listed.

Who ever ends up paying for the fees (you or your parents) get your parents to claim tax relief on them (presuming you don't earn enough for the relief to make a difference).

Dropping and changing course?

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