mature grant for masters

irish son

hi, i wasnt sure to post this hear or in mature student forum. i applied for a masters course for september. i am now 23 and im wondering if i will be eligible for a mature student grant. i wasnt eligible for a normal grant during my degree due to parents earnings so i know i wont be able to get that. Because im entering a new level 9 course and im 23, is this the same as just startin college at 23. i live at home currently but would move to get grant if that makes any difference. any knowledge on the subject would be great as i dont think il be able afford it without grant. please help!!!

schween

If you weren't a mature student (doesn't matter if you got the grant or not) you have to wait three years after your undergraduate degree before doing a postgrad to be considered a mature student.

irish son

thanks schween, will have to decide to either pay it myself or try get job, was hoping to do it and give up my part time job (about 20 hrs a week) to concentrate on exams but not much chance of that now

crazycouchy

Thats not true. Im in the same boat as you and it says nothing about a 3 year gap on the studentfinance.ie website. I also phoned my county council and they said nothing about it.

You should ring check out the student finance website Irish Son and see if you are eligible..if still confused after that, ring your local county council for advice!

seadnamac

crazycouchy wrote: »

Thats not true. Im in the same boat as you and it says nothing about a 3 year gap on the studentfinance.ie website. I also phoned my county council and they said nothing about it.

You should ring check out the student finance website Irish Son and see if you are eligible..if still confused after that, ring your local county council for advice!

If only. It is true and it does mention it on the website. They probably didn't mention it because you didn't ask.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055984950

EDIT: I should clarify, we're talking about applying as an independant mature student ie. under your own income and not your parents.

Annasopra

You can get a grant for ENTRY or REENTRY - REENTRY is the 3 year rule.

Irish son - your grant application would be assessed on your parents income because that is where you live.

crazycouchy

Oh that is the worst news ever. There goes my chance to do a masters then as I don't exactly have 10,000 Euro lying around. I'm SO annoyed that citizens information and my local county council never mentioned this to me...Grrrrr. Just spent the last month preparing and sending off my applications whcih I might as well cancel now. So dissapointed in this system.

Annasopra

crazycouchy wrote: »

Oh that is the worst news ever. There goes my chance to do a masters then as I don't exactly have 10,000 Euro lying around. I'm SO annoyed that citizens information and my local county council never mentioned this to me...Grrrrr. Just spent the last month preparing and sending off my applications whcih I might as well cancel now. So dissapointed in this system.

What application were you filling out? The 2011 forms are not out yet

crazycouchy

I was filling out my University application forms, not Grant forms. But that has been a waste of time considering I wont be able to accept any of them without funding.

NoQuarter

Johnnymcg wrote: »

You can get a grant for ENTRY or REENTRY - REENTRY is the 3 year rule.

Whats the difference here Johnny? If ive never gotten a grant before and the first one im looking for is for a post grad course is that still considered re-entry?

seadnamac

NoQuarter wrote: »

Whats the difference here Johnny? If ive never gotten a grant before and the first one im looking for is for a post grad course is that still considered re-entry?

Yep. I'm in the same boat. Our only hope is that FG/Labour change the criteria when they are announced soon. If I remember correctly, Ruairi Quinn wrote an article last year condemning the rule, and now that he is the Minister for Education I wonder will he follow up on it?

crazycouchy

I just rang Cork County Council and asked about the rule specifically. She said because I have never got a grant before (never could have due to my parents income) that the 3 year rule doesn't apply. I should be happy but i'm still very nervous as im not sure if she's talking rubbish. You guys should call and do the same and see if your luck changes.

Annasopra

NoQuarter wrote: »

Whats the difference here Johnny? If ive never gotten a grant before and the first one im looking for is for a post grad course is that still considered re-entry?

My understanding is that yes it is - reentering is defined in this post

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=72414287&postcount=74

AGAIN - These are the 2010 rules - 2011 rules could abolish this three year rule or even extend it to four years

crazycouchy

@noquarter

If you never got a student grant before you might still be ok!

're-entering' means entering as a mature candidate following a break of at least three years, having previously been a candidate dependent on parents or legal guardian, and having previously attended a course for the purposes of the Higher Education Grants Scheme or the Vocational Education Committees Scholarship Scheme.

If you got no grant before you were NOT a candidate. You should call ur county council!!

NoQuarter

Thanks for the info guys, so I still retain some hope!

Best to wait until the 2011 scheme comes out mid june and see where I stand there!