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BTEA/Student Grant Query

  • 12-09-2010 8:47am
    #1
    markc1184
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,087 ✭✭✭


    Firstly, sorry if this has already been dealt with, I can't seem to find anything about it.

    I'm heading back to college this year as a mature student. I've been approved for the BTEA allowance and I have applied to the Council/VEC for assistance with paying the registration fee's. I know you can't have both the BTEA and maintenance grant but i was told I should still apply to them to help pay fee's, just waiting to hear back still.

    What i'm wondering is, is this what I should have done because having been talking to some other mature students at an orientation day, they seem to think that once you have been approved for the BTEA that they will pay your fee's once you get confirmation from the college you will be attending. Can anyone clarify this for me because i can't find anything on the net about it apart from one site saying i need to apply for both grants.

    How long does it take to hear back from the Council/VEC (Louth) about these grants because i have to register on Friday and at the moment its looking unlikely i'll be able to come up with the full €1600 myself.

    Any help appreciated.
    Mark


Comments

  • #2
    milkycoffey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 358 ✭✭milkycoffey


    I haven't heard anything about them paying full fees but you get €500 at the start of every year to help pay for books/materials or towards fees.
    Just paid 1600 myself so I'd be interested to see if there's somewhere else I could get help from as I think I could be struggling soon enough.
    Good luck with the course Mark. I'm a MS too starting back into 1st year.:)


  • #3
    Annasopra
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41,158 ✭✭✭✭Annasopra


    once you're approved for the grant they will pay your registration fee, go into the college, tell them you are waiting on the grant application and can they wait to get paid - some colleges allow this!

    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



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


    @ milkcoffey - the student assistance fund run by the college can be an extra source of financial assistance

    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
    Long Term Louth
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 829 ✭✭✭Long Term Louth


    markc1184 wrote: »
    Firstly, sorry if this has already been dealt with, I can't seem to find anything about it.

    I'm heading back to college this year as a mature student. I've been approved for the BTEA allowance and I have applied to the Council/VEC for assistance with paying the registration fee's. I know you can't have both the BTEA and maintenance grant but i was told I should still apply to them to help pay fee's, just waiting to hear back still.

    What i'm wondering is, is this what I should have done because having been talking to some other mature students at an orientation day, they seem to think that once you have been approved for the BTEA that they will pay your fee's once you get confirmation from the college you will be attending. Can anyone clarify this for me because i can't find anything on the net about it apart from one site saying i need to apply for both grants.

    How long does it take to hear back from the Council/VEC (Louth) about these grants because i have to register on Friday and at the moment its looking unlikely i'll be able to come up with the full €1600 myself.

    Any help appreciated.
    Mark

    Hi Mark, you have followed the correct procedure in applying for both. Is your course a degree, level 8 or above and where did you apply to for your grant i.e the VEC or the County Council?


  • #6
    Long Term Louth
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 829 ✭✭✭Long Term Louth


    milkycoffey wrote: »
    I haven't heard anything about them paying full fees but you get €500 at the start of every year to help pay for books/materials or towards fees.
    Just paid 1600 myself so I'd be interested to see if there's somewhere else I could get help from as I think I could be struggling soon enough.
    Good luck with the course Mark. I'm a MS too starting back into 1st year.:)

    Did you apply for the maintenance grant?


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  • #7
    milkycoffey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 358 ✭✭milkycoffey


    Refused for grant because i live with my man and i'm getting the btea.
    At least i don't have to pay full fees which are 6000 per year! phew!:)


  • #8
    markc1184
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,087 ✭✭✭markc1184


    Long Term Louth wrote: »
    Hi Mark, you have followed the correct procedure in applying for both. Is your course a degree, level 8 or above and where did you apply to for your grant i.e the VEC or the County Council?

    Hi LTL, its a level 8 degree course at NUI Maynooth and i was told to send the application into the Louth County Council offices.


  • #9
    Long Term Louth
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 829 ✭✭✭Long Term Louth


    markc1184 wrote: »
    Hi LTL, its a level 8 degree course at NUI Maynooth and i was told to send the application into the Louth County Council offices.

    I did the same and was approved for the grant two weeks ago after a lot of persistence on my behalf. Call the offices between 9.30 and 11am Mon-Fri ONLY, you need to speak to Niamh Mackin, expalin your situation and she will be able to tell you if you have been successful.

    BTEA do not have any input concerning registration fees, in your case only the Louth Co Co.

    I would also advise you to e-mail her (Niamh.Mackin@louthcoco.ie).


  • #10
    markc1184
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,087 ✭✭✭markc1184


    Thanks for that LTL. I've just sent off an e-mail there so hopefully i get a reply tomorrow but i'll also be on the phone to her.

    Thanks again.


  • #11
    dreais
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7 ✭dreais


    Long Term Louth wrote: »
    I did the same and was approved for the grant two weeks ago after a lot of persistence on my behalf. Call the offices between 9.30 and 11am Mon-Fri ONLY, you need to speak to Niamh Mackin, expalin your situation and she will be able to tell you if you have been successful.

    BTEA do not have any input concerning registration fees, in your case only the Louth Co Co.

    I would also advise you to e-mail her (Niamh.Mackin@louthcoco.ie).

    Hi LTL, just out of interest when your application was submitted? Also was it a new application or renewal? I'm still waiting to hear and have mine in since 30 August so just trying to gauge when I'll hear back..

    Thanks,
    dreais


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  • #12
    Long Term Louth
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 829 ✭✭✭Long Term Louth


    dreais wrote: »
    Hi LTL, just out of interest when your application was submitted? Also was it a new application or renewal? I'm still waiting to hear and have mine in since 30 August so just trying to gauge when I'll hear back..

    Thanks,
    dreais

    Hi,

    Sent mine in early June I (think) first time applicant. As I stated earlier I phoned and e-mailed regularly until I got a positive reply.


  • #13
    dreais
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7 ✭dreais


    Long Term Louth wrote: »
    Hi,

    Sent mine in early June I (think) first time applicant. As I stated earlier I phoned and e-mailed regularly until I got a positive reply.


    Excellent, I'll do that to be sure! Thanks LTL!


  • #14
    markc1184
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,087 ✭✭✭markc1184


    dreais wrote: »
    Hi LTL, just out of interest when your application was submitted? Also was it a new application or renewal? I'm still waiting to hear and have mine in since 30 August so just trying to gauge when I'll hear back..

    Thanks,
    dreais

    I sent my application in mid August and still waiting to hear back. I have done as LTL said, i think they are quite sick of me at this stage. The last time i spoke to them they said there was at least a 6 week backlog.


  • #15
    dreais
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7 ✭dreais


    markc1184 wrote: »
    I sent my application in mid August and still waiting to hear back. I have done as LTL said, i think they are quite sick of me at this stage. The last time i spoke to them they said there was at least a 6 week backlog.

    6weeks on top of the original 6 week waiting time? Wow that's pretty bad! I contacted them about a month ago and they said they were only coming to applications from early August so you should prob hear soon. I'll ring them in the morning and post an update then..


  • #16
    Long Term Louth
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 829 ✭✭✭Long Term Louth


    markc1184 wrote: »
    I sent my application in mid August and still waiting to hear back. I have done as LTL said, i think they are quite sick of me at this stage. The last time i spoke to them they said there was at least a 6 week backlog.


    Keep sending e-mails to Niamh Mackin on a daily basis if required.


  • #17
    dreais
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7 ✭dreais


    markc1184 wrote: »
    I sent my application in mid August and still waiting to hear back. I have done as LTL said, i think they are quite sick of me at this stage. The last time i spoke to them they said there was at least a 6 week backlog.

    Hi markc,

    Just checked with my local county council (Louth) there and they're working on 28/29 August now, they said it takes about 2 weeks for approval to go through after that. If you sent an application in mid August you should've heard back by now so I'd give them a call if I were you - no harm in giving a quick phonecall to make sure they've not missed your application..

    dreais


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