*** 2011/2012 student grant form is NOW available!! ***

Crunchy Friends

Quibbler wrote: »

I'm away at the moment and so don't have time to go through all of the forms and guidelines, but can anyone tell me if any of the rules have changed this year, or is it the same as last year?
If you could qualify last year then will you qualify this year? I was just a bit worried they might change the rules like they did with the 3 year rule last year!

Well there are 2 big changes -
1. Mature students are no longer automatically entitled to the non-adjacent rate.
2. Non-adjacent rate distance has been hiked up. You used to be eligible for the non adjacent rate if your home was further than 23km from the college. You now have to live further than 45km from the college to be eligible for the non adjacent rate.

Don't know if either of these apply to you. If they don't, and you qualified last year, and your parents pay hasn't gone up since then, you should be okay.

Crunchy Friends

tasker wrote: »

for anyone else out there with same situation,I just received this reply from Kildare C.C. "You can just apply to Kildare County Council, and if the course your daughter is pursuing is covered by the VEC and not us then we will forward her application to them for processing." Seems sensible

I've also heard this for Dun Laoghaire Rathdown CC & Dun Laoghaire VEC.

useded

Probably a silly question but..

I'm applying for masters and my last (third year) was the first time I got the grant. Do I have to do the full application or what? It's a bloody nightmare trying to get these forms when I'm working during the weekdays =/

Perplexed22

useded wrote: »

Probably a silly question but..

I'm applying for masters and my last (third year) was the first time I got the grant. Do I have to do the full application or what? It's a bloody nightmare trying to get these forms when I'm working during the weekdays =/

You do have to reapply as you're changing your course. You should be able to make an online application at www.studentfinance.ie (if your county council or VEC is accepts online applications) or download the form if they don't.

MessiahMan

Useded I'm in the exact same situation as you. I contacted them and as Peplexed22 said you have to reapply because we are changing our course which is such a pain!!Also has anyone had any experience with the online grant registration. Do you think this would be reviewed quicker (as in sooner) than the hardcopy or are they treated the same?

Sly Marbo

Hi, I am just wondering if you can give me some advice.

I will be starting a PhD in september and will be recieving IRCSET funding for it, I was told that I should be able to get a grant as well but have never recieved one before (was out of the country for undergrad, I have fulfilled the 3 years in Ireland rule now however).

My main question is which VEC do I apply to? I am from Galway but will be doing the PhD in Limerick and since I will have funding do I count as an independant student?

august12

Sly Marbo wrote: »

Hi, I am just wondering if you can give me some advice.

I will be starting a PhD in september and will be recieving IRCSET funding for it, I was told that I should be able to get a grant as well but have never recieved one before (was out of the country for undergrad, I have fulfilled the 3 years in Ireland rule now however).

My main question is which VEC do I apply to? I am from Galway but will be doing the PhD in Limerick and since I will have funding do I count as an independant student?

If you never had a grant, then send it into Galway County or City Council for PHd level. You need to submit details of IRCSET funding giving a breakdown ie. how much towards fees and maintenance you are getting and also the total amount received per year. To apply as Independent Mature, you need to be over 23 as at 1st January of year of entry to course and you need to have a break of 3 years since completing your undergrad whether or not you applied for grant.
If you meet these conditions, you need to prove Independent living from October 1st last year by submitting utility bills with your name and address listed. A number of bills,documents right up to now will need to be provided.
You will need to provide documents confirming you were in the country for 3 of last 5 years i.e. from Sept, 2006 to Sept. 2011. If you can't prove Independent living, then you will be assessed under your parents income and your own for 2010. Course has to be fulltime.

Léan

I sent away my grant stuff about two weeks ago, they came back to me today saying it was incomplete until i provide proof of leaving certificate and junior certificate and proof of CAO/course acceptance.

What are they looking for as proof for Leaving and Junior certificate? I have no idea where my results are, and I have no idea what else would prove i've done them. My secondary school has also since closed down so I can't go in and ask them

I also have no idea about the CAO thing, again I don't know where my CAO info is. This is my first time applying for a grant and it's to fund a masters so there's no CAO being used. I originally sent them in my PAC info stamped by the university proving acceptance of the course but apparently they want more...

Any help appreciated.

Annasopra

Léan wrote: »

I sent away my grant stuff about two weeks ago, they came back to me today saying it was incomplete until i provide proof of leaving certificate and junior certificate and proof of CAO/course acceptance.

What are they looking for as proof for Leaving and Junior certificate? I have no idea where my results are, and I have no idea what else would prove i've done them. My secondary school has also since closed down so I can't go in and ask them

I also have no idea about the CAO thing, again I don't know where my CAO info is. This is my first time applying for a grant and it's to fund a masters so there's no CAO being used. I originally sent them in my PAC info stamped by the university proving acceptance of the course but apparently they want more...

Any help appreciated.

Why do they need them? What are they documentary evidence of? Presumably they want these as documentary evidence for proof of residence of 3 of the last 5 years? If that is the case then tell them you can provide other items as per their own rules
• social welfare statements
• utility bills;
• registration with the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB)

Documentary evidence for residency for 3 out of the last 5 years
This may be one or more of the following:
• evidence that the applicant sat the Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate exams in
Ireland, or equivalent school exams in the EU, EEA or Switzerland;
• a letter from a school principal in Ireland, the EU, EEA or Switzerland confirming the
applicant’s attendance at a school;
• social welfare statements or equivalents from the EU, EEA or Switzerland;
• utility bills;
• registration with the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB), or equivalent from
the EU, EEA or Switzerland;
• if the applicant is a non-EEA national, a letter from the Department of Justice and
Equality confirming the period of lawful presence in Ireland. Periods of unlawful
presence cannot be considered

Zipppy

Anyone know when the 2012/2013 form will be available ?

Annasopra

Zipppy wrote: »

Anyone know when the 2012/2013 form will be available ?

it's usually around may or June possibly even July

Zipppy

mango salsa wrote: »

it's usually around may or June possibly even July

Thanks ..

Does that mean students cant apply till then?


Seems kinda late ....

Annasopra

Zipppy wrote: »

Thanks ..

Does that mean students cant apply till then?


Seems kinda late ....

Yes

They won't take applications until then

RovinPirate

Hi, I'm a first year in college, I will be continuing on with the course I am in (hopefully) I am in receipt of the full grant (special rate). Financial situation has not changed, if anything gotten worse.

• Do I need to apply again for next year's grant?
• Will I definatly still get the special rate?
• If I do need to apply for next years grant, when should I do that?
• What paperwork is needed? Is it as horrible as the original application ?

I only ask because it took a month to originally sort out my grant. It's really the only money I have coming in other than a small allowance of my father I already have a Loan out to pay for accommodation.

Annasopra

RovinPirate wrote: »

Hi, I'm a first year in college, I will be continuing on with the course I am in (hopefully) I am in receipt of the full grant (special rate). Financial situation has not changed, if anything gotten worse.

• Do I need to apply again for next year's grant?
• Will I definatly still get the special rate?
• If I do need to apply for next years grant, when should I do that?
• What paperwork is needed? Is it as horrible as the original application ?

I only ask because it took a month to originally sort out my grant. It's really the only money I have coming in other than a small allowance of my father I already have a Loan out to pay for accommodation.

1. The council or VEC will send a renewal form
2. Possibly/Possibly not
3. When you get the renewal form
4. Not sure what paperwork but no the form should be much easier

ByJove

Anyone hear anything about grant 2 being paid?

Last year they told me DIT delayed significantly the list of students still in sem. 2 so we got paid the last day or two of Feb in 2011. Better not again this year...so many other students have been paid already....

http://www.ucd.ie/registry/adminservices/fees/maintenance_cheques.htm

runswithascript

Can anyone of you tell me does this grant negate your eligibility for BTEA, and if so what choose the grant instead?

ByJove

That's a British grant, am I right? If so, last time I checked, you could get both without a problem. I'd check that though, everything's changing now...

runswithascript

ByJove wrote: »

That's a British grant, am I right? If so, last time I checked, you could get both without a problem. I'd check that though, everything's changing now...

Back to Education Allowance is Irish, and it's for people who have been receiving an unemployment benefit prior to beginning the course.

Annasopra

dusf wrote: »

Can anyone of you tell me does this grant negate your eligibility for BTEA, and if so what choose the grant instead?

You cannot get both so yes I would assume one invalidates the other

You can get BTEA and a grant that pays the student contribution fee only

runswithascript

mango salsa wrote: »

You cannot get both so yes I would assume one invalidates the other

If so why does anyone go for the grant instead of BTEA?

Annasopra

dusf wrote: »

If so why does anyone go for the grant instead of BTEA?

because they are not eligible for BTEA

bd2012

Hi. I'm in the same situation here. A mature student. Just wondering, when I applied for the grant I was living in Town X for over ten years so I applied to that county council. College is in town y so have since moved there over 100km away and I've gotten mpat of my grant this year so far (just waiting on final instalment). I am getting my post forwarded to new address so am I better off saying nothing and waiting for renewal form? Or will more proof of residence be required?When do they normally come out?
Thanks in advance. Sorry for the questions but I'm very new to this.

RovinPirate wrote: »

Hi, I'm a first year in college, I will be continuing on with the course I am in (hopefully) I am in receipt of the full grant (special rate). Financial situation has not changed, if anything gotten worse.

• Do I need to apply again for next year's grant?
• Will I definatly still get the special rate?
• If I do need to apply for next years grant, when should I do that?
• What paperwork is needed? Is it as horrible as the original application ?

I only ask because it took a month to originally sort out my grant. It's really the only money I have coming in other than a small allowance of my father I already have a Loan out to pay for accommodation.

Katie Kaboom

Hi

I have to pay €500 to keep my place in NUIG and I'm wondering will I get that back from BTEA?

nicnac2012

Hi,
My Brother is due to start a PLC course in September and I have no idea where he needs to apply for a grant or what the situation is, when I done my degree I simply filled out a form and handed it back to the local VEC but people are telling me this has changed and not applicable for PLC courses.
Also he is dyslexic and I wonder is there a certain kind of funding he can apply for.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Mr.Plough

nicnac2012 wrote: »

Hi,
My Brother is due to start a PLC course in September and I have no idea where he needs to apply for a grant or what the situation is, when I done my degree I simply filled out a form and handed it back to the local VEC but people are telling me this has changed and not applicable for PLC courses.
Also he is dyslexic and I wonder is there a certain kind of funding he can apply for.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Apply here: http://www.studentfinance.ie/mp9540/new-grant-applications-for-2012-13/index.html

Application isn't open yet, due to be available this month sometime

Annasopra

nicnac2012 wrote: »

Hi,
My Brother is due to start a PLC course in September and I have no idea where he needs to apply for a grant or what the situation is, when I done my degree I simply filled out a form and handed it back to the local VEC but people are telling me this has changed and not applicable for PLC courses.
Also he is dyslexic and I wonder is there a certain kind of funding he can apply for.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks

There is also a disability fund - I think he should apply to the college directly for access to that