Help I'm confused...VTOS, BTEA, VEC, PLC...Costs??

DrFroggies

Hi guys,

Wondering if anyone can help me here. Just a few questions following on from an earlier post I made on college options.

After the advice I was given in the other thread I now have interviews for a few for plc courses. I’m hoping to get either VTOS or BTEA as from what I can see I’m eligible for both.

But here’s the thing that concerns me…and if anyone could clarify these questions I’d be very grateful:

With both VTOS and BTEA you have to wait until you’ve been offered a place before applying for the schemes, but there are some costs of setting up initially in these courses (which will be reimbursed by the schemes if you get on them) so what happens if the application for VTOS or BTEA is unsuccessful?

In my case I absolutely couldn’t cover the loss of a few hundred euro – which I’d have to borrow anyway - so I’m very concerned about that.

Also I’ve been told if I am turned down for VTOS I can proceed to apply for BTEA but how long have I got to accept a place on a given course…will I have enough time to go through both processes if necessary? (what I mean by that is…there would be courses that I’d love to accept if offered and could cover if I was on VTOS (as it gives that little extra support for travel etc) but because of travel costs etc I definitely couldn’t cover travel across the city if I’m on BTEA which would mean taking a course which I’m not as excited about but is closer to my location.

And finally…this is gonna sound stupid and petty I know…but I really am low on funds. So far two courses have required application/registration fees to be paid (I have four or five interviews lined up and so far and I’m waiting for a couple to get back to me - only two have made the reg/app fee request)…do all the courses do this? If it’s generally between €25 and €40 that adds up to more than I have if I get all the interviews. I could have to cancel some on the basis that I can’t afford even the interview.

Sorry for the length of this post but as I mentioned in my first post I’ve been out of education for a long time so it’s a whole new world to me.

Thanks again to anyone who takes the time to read this and reply!

DrF

rlow68

Any college that accept a deposit on the registration fee, accepted you in principle, there is no need to go for the other interviews. Try and attend the interview for the course you prefer most.
You can send in your BTEA application now even before the interview, it will be approved in principle but the full approval will be given when you send in your admission letter to the Welfare. It is better to go in for VTOS, as it pay for more that BTEA - VTOS payment comprise transport and feeding allowance and for books, which together with your regular payment of 196 euros but BTEA is only 196euros nothing more.
Apply for it immediately even if you are yet to go in for the interview, as far as you know the school name

ROCE1977

BTEA also give 500 euro at the start of the college year for materials.

Martina05

Just wondering - I want to apply for VTOS. I've been on illness benefit since January & a few weeks ago signed up for job seekers allowance. Am I eligible?