looking for advice for this situation. help?!!?

RoyalMarine

Ok, bit of a long story here.

I applied and was accepted on a course in letterkenny last year.
it is a level 7 3 year course. I was then going to do the 1 year ad on level 8.

i started first year, and completed it.
I then was offered a place in waterford into second year of a 3 year level 8 course. I accepted this, as it will reduce the amount of time i will be in college by 1 year, and i am now closer to my son.

I was accepted onto the back to education scheme last year.

When i rang them and told them i was offered the position in waterford, they said no problem. just get a letter from the college stating you are now on the course.

I did this, and they started my payments again for this year (2nd year)

I was also awarded a full non adjacent grant inc fees by the vec office for last year.
However, when i told them i was transferring into 2nd year in the waterford course, i was told i will need to re-apply.
I did this, and i was refused the grant.

they based it on the conditions that i had changed to a different course, and had not completed the first course i was in.
both courses are very similiar.

I accepted that i was refused, but asked why i had been refused for the registration fee's.

the reason they refused me for registration fee was because even after being accepted on the grant for first year, having completed first year in letterkenny, i spent the summer living in my parents house.
since i stayed in my parents house for june,july,august, i was no longer classed as a independant mature candidate and i would now be assessed as a dependant candidate because they are now classing me as a new applicant.

I dont know why this happened as all i wanted to do was reduce my time in college by a year and get on with my life.

does anyone have any suggestions on this?

the reason im struggling is because if i dont pay my reg fee to the college, they wont issue me a letter saying im a full time registered student.
and 4 weeks ago the social welfare stopped my back to education allowance payment until i get this letter from the college.

so im in limbo right now. Ive approached several banks / credit unions to help me get a loan, and none of them will help me because i have no income, no property to offer as collateral and no savings since im a student. If i had savings, i would just pay the fee myself!

p28559

according to the heg scheme a person holds the status they were awarded in year 1 for the duration of their 3rd level studies.

the independent mature status is a difficult one. they are supposed to look at the 1st october 2009 to determine your status.

appeal the decision....thats all you can do.