I no longer qualify for the non adjacent grant rate, does anyone know if there is...

mflanagan95

...does anyone know if there is any other claims/benefits i can apply for?

I used to be getting 6100euro now its been cut back to 2500euro, so im rightly screwed! I qualify for the top-up grant. Also have been looking for a job but no luck there.

This hardly seems fair such an extreme cutback

Annasopra

The student assistance fund in the college

Crunchy Friends

Contact your Welfare Officer about the SAF when you get back to college. You can also view a list of other finance options here

It is a pretty crappy deal alright!

If you are struggling with rent etc your SU might do short term loans or something. You should ask!

hokeypokey

If you try, try and move to a college further away..

B1977

mflanagan95 wrote: »

...does anyone know if there is any other claims/benefits i can apply for?

I used to be getting 6100euro now its been cut back to 2500euro, so im rightly screwed! I qualify for the top-up grant. Also have been looking for a job but no luck there.

This hardly seems fair such an extreme cutback

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056331548

There is a court action being taken against the loss of grant to mature students

B1977

hokeypokey wrote: »

If you try, try and move to a college further away..

you might only be in 2nd year of your course

ripo

mflanagan95 wrote: »

...does anyone know if there is any other claims/benefits i can apply for?

I used to be getting 6100euro now its been cut back to 2500euro, so im rightly screwed! I qualify for the top-up grant. Also have been looking for a job but no luck there.

This hardly seems fair such an extreme cutback

Can I ask you for a little info.


Where is your college? and when yo returned the renewal form to vec, did you have a home address (outside academic year)that was in another county 45k away from your college, or was it within the distance with both your academic address matching your home address ... normal place of residence,
can you pm me too, just want to understand how they analysis the grant system! so i can share it here

loca1

Yeah mines is cut the same now 2445 a year instead of the 6... it is nearly impossible to survive. Ive 2 children in childcare SU will only pay 35 euro a week towards that and it wont even be paid till mid October. All the funds wont be paid till near christmas I was told. Bloody disgrace at least they should help more towards childcare.

loca1

oh meant to say my home address is close to college thats why I was cut so much but anyway i thought all mature students were cut real bad

ripo

loca1 wrote: »

oh meant to say my home address is close to college thats why I was cut so much but anyway i thought all mature students were cut real bad

thanks for reply.

I think you will still get the full rate grant if for example, you live beside the college during the academic term, and stay with your parents or friends in the summer. so long as you can prove you were living alone (without parents in October). and that your parents home is your main ''home'' normal place of residence. and is more than 45k from college.

you would then be considered as independent, dependent means you live with parents during academic term.


i could be wrong, but i'll keep u all updated

Jim Stark

I've applied for the maintenance grant. When do you find out if you get it, do they send you a letter? And how do they pay you?? I've submitted the application ages ago, but have only sent in the final course acceptance form yesterday. My course is in England so I had to wait until I got to the University to get that filled out.

ripo

Jim Stark wrote: »

I've applied for the maintenance grant. When do you find out if you get it, do they send you a letter? And how do they pay you?? I've submitted the application ages ago, but have only sent in the final course acceptance form yesterday. My course is in England so I had to wait until I got to the University to get that filled out.

Its best if you call them, check there opening hours for calls.

donegal11

ripo wrote: »

thanks for reply.

I think you will still get the full rate grant if for example, you live beside the college during the academic term, and stay with your parents or friends in the summer. so long as you can prove you were living alone (without parents in October). and that your parents home is your main ''home'' normal place of residence. and is more than 45k from college.

you would then be considered as independent, dependent means you live with parents during academic term.


i could be wrong, but i'll keep u all updated

I doubt you can have it both ways. Either you live with your parents as your main place of residence or you don't. You can't say I live with them but I'm independent from them. If you weren't at college where would you be living? "dependent means you live with parents during academic term" I would recheck that statement if I was you :pac: or everyone living away from there parents would be classed as independent and pubs would be filled with students spending their top up grant cheques

Annasopra

ripo wrote: »

thanks for reply.

I think you will still get the full rate grant if for example, you live beside the college during the academic term, and stay with your parents or friends in the summer. so long as you can prove you were living alone (without parents in October). and that your parents home is your main ''home'' normal place of residence. and is more than 45k from college.

you would then be considered as independent, dependent means you live with parents during academic term.


i could be wrong, but i'll keep u all updated

It might be worthwhile finding out the exact rules before going off on a 'I think.....'

You can't switch between dependent and independent easily.

ripo

mango salsa wrote: »

It might be worthwhile finding out the exact rules before going off on a 'I think.....'

You can't switch between dependent and independent easily.

Thanks Mango,


I did mention that i'm not sure, i'm still finding out myself, as the new grant rules are very vague, I read through there publications... very vague, as i mentioned in my other post ''i could be wrong''

Mango, say if a student was rejected the full grant, could they move house 45k away and renew their grant again during the academic term?

ripo

donegal11 wrote: »

I doubt you can have it both ways. Either you live with your parents as your main place of residence or you don't. You can't say I live with them but I'm independent from them. If you weren't at college where would you be living? "dependent means you live with parents during academic term" I would recheck that statement if I was you :pac: or everyone living away from there parents would be classed as independent and pubs would be filled with students spending their top up grant cheques

Thats one of the problems with the new grant system, its very vague. your considered independent if you were living alone in October, but if you live wit your parents during the summer and call it main place of residence ... what is your status! all the publications from the gov. fail to answer that question.

It would be better if the new law just said ''travel distance to college from academic residence''

but them people in govt buildings don't seem to have the know how to do that!

donegal11

Is it not the October before you enter college?

ripo

donegal11 wrote: »

Is it not the October before you enter college?

hey,i know under the old grant system you had to prove you were independent from October, the new grant system does allow a change in circumstances, unlike the old one - where you were locked in from the previous year.

but, i'm not sure to the full answer, sorry. if and when i find out i will post it

Annasopra

Hi - I would suggest contacting the student support unit in the Department of Education about that

The Student Support Unit
Department of Education and Science
Portlaoise Road
Tullamore
County Offaly

057 9324381

Email:
StudentSupportUnit-Tullamore@education.gov.ie