funding for fees??

Squeel

Hi,
Im a single mother and already hav a degree, I want to go back to college and do midwifery. I have been told I can probably get btea and keep rent allowance, and also that I will have to pay full fees. My question is, is there anywhere that will lend money for fees, that u don't pay back untill u qualify? Or is there any scholarships etc available? I have done out a budget for the year for au pair, travel costs and general cost of living and as it is I would have just €100/wk for groceries and petrol this to feed me, an au pair and two children - so paying back a loan every week is not possible but I still just can't accept that that's it, just cos of my financial circumstances I don't get to have a second chance. Ironically if i'd failed my last course i'd be eligible for free fees but cos I passed im punished!
I had my first son the day I finished the last course so have been on ofp since (almost 5 years), seems mad that my only option looks like to stay in poverty rutt!!

jano1

If you have been out of full time education for over 5 years, you should qualify for free fees under the' second chance' scheme. The rule is that you have been out of full time education for at least 5 years. Look up 'studentfinance.ie':)

Squeel

Hi thanks for the reply jano, unfortunately I don't qualify for the second chance scheme because I passed my course. If I had failed I would qualify!

jano1

Sorry Squeel, you're right, I hadn't realised that to qualify you had to have not completed the course:(

The_Morrigan

AFAIK there is no deferred payment or interest free education loans available - much to my disgust.
I don't qualify for any state help, I had to get a loan for the first two years of fees and I'm saving for the third & fourth. However, the interest payments equal another years worth of fees - between the loan, books & materials I'll be forking out about 25k.

To be blunt, get saving as the State does not have the resources to be supporting its citizens anymore.

Also, an au pair - as in live in child minder? Wouldn't a local child minder who takes the child on a daily basis not be more economical?

Squeel

I know au pair sounds very indulgent, but with two kids one in school it works out as the cheapest option. The subsidised creche in college is at least 100/wk for just the toddler, then afterschool would be on top of that, but au pairs are around 80 to 100/wk so even though i'd be feeding her it's still cheaper and much easier.
Unfortunately any savings I make goes towards my car (an essential as I live in countryside) and tv licence etc so I haven't been able to build up any savings till now. Did u have to work while in college to pay back those fees? Im thinking if I could defer for a year and work fulltime I could save a lot but at the moment finding a full time job isn't much of a plan!
Im gutted there's no way of being funded even though im fully willing to pay every cent back when im qualified.

Squeel

I know au pair sounds very indulgent, but with two kids one in school it works out as the cheapest option. The subsidised creche in college is at least 100/wk for just the toddler, then afterschool would be on top of that, but au pairs are around 80 to 100/wk so even though i'd be feeding her it's still cheaper and much easier.
Unfortunately any savings I make goes towards my car (an essential as I live in countryside) and tv licence etc so I haven't been able to build up any savings till now. Did u have to work while in college to pay back those fees? Im thinking if I could defer for a year and work fulltime I could save a lot but at the moment finding a full time job isn't much of a plan!
Im gutted there's no way of being funded even though im fully willing to pay every cent back when im qualified.

The_Morrigan

Squeel wrote: »

I know au pair sounds very indulgent, but with two kids one in school it works out as the cheapest option. The subsidised creche in college is at least 100/wk for just the toddler, then afterschool would be on top of that, but au pairs are around 80 to 100/wk so even though i'd be feeding her it's still cheaper and much easier.
Unfortunately any savings I make goes towards my car (an essential as I live in countryside) and tv licence etc so I haven't been able to build up any savings till now. Did u have to work while in college to pay back those fees? Im thinking if I could defer for a year and work fulltime I could save a lot but at the moment finding a full time job isn't much of a plan!
Im gutted there's no way of being funded even though im fully willing to pay every cent back when im qualified.

I work full time, so my salary has to cover my day to day living expenses, mortgage, insurance, management fees, bills, college loan etc etc.
There is nothing spare - skilling up is costing me a lot, both financially and emotionally.

jano1

If you do work full time for a year, you may find that you will no longer meet the BTEA criteria the following year. The next govt may put a tuition fee loan scheme in place if free fees are abolished for all students.

Squeel

Oh ya jano good point, I hadn't thought of that, if im not on ofp for the year, that definitely wouldn't work! I know it's strange but im probably one of the only people in the country who would be better off if they reintroduced fees! (obviously its not that I think that'd be a good thing, im sure i'll be cursing it when my sons get to that age)

paperclip2

Squeel wrote: »

Oh ya jano good point, I hadn't thought of that, if im not on ofp for the year, that definitely wouldn't work! I know it's strange but im probably one of the only people in the country who would be better off if they reintroduced fees! (obviously its not that I think that'd be a good thing, im sure i'll be cursing it when my sons get to that age)

Hi OP,

There is a new scheme, called Springboard being launched in Mayto allow adults on social welfare access education at third level. Theres an article about it in todays Indo as well as more information on the HEA website and bluebrick.ie. Have a look it might be of use to you.

Independent article:
http://www.independent.ie/education/latest-news/springboard-plan-to-train-jobless-adults-2533415.html

HEA
http://www.hea.ie/springboard

Bluebrick
http://www.bluebrick.ie/Springboard.aspx

Squeel

God thanks a mill for that paperclip! Hopefully they'll give more info soon. I might just ring hea later see if they can tell me anything.