Maintenance Grant Q

Sala

Hi all, I was wondering if someone could help me work this out. If I am 25, in full time employment, and living at home will I be assessed on my means or my parents? I never got a grant before and already have a masters so is there any hope I would be considered?

My parents income last year was good but they both retired- if they assess it on their income 2010 it would not be an accurate reflection on what they are living on now.

djpbarry

Sala wrote: »

Hi all, I was wondering if someone could help me work this out. If I am 25, in full time employment, and living at home will I be assessed on my means or my parents?

A means test takes into consideration the total household income, so your parents' means would be factored in (as far as I am aware).

lilsis

Hey yeah as the person before me said when you're living at home you will be tested on both your parents and your own means even though you are a mature student. What are you going back to college to do? If it's a part time course you won't be eligible and if it's not a step up from your masters you won't be eligible, in other words you would have to be going on to do a PhD.

"The scheme applies to you if you:
Are a mature student, who in the academic year in question is either entering in order to complete an approved course at undergraduate level for the first time or re-entering in order to pursue or complete an approved course at postgraduate level for the first time or already hold a postgraduate qualification and are re-entering to progress to a further postgraduate course which represents progression".

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/third_level_education/fees_and_supports_for_third_level_education/maintenance_grant_schemes_for_students_on_third_level_courses.html


Hope that helps and didn't put a spanner in your works.

lilsis

My parents income last year was good but they both retired- if they assess it on their income 2010 it would not be an accurate reflection on what they are living on now.[/QUOTE]

Oh and I should have added in that the only thing you could do here is send in a statement of what they are earning this year and if they deny you on this (having been eligible on everything else) there is now an appeal option which they brought in at the start of the recession as so many people were losing their jobs and thus couldn't support their children through college. Never had to go to it myself though, so I don't know how it works.

ArtSmart

as above. i get the impression you hope to do a postgrad that's not a phd.

for hdip Ed (PGDE) there may be flexibility.

however, as you've never received a grant for a postgrad, then you would not be on record as having received a grant for postgrad. (you'll have to read between the lines)

lilsis

ArtSmart wrote: »

as above. i get the impression you hope to do a postgrad that's not a phd.

for hdip Ed (PGDE) there may be flexibility.

however, as you've never received a grant for a postgrad, then you would not be on record as having received a grant for postgrad. (you'll have to read between the lines)

Very risky as if it was found out he/she would have to pay all that money back. Plus it wouldn't be just an omission it would be a blatant lie on section C2 of the application especially as transcripts are supposed to sent in.

I'm not going to tell anybody to/not to do something but I just don't think it would be a good idea.

Larrykay

Does the maintenance grant cover fees or is this something different?

I have a friend who was doing the Hibernian teaching course last year and was able to draw the full dole while doing it. I wonder could you get grants as well as this as a mature student doing a post-grad?

lilsis

Correct if I'm wrong but isn't the Hibernian teaching course part-time? You can only get the maintenance grant for full time courses so then it wouldn't apply in this case, but yes it does pay fees. As far as I understand it your friend getting the dole is correct but they may have changed their rules so keep an eye out for that.

Larrykay

lilsis wrote: »

Correct if I'm wrong but isn't the Hibernian teaching course part-time? You can only get the maintenance grant for full time courses so then it wouldn't apply in this case, but yes it does pay fees. As far as I understand it your friend getting the dole is correct but they may have changed their rules so keep an eye out for that.

I'm fairly sure he didn't get a grant of any type and as it was part-time that is possibly the reason he could get the dole. Maybe someone else knows the reason.