Going back to do a masters.

Sajan

Hi everyone. First of all excuse me if this has been raised before but I am looking for some advice.
I am currently unemployed and on the Job Seekers benefit allowance. €188 since last week. So I am currently thinking of going back to do my masters in Social Work. However. The fees are expensive and also living expenses etc. for going back to college are a little daunting. It is a 2 year full time masters so it's a big commitment.

I was wondering does anyone have any similar experience. Would I be entitled for a grant for my fees and also would my benefit be changed to a BTEA allowance or would I lose that all together.

Once again I am sorry if this has been raised and I failed to find it. Any help would be super appreciated.

Annasopra

you can only get BTEA for certain types of postgrads that don't include masters so you would probably lose the jobseekers

With regards to grants - yes if you can get a grant it should pay your fees

Of course there are many other issues that have impact on grant eligibility - your age, when you graduated from your undergrad, whether you reside with your parents

Sajan

I'm 26. Will be 27 in September. Graduated in 2007 and currently I am residing with my parents. More than likely won't be in the coming months however.

Sajan

Would seeing my local citizens information centre be of any benefit?

Annasopra

Sajan wrote: »

I'm 26. Will be 27 in September. Graduated in 2007 and currently I am residing with my parents. More than likely won't be in the coming months however.

26 - good news

Graduated in 2007 - good news because currently you have to be returning after a gap of 3 years to do masters

Living with parents - not so good - in this case an application for a grant would be based on your parents income as you would not be deemed an "independent" mature student -

The rules for grants change from year to year and dont generally get released until Late May/Early June

The best thing to do is try and work out roughly what your parents reckonable income for 2010 was then maybe go to a Citizens information centre - but they wont be able to give you a direct answer - just rough advice because the rules wont be released until May/June

also if you are going to apply for a grant try and get all of the information together so that you can send it in as soon as they open applications

Sajan

Cheers for the brilliant info and advice.. Do you know the roughthresholds for parental income? My mother doesn't work and my father is a builder who has seen business dramatically decrease over the last few years so I am fairly sure his income would be average. 40-50,000 in 2010..
It's just kinda urgent I get the info cause the applications close on the 10th and I want to be sure that the fee's will be paid before I go any further.

Annasopra

Sajan wrote: »

Cheers for the brilliant info and advice.. Do you know the roughthresholds for parental income? My mother doesn't work and my father is a builder who has seen business dramatically decrease over the last few years so I am fairly sure his income would be average. 40-50,000 in 2010..
It's just kinda urgent I get the info cause the applications close on the 10th and I want to be sure that the fee's will be paid before I go any further.

Ok firstly the 2010 levels are here - so my guess is that roughly anything over 46k and you might not get a grant - HOWEVER if your dads earnings are lower again in 2011 - then this could be considered a change in circumstances. So if for example your dads income was 48k (4k per month) in 2010 and then in say the first 4 months of 2011 was only 12,000 (3k per month) then I think you could argue a change of circumstances.

http://www.studentfinance.ie/mp9399/the-following-reckonable-income-bands-currently-apply-for-the-grant-applicant-based-on-the-information-you-have-provided-/index.html

These are the figures for the 2010/2011 academic year and are obviously subject to change

The second thing is that you are wondering about - will they pay for fees you should be aware that

studentfinance.ie wrote:

The maximum amount which can be granted under the maintenance grant schemes for tuition fees is currently €6,270.

Sajan

I do believe that would be sufficient to cover the course fees. I will have to ask my parents for a more specific number. If I was to move out now would I be considered a non-dependent by the time the fees came around?

Annasopra

Sajan wrote: »

I do believe that would be sufficient to cover the course fees. I will have to ask my parents for a more specific number. If I was to move out now would I be considered a non-dependent by the time the fees came around?

Not by my understanding - This is from Tipperary County Councils website

"Independent Mature Candidate" means a mature candidate who was not ordinarily resident with his/her parents from 1 October, of previous year. Proof of independent residency is required e.g., utility bill with your name and address from 1st October of previous year.

So under that definition to be considered independent you would have to have moved out before 1st October 2010

Annasopra

Sajan wrote: »

I do believe that would be sufficient to cover the course fees. I will have to ask my parents for a more specific number. If I was to move out now would I be considered a non-dependent by the time the fees came around?

Remember as well what is meant by "reckonable income" - so if your father owns a few rental properties then this might be included :mad:

Reckonable Income is income from any of the following sources:

Gross Income from employment

Gross Income from a trade or profession

Interest, annuities and income from foreign property such as investments

Rent from any premises in Ireland

Income from which tax has been deducted at source such as annuities, bank interest, building society interest, maintenance payments and other miscellaneous sources of income not included in the above

Income from dividends and other distributions received from Irish resident companies

Certain income not subject to PAYE, reduced by the amount of any allowable superannuation contributions paid. Examples of people with this type of income are certain company directors and motor-cycle couriers

The following Social Welfare and HSE payments are excluded in the calculation of reckonable income: Child Benefit; Family Income Supplement; Disability Allowance (where paid to the candidate); Blind Pension (where paid to the candidate); One Parent Family Payment (Means-tested) (where paid to the candidate); Guardian's Payment (previously known as Orphan's Pension); Foster Care Allowance; Domiciliary Care Allowance; Carer's Allowance.

Sajan

No rental properties or anything like that. His income is solely from his business. I was just on to an old lecturer who is doing a reference and he commented that I am more likely to be given a grant or get my fees paid if I had been in receipt of a grant while doing my under graduate. First of all, I haven't and secondly, is that true?

panda100

Sajan wrote: »

No rental properties or anything like that. His income is solely from his business. I was just on to an old lecturer who is doing a reference and he commented that I am more likely to be given a grant or get my fees paid if I had been in receipt of a grant while doing my under graduate. First of all, I haven't and secondly, is that true?

Yes it is true. However, at the moment the grants limits and requirements are changing every year so nothing is static or set in stone.

There is absolutely no definite that you will get the grant this year. The requirements will more than likely change come May/June.
If I was you I would apply anyway for the course and then come June you will find out If you are eligible are not.

There is a chance that you won't be so don't pin all your hopes on getting the grant. Look at other avenues for financial assistance such as bank loans etc.

If you do get refused the grant this year I would really, recommend moving out for even two months this coming September and October and get an official letter or bill sent to that address. If you were class as an independent mature student you would have much more chance of getting a grant imo.