Don't know anything!

ConfusedGuy92

Ok, so I know absolutley nothing about any of this. Therefore I'll post my situation and if anyone could reply, that'd be awesome.

I'm 18 and left a level 7 course after my first year (because I couldnt afford it and never got the grant). I applied for Jobseekers allowance in November and expect it around mid February. I want to apply for a PLC and go next year, but I don't really want to go if once again I find it difficult to pay for travel or accomodation.

I'm not sure if I am eligable for the BTEA and I'm pretty sure I won't be eligable for the grant.

Is there anyone who can help me with this? Thanks.

dottyireland

Hi,

your best bet is jobseekers , i have had the same problem. had to leave college because i never got the grant , and as far as i know you have to be 23 to get the BTEA and left school/college at least to years. I may be wrong Check www.citizensinformation.ie,

best of luck.

ConfusedGuy92

Yeah but I can't keep job seekers when I go into the course though, can I? If there is no way for me to pay for traveling or accomodation when I am actually in the college then I won't be going because I hate getting my mum and dad to pay for everything for me when I'm a grown man, plus they are the time to mention it sometimes again because they can't really afford it themselves and it's not worth the headache.

Is there anyway for me to get some sort of grant or anything whilst in college? The money I get from the back-dating of jobseekers allowance will be going towards me driving, which I plan to use for when I go to an actual non-PLC college course somewhere far in the country.

We all know I won't just simple be able to get a job to live as I've looked, several times, in both my home town and my old college town and nothing.

ConfusedGuy92

Anyone else?

fmead

You won't have been on Jobseekers for long enough to qualify for BTEA but you should be able to find out if you qualify for a grant or what grant you should apply for here:

http://www.studentfinance.ie/mp7554/find-your-scheme-and-where-to-apply/index.html

ConfusedGuy92

Yeah well thats where it sucks. My parents earn more than the lowest grant level (just checked), but like JUST more. So pretty much I can only afford to actually go to the college, and that's living off my parents. Therefore I cant afford to actually survive. No one wants to go to college on the bus everyday, come home, go to bed, and do the same each day until the weekend, where I'll be spending my time turning down offers to actually enjoy myself. It's not worth the whole depressing poor year of it. It seems the country now only looks good to higher income families or lower income families. ****, I just got all political, but I guess now that I've basically concluded to a full year of sitting around on welfare and looking for an obviously unattainable job, which is quite a frustrating conclusion. Thanks for the help guys.

fmead

Part time job maybe if you can find one? You could even start looking now as social welfare will give you casual workers allowance for the days you're not working until you start college if you find a part time job (up to 3 days a week). I've worked all the way through my studies and its grand as long as you're organised about it.

ConfusedGuy92

Yeah I've tried looking for a job and stuff but couldn't get anything. I've been looking since I was in 5th year in school but like I have no family connections and everywhere looks for experience and stuff. Is there any way FAS could help this? I heard that you could do a FAS course and they pay you to do it or something. I just want some way to get into education for the next year, a minimum of a level 5 course, and get some way to earn money or recieve money for doing so as I can't afford it.

Four Leaf Clover

confusedguy92, i suggest u get in touch with your local VEC and fing out if they can help you, also i would suggest visiting your local community welfare office to see what assistance u can get from them such as rent allowance or travel allowance. they are the best people to talk to..
when does your course start? if it doesnt start til Sept, u might be entitled to BTEA, call in to your local SW office to speak to them and also ring the college u want to go to and see what assistance they can offer.

if all else fails, get in touch with fas and get into one of their courses and progress into college in a year or two...

basically my advice is to get in touch with anyone you think can help you with finances for education, although may be easier if u were going back to a level 7 or level 8 course...

ConfusedGuy92

Four Leaf Clover wrote: »

confusedguy92, i suggest u get in touch with your local VEC and fing out if they can help you, also i would suggest visiting your local community welfare office to see what assistance u can get from them such as rent allowance or travel allowance. they are the best people to talk to..
when does your course start? if it doesnt start til Sept, u might be entitled to BTEA, call in to your local SW office to speak to them and also ring the college u want to go to and see what assistance they can offer.

if all else fails, get in touch with fas and get into one of their courses and progress into college in a year or two...

basically my advice is to get in touch with anyone you think can help you with finances for education, although may be easier if u were going back to a level 7 or level 8 course...

Thanks for replying. Yeah I've got in touch with social welfare offices and they told me that all things to do with grants and benifits regarding college go through the VEC. I contacted the VEC and they told me that it is all filed through the grant and to send the application to them, but I already looked it up and as both my parents work, I'm slightly above the lowest grant.

I'll look into the FAS courses more. The only reason I wanted to do a PLC is because I couldnt afford the travel of any relevent level 7 colleges and there is a near buy PLC course accomodating college. I already got the LC points to do anything in a level 7 college that I want to, but just cant afford to go to one just yet and wanted to substitute this year brushing up on my skills in that area. Thanks, I'll contact FAS regarding their courses.