Free Fees - Second Chance question

scoobisnacks

Hi all,

I am hoping to get into an IT in September. It's for a two year Higher Cert course. In 1995 I went to UCC to do an honours degree but I just completed one year. So I suppose that I will qualify for the Free Fees initiative Second Chance thingimejig. The only thing is that I had a look at the Dept of Ed website and it said that the free fees initiative is only for mature students who:

are returning following a break of at least five years in order to pursue approved courses at the same level

Does this mean that I can't do a Higher Cert of 2 years and am obliged to do an honours degree of 4 years?? I really hope not as I want to get back to work ASAP and 4 years in college will be too much....

Thanks a million...

IPushButtons

I doubt that the VEC will get hung up on the wording of the rules, being an Irish organization they will rely more on the principals of natural justice and fairness. Here in my town the social welfare office has been putting people on the BTEA if they have been unemployed for three months or more, even tho you only qualify for the BTEA after you been unemployed for nine months, but this could just be a small town mentality thing. Your best bet is to just submit your grant application and see if you get it. If you apply now (I think the application processes is open now) you should hear back from the VEC before you start your course.

araic26

I was doing a diploma course five years ago, never finished it, barely did the first year.

I went back this year and im doing a higher cert, I got the grant so I don't think they won't give it to you on that alone

summer35

I attended college for a year and a half in 1994. I am now 35 and have applied to go back to study nursing this september. Will I get free tuition?

paperclip2

scoobisnacks wrote: »

are returning following a break of at least five years in order to pursue approved courses at the same level

Does this mean that I can't do a Higher Cert of 2 years and am obliged to do an honours degree of 4 years?? I really hope not as I want to get back to work ASAP and 4 years in college will be too much....

Thanks a million...

Afaik under current rules you would qualify for free fees for the full duration of your new course. The reference to the 'same level' means third level, or second level i.e FETAC.
In any case a Higher Cert is often the first step in an add-on framework where someone can, if they choose, proceed to complete a level 8 award. So on paper its stage one of a 4 year process.

IPushButtons wrote: »

I doubt that the VEC will get hung up on the wording of the rules, being an Irish organization they will rely more on the principals of natural justice and fairness.

No comment

IPushButtons wrote: »

Here in my town the social welfare office has been putting people on the BTEA if they have been unemployed for three months or more, even tho you only qualify for the BTEA after you been unemployed for nine months, but this could just be a small town mentality thing.

Under the rules of the scheme if you have 3 months, (78 days) on a payment you qualify for BTEA to do a second level course, i.e Junior Cert, Leaving Cert or FETAC level 3,4,5,6 as long as they are full-time and in a recognised institution.

The nine month clause refers to applicants seeking a place at third level where you need to be in receipt of a payment for (234 days) before being eligible. (Sundays aren't counted as a day of unemployment)

The exception to this rule are people who have been made statutorily redundant, i.e have an RP50 form. In this case they can access courses at any level with no waiting period provided they have an entitlement to a social welfare payment immediately before starting a course.

IPushButtons wrote: »

Your best bet is to just submit your grant application and see if you get it. If you apply now (I think the application processes is open now) you should hear back from the VEC before you start your course.

Definitely apply anyway as even if you aren't eligible for the maintenance portion of the grant, (due to receipt of BTEA) you still need to apply for it to have the registration fees covered. These are approx €1,500 for third level courses and at least €200 for PLC courses.

summer35 wrote: »

I attended college for a year and a half in 1994. I am now 35 and have applied to go back to study nursing this september. Will I get free tuition?

Your free fee eligibility is covered under the second chance rule as you did not receive a qualification for your period in college and its more than 5 years since you left.

Definitely apply anyway as even if you aren't eligible for the maintenance portion of the grant, (due to receipt of BTEA) you still need to apply for it to have the registration fees covered. These are approx €1,500 for third level courses and at least €200 for PLC courses.


Yep, €1500 for registration at least ! I heard it could be as much as €2000 this September, a hell of a lot of money to cough up in the current climate if you're not covered by a maintenance grant. I remember when 3rd level fees were abolished in the mid 90s, the reg fee was something like €120 for Universities. 'Regristration' charges these days are massive I wonder what they're doing for 'registration' these days that it's costing so much... it's just fees coming back in again through the famous 'back door' I think.....

scoobisnacks

Thanks everyone.

I did some phoning and I should be entitled to free fees as I didn't do more than one year in UCC (If I had done more than one year the lady in the VEC told me I would be ineligible...)

BUT I have to come up with the registration fees myself! I've not been in Ireland for the last few years and you need to be in Ireland for 3 out of the last 5 years (I was in an EU country - paying taxes etc... but apparently this is irrelevant - we're only members of the EU when it suits..) I'm happy enough with having free fees so I can't complain. Now I'm looking forward to having the chance to get qualified and start contributing a bit...

ellen1982

Hey guys just wondering I completed a level 7 diploma in business back in 2003 and am now applying for a level 8 degree in social studies as a mature student, iv been told as long as i am progressing that i should qualify for a grant from the VEC but i am not sure if i will because i am not progressing in the same subject can any one tell me if this matters

Thanks a mill

paperclip2

ellen1982 wrote: »

Hey guys just wondering I completed a level 7 diploma in business back in 2003 and am now applying for a level 8 degree in social studies as a mature student, iv been told as long as i am progressing that i should qualify for a grant from the VEC but i am not sure if i will because i am not progressing in the same subject can any one tell me if this matters

Thanks a mill

The way I understand it, and I'm open to correction on this, is that free fees exist for your first shot at third level education. So if you spent three years at third level and got a level 7 qualification you would only have an entitlement to free fees and grant for one more undergrad year, i.e. an add-on level 8 year.

If you are starting in the first year of a new 4 year course then you may not have an entitlement to free fees and/or grant for the first three years of your new course. But I recommend checking this out with your Co. Council grants office.

The exception to this is where you left a course with no qualification more than five years ago. In such cases you may qualify for grant/ free fees under the second chance rule.

ellen1982

Thanks paperclip2, i kinda figured that i just checked the social welfare site and it says that you are not entitled to the back to education allowance if you have already completed a postgrad course, so it doesnt look good for me pain in the ass because I stupidly picked business when i was 18 not even thinking about what career i wanted and now that I actually really want to do this social studies course i just cant afford to

ellen1982

Hey Paperclip I rang Social Welfare again today to double check and was told as long as I am progressing from a level 7 to a level 8 it is accepted as they pay for people who have done diplomas and degrees who are doing postgrad courses, as long you are not already a post grad!! now to be honest im not taking their word for it il just have to wait and see until its all very confusing i rang the VEC office and they mentioned aswell that as long as im not doing a level 7 that i have already done! I dont think they are fully listening to me when i say its in a different subject so im going to wait and see when i fill out the forms

paperclip2

Hi Ellen,
It is possible to get the BTEA from Social Welfare for doing a new course in certain circumstances since this allowance is awarded at the discretion of the awarding officer. They have some flexibility in how they allocate the payment. Or so I'm told by the DSP.

I spoke to the Dept of Education re the fees and they said that you wont be eligible for free fees for a second undergraduate course. They did recommend talking to your Co. Council re the grant for the new course.

Hope it works out for you.

ellen1982

hey guys just an update for anyone who was wondering i got accepted for the free fees grant, so looks like you can go back under the progression clause (i.e going up a level) i only just found out now would you believe