GEM RCSI 2011

jtsuited

....Since the rest seem to have a thread set up for them!

In a bit of shock over getting RCSI, didn't think I'd have a hope.

I presume it's best practice to get a place on the luas line fairly close to town rather than get a place in Sandyford?

del85

jtsuited wrote: »

....Since the rest seem to have a thread set up for them!

In a bit of shock over getting RCSI, didn't think I'd have a hope.

I put a deposit down for an apartment in Limerick because I was sure dublin was a no-hoper. To go from that to accepting a spot in RCSI... still in shock.


Just in case anyone's interested, I spoke to Yvette in AIB Westmoreland St and she said that GEP loan applications will be going through from 15th August or thereabouts. The branch number is 01 7711909.

tiredcity

jtsuited wrote: »

....Since the rest seem to have a thread set up for them!

In a bit of shock over getting RCSI, didn't think I'd have a hope.

I presume it's best practice to get a place on the luas line fairly close to town rather than get a place in Sandyford?

Congrats Yeah get somewhere along the green luas. You'll be in town mon and tue afternoons for anatomy and rest of the time in for 8/8.30 in Reservoir House. Sandyford is dead so you're better off someplace like Ranelagh. Check out Biologic's summary of 1st yr post, will give you a great idea of what's ahead! I'm sure we'll all meet you soon - 2nd yrs usually organise drinks for the 1st yrs in the Swan round the start of term. ENJOY YOUR SUMMER. Leave the books til Sept, honestly

jtsuited

so it's just me, Del85, MrsStuffins, and Troggy 99 off to RCSI then?

Skytara

Me too guys See ya in September !

jtsuited

anyone have any luck with AIB on Westmoreland St yet? I was away for the past week, had to scramble to get the deposit to RCSI this morning, and rang AIB today and apparently the woman in charge of the loans isn't there til monday.

I have no outstanding debt, have never had a loan, and am still on my student credit card (with a sensible 600 euro limit) from 6 years ago. I am presuming I shouldn't have a problem getting the GEP loan????thoughts?

del85

jtsuited wrote: »

anyone have any luck with AIB on Westmoreland St yet? I was away for the past week, had to scramble to get the deposit to RCSI this morning, and rang AIB today and apparently the woman in charge of the loans isn't there til monday.

I have no outstanding debt, have never had a loan, and am still on my student credit card (with a sensible 600 euro limit) from 6 years ago. I am presuming I shouldn't have a problem getting the GEP loan????thoughts?

I dropped in on Wednesday to see Yvette (in the student centre, to the left as you go through the main door) and sorted it then and there. As long as you have proof of the offer, the loan shouldn't be a problem at all.

Biologic

I was in the exact same boat as you jt, down to the credit limit on my student card, and I had no problems. It can take a while to process though, so you might need to float yourself through September without the loan. I'm not sure when ours were accessible but it was a good few weeks into the year.
Also, anyone starting GEP1 should keep an eye on the facebook page setup for your class. Details of the icebreaker drinks tiredcity mentioned will probably be posted there first.
Congrats all, the year will fly in.
Linky: http://www.facebook.com/groups/RCSI.GEP.2015/

jtsuited

cool. think it finally set in last night that I'm off to RCSI. Was reading your great synopsis of the year Bio and was getting excited and nervous because it seems seriously intense.

Managed to clear every penny off my credit card debt last week, so I'm probably worrying needlessly about having it maxed (but paying the minimum payment regularly) for most of the past few years effecting my credit rating or something.

I have no experience with any of this type of stuff but am having nightmares about the loan being rejected.

del85

Biologic wrote: »

I was in the exact same boat as you jt, down to the credit limit on my student card, and I had no problems. It can take a while to process though, so you might need to float yourself through September without the loan. I'm not sure when ours were accessible but it was a good few weeks into the year.
Also, anyone starting GEP1 should keep an eye on the facebook page setup for your class. Details of the icebreaker drinks tiredcity mentioned will probably be posted there first.
Congrats all, the year will fly in.
Linky: http://www.facebook.com/groups/RCSI.GEP.2015/

Fees are due in September, but the loan might not clear 'til October...did that cause any problems last year? Did you still get your laptop/student card/library access etc?

jtsuited

tbh, if the bank they've negotiated the loan with don't approve the loans til october, and they want the fees in September, they can take it up with the bank.

Biologic

I wouldn't worry about it being rejected. I had gone over my credit limit a few times and it didn't come up when I applied for the GEP loan.
The year is intense but fun. It looks impossible when you put it all in one post, but when you're doing it week by week it's a lot more manageable. Once you go in every day you'll be fine. Very rewarding year though and you'll shock yourself with the amount of info you can absorb. A classmate and I are in Ghana at the moment on an elective and we're managing to keep up with students who are well senior to us.

Biologic

del85 wrote: »

Fees are due in September, but the loan might not clear 'til October...did that cause any problems last year? Did you still get your laptop/student card/library access etc?

It didn't cause any problems. RCSI seemed well aware of the situation and weren't in any rush asking for fees. You still got the laptop etc even if the fees weren't paid.

jtsuited

quick question:
what's the story with parking out in sandyford?

jtsuited

btw, is there a closing date for the rcsi gem loan applications?

Biologic

There's plenty of it. Just drive in on your first day in Sandyford and the security guard (a gentleman by the name of Wally) will issue you a pass. Traffic can be a disaster getting in & out of that industrial estate during peak times by the way. The smart move is to get in there early and cook your breakfast in RCSI, but I could rarely pull myself out of bed for that carry on.
I don't know about a closing date for the applications, but I'd get on to them as quickly as possible. Last year when a few of us rang up they said we were too late, even though this was relatively soon after the offers. After a bit of huffing they accepted the applications.

jtsuited

nice one.
Well i rang AIB today and Vanessa (the woman RCSI told us to contact) won't be there til monday but the guy said come in then, so I'm presuming I'm not too late (given I mentioned it was about the RCSI loan).
I went down the country last sunday and in the 4 days I was away, I seem to have missed a whole world of goings on.

Biologic

Sounds like you're in with plenty of time. This is the stuff they looked for off us:
-Certified copy of passport or full drivers licence (certified by a bank official or solicitor).
-A utility bill in your name within the last 2 months.
-Completed application form to open an AIB graduate account
-Copy of RCSI offer letter
-Evidence of PPS number (pay slip, copy of PPS card etc.)
It might save you a return trip if you bring it all in on Monday. The application forms were allegedly available only but I could never find it. Presumably they'll have a stash of them in the bank. If you bring your passport they can certify a copy of it for you there.

jtsuited

nice one, bio. have everything you mentioned there ready to go on my kitchen table (except the ever-elusive application form).

del85

jtsuited wrote: »

btw, is there a closing date for the rcsi gem loan applications?

The girl I spoke to said there wasn't one. There was no application form for the loan either, funnily enough. They ask you to open a graduate account with them and then hand you a blank piece of paper to make a written request for the loan amount. That was it.

Biologic

Yep there's no application form for the loan yet, we're talking about the one for the graduate account. I was told 15 times to find it online by AIB but I never could. The application forms for the actual loan follow in the post if I remember correctly.

jtsuited

ah ok. I actually think my AIB account is a graduate account.

According to this, http://www.aib.ie/personal/current-accounts/graduate-account, if you have a student account with them you can ring them up and they can change it immediately to a graduate account.

edit: here's the link for the application form..
http://www.aib.ie/personal/current-accounts/dl-graduate-account-app

Molly_88

Hey quick question, this "ice-breaker" night out is it the week b4 we start or the first week we start? Just asking since I was thinking of booking a holiday the week of the 5th sep. and do I need to be in ireland the week b4 hand incase ne thing crops up?

any info appreciated!

Biologic

The ice breaker is the weekend before you start so you'd probably miss it. That's really not a big deal though as you'll have a few more during your first week. Go if you can, don't worry if you can't. You'll spend the vast majority of your year with the class anyway. Take a holiday if you can.

3times

So I'm in for 2011 Graduate Entry, too. It's funny to see the same shocked and delighted reaction from other people, so it wasn't just me.

I don't know really know what I'm in for.
I'm currently in Germany (and am an EU citizen), having just finished my graduate degree in Britain-- and probably won't be able to get to Ireland until Actually moving there. I can't move there til I have the funds to move there-- and apparently (after calling AIB) I will need a PPS number. The woman I spoke to at the bank couldn't give me much information as to how I would get one without being in the country.

Does anyone know who I could/should speak to? There must be a way, as RCSI boasts every where about being very international.

Annaroberts22

3times wrote: »

So I'm in for 2011 Graduate Entry, too. It's funny to see the same shocked and delighted reaction from other people, so it wasn't just me.

I don't know really know what I'm in for.
I'm currently in Germany (and am an EU citizen), having just finished my graduate degree in Britain-- and probably won't be able to get to Ireland until Actually moving there. I can't move there til I have the funds to move there-- and apparently (after calling AIB) I will need a PPS number. The woman I spoke to at the bank couldn't give me much information as to how I would get one without being in the country.

Does anyone know who I could/should speak to? There must be a way, as RCSI boasts every where about being very international.

Hi, sorry for the off topic question. I was just wondering if you had any form of government loan or otherwise for your first degree in Britain and if so has this been an issue to AIB for giving you the grad med loan?

jtsuited

went in to sort out the loan today. Yvette was absolutely great and everything is sorted. Just have to go in and sign the credit agreement when they get it done and sign up for some life assurance. She said it's a matter of when rather than if the loan goes through and that they'll sort everything out with RCSI regarding fees due etc.

finally feels like I'm off to become a doctor.

imported_guy

Annaroberts22 wrote: »

Hi, sorry for the off topic question. I was just wondering if you had any form of government loan or otherwise for your first degree in Britain and if so has this been an issue to AIB for giving you the grad med loan?

he doesnt have a loan yet as he doesnt have a PPS number, I think you mis-read.

del85

jtsuited wrote: »

went in to sort out the loan today. Yvette was absolutely great and everything is sorted. Just have to go in and sign the credit agreement when they get it done and sign up for some life assurance. She said it's a matter of when rather than if the loan goes through and that they'll sort everything out with RCSI regarding fees due etc.

finally feels like I'm off to become a doctor.

I never thought to ask about life assurance! Do they arrange it in AIB or are we advised to shop around? Any mention of when the credit agreements are expected to be drawn up?

jtsuited

they said they can sort it out for me when I come in to sign the credit agreement, but if I want I can shop around.

del85

Hey

Just wondering if anyone has heard from AIB since applying for the loan?

jtsuited

only the graduate account terms and conditions that needed to be signed.

del85

jtsuited wrote: »

only the graduate account terms and conditions that needed to be signed.

Sound, that's all I got too.

jtsuited

anyone heard anything regarding the loan yet?

etymon

jtsuited wrote: »

anyone heard anything regarding the loan yet?

No and I wish they'd feckin hurry up! It was beginning of October last year and Yvette told me it would prob be same this year (she seems to hate all of us; Vanessa much nicer). You wouldn't want to be hungry!!