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No financial help can anybody help me?

  • 24-08-2010 9:34am
    #1
    whatsherface
    Closed Accounts Posts: 69 ✭✭


    Hi I am at the end of my tether! I am a mature student going to college for the first time in Sept. I have been made redunant from my job.

    -I am not in entitled to any mainteance grant (as I have not lived
    in Ireland 3 out of last 5 yrs)
    -I am not in entitled to BTEA as I have not been on social welfare payments for over nine months
    -I am not entitled to stat. redunancy as I have not worked in the company for over two years.

    I just called the college I am going to looks like my fees are over 3000 euro for both student services and tuition fees and I will have to pay for both of them.

    Is there any help out there for people in my situation. The VEC have advised me to talk to the Social Welfare and the Social Welfare advise me to go to the VEC basically neither of them can help.

    Thank you for reading.


Comments

  • #2
    Annasopra
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41,158 ✭✭✭✭Annasopra


    whatsherface wrote: »
    Hi I am at the end of my tether! I am a mature student going to college for the first time in Sept. I have been made redunant from my job.

    -I am not in entitled to any mainteance grant (as I have not lived
    in Ireland 3 out of last 5 yrs)
    -I am not in entitled to BTEA as I have not been on social welfare payments for over nine months
    -I am not entitled to stat. redunancy as I have not worked in the company for over two years.

    I just called the college I am going to looks like my fees are over 3000 euro for both student services and tuition fees and I will have to pay for both of them.

    Is there any help out there for people in my situation. The VEC have advised me to talk to the Social Welfare and the Social Welfare advise me to go to the VEC basically neither of them can help.

    Thank you for reading.
    Have you lived in the EU for 3 out of 5 years?

    It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.

    Terry Pratchet



  • #3
    whatsherface
    Closed Accounts Posts: 69 ✭✭whatsherface


    Yes apart from one year I have lived four years within EU


  • #4
    Annasopra
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41,158 ✭✭✭✭Annasopra


    whatsherface wrote: »
    Yes apart from one year I have lived four years within EU

    Then according to this you should get free tuition fees

    http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/education/third-level-education/fees-and-supports-for-third-level-education/fees
    Free fees
    In order to qualify for free fees:

    You must be an EU national or have official refugee status and
    You must have been living in the EU for at least 3 of the 5 years before starting your course


    and from what I can see here you would be entitled to get the registration fee paid

    http://www.education.ie/servlet/blobservlet/he_heg_scheme.pdf?language=EN
    Candidates who are EU, EEA or Swiss nationals and who do not satisfy the residency requirement are eligible to apply for a means-tested fees only grant in respect of approved courses in the State, provided they have been ordinarily resident, for a purpose other than wholly or mainly to receive full-time education, in an EU Member State, the EEA or Switzerland for at least 3 of the 5 years immediately preceding the date on which a year of study on an approved course in an approved institution commences. Such candidates shall apply to the local authority in which the college they propose to attend is situated.

    Also enquire with your college about the student assistance fund and also your local partnership organisation e.g. Bray Partnership or Fingal leader Partnership to ask if they have any possible student assistance grants

    It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.

    Terry Pratchet



  • #5
    Annasopra
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41,158 ✭✭✭✭Annasopra


    Send in the grant application ASAP to the VEC - see www.studentfinance.ie - you can still appeal even if you get turned down

    It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.

    Terry Pratchet



  • #6
    whatsherface
    Closed Accounts Posts: 69 ✭✭whatsherface


    Well this is not what the college is saying to me, they are saying I have to pay both! I will go in and talk to someone in person, thanks very much for your help!


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  • #7
    LouLou84
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭LouLou84


    I am in exactly the same position. I was told by the county council when i applied for my course that i would be entitled to the higher education grant under my parents but now due to the residency requirement (which was not even mentioned until the forms came out in June) i am no longer entitled to it.

    I have appealed on the grounds that i would have complied with the rules if it was published at a reasonable time, ie when people are applying for courses. I have been told that the appeal board is just there for show, they wont actually reverse the decision...i have my fingers crossed tho.

    I am now in a position where i have lost my grant for the two years and have to pay all me fees, with no entitlements. Broke doesnt even cover my position!!


  • #8
    Annasopra
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41,158 ✭✭✭✭Annasopra


    Loulou - were you resident in the EU?

    It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.

    Terry Pratchet



  • #9
    LouLou84
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭LouLou84


    No...Canada and Australia. I returned to Australia after i came home for my interview in Feb because the company i was working for said they would keep my job and i didnt want to stay at home on the dole. But i was willing to stay at home if it meant i got the grant and so made enquiries to the county council who told me that going back would have no affect on my application (I have proof of this).

    But i think its a lost cause.


  • #10
    rebelpebble
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 39 ✭rebelpebble


    Hi Guys. If you can't get any help from the VEC or social welfare, call your local TD. Preferably Fianna Fail if you can as they need all the help they can get to become more popular! I was in a similar situation last year (the red tape involved with the VEC grants is so frustrating). They weren't helping me at all so I got in touch with my local Fianna Fail and Fine Gael TD and told them both that I had been in touch with the other.In the end they couldn't help me but I know people that it has worked for before.It's worth a shot! Hope everything works out for you both.


  • #11
    LouLou84
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭LouLou84


    Thanks rebelpebble, frustrating really describes how i'm feeling, if i'm not eligible fair enough but they clearly gave me false information and essential have now cost me my education. I have contacted two local TD's and the minister for social protection (we happen to know him), at this stage i'm making a fuss on principle!


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  • #12
    alison1234
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13 ✭alison1234


    IS IT YOUR FIRST TIME GOING TO COLLEGE?
    LouLou84 wrote: »
    I am in exactly the same position. I was told by the county council when i applied for my course that i would be entitled to the higher education grant under my parents but now due to the residency requirement (which was not even mentioned until the forms came out in June) i am no longer entitled to it.

    I have appealed on the grounds that i would have complied with the rules if it was published at a reasonable time, ie when people are applying for courses. I have been told that the appeal board is just there for show, they wont actually reverse the decision...i have my fingers crossed tho.

    I am now in a position where i have lost my grant for the two years and have to pay all me fees, with no entitlements. Broke doesnt even cover my position!!


  • #13
    alison1234
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13 ✭alison1234


    Johnnymcg wrote: »
    Then according to this you should get free tuition fees

    http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/education/third-level-education/fees-and-supports-for-third-level-education/fees




    and from what I can see here you would be entitled to get the registration fee paid

    http://www.education.ie/servlet/blobservlet/he_heg_scheme.pdf?language=EN




    Also enquire with your college about the student assistance fund and also your local partnership organisation e.g. Bray Partnership or Fingal leader Partnership to ask if they have any possible student assistance grants

    Any idea what partnership fund covers dublin 8? or where I might find out?. Thanks


  • #14
    Annasopra
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41,158 ✭✭✭✭Annasopra


    alison1234 wrote: »
    Any idea what partnership fund covers dublin 8? or where I might find out?. Thanks

    No idea but I googled and came up with

    http://www.canalpartnership.com/

    Give them a ring

    It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.

    Terry Pratchet



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