Student finances... am I in a dead end?

embee

Hi folks,

At my wits end here and I suppose I am just looking for suggestions.

I am going into 3rd year of a 4 year Honours Degree course. Well, that was the plan but I don't have a bean to my name and I haven't a clue how to pay the registration fees.

I am a single parent on Back To Education Allowance. My wee girl started school last September, which costs a blessed fortune. I have applied for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance for her but am told it will be late September before I get it. I have applied for, but have still not received, my medical card. I do not qualify for the grant as I have the BTEA. I have tried to get student and credit union loans but to no avail - have no income and having a dependent hampers me severely. It is very difficult to do part time work given the nature of the course I am doing - I am doing placements in hospitals far away from home, childcare is already a headache.

Anyone any ideas at all? I don't want to drop out but I can't see a way past this at all.

girlonfire

Even though you're not eligible for the grant, you can still apply to have your reg fees covered. You go through the process of filling out the grant form and just indicate that you're applying to have the fees covered only.
I'm not entirely sure, but I'd imagine that as you're entitled to BTEA, you'd be entitled to free fees.

Annasopra

embee wrote: »

Hi folks,

At my wits end here and I suppose I am just looking for suggestions.

I am going into 3rd year of a 4 year Honours Degree course. Well, that was the plan but I don't have a bean to my name and I haven't a clue how to pay the registration fees.

I am a single parent on Back To Education Allowance. My wee girl started school last September, which costs a blessed fortune. I have applied for the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance for her but am told it will be late September before I get it. I have applied for, but have still not received, my medical card. I do not qualify for the grant as I have the BTEA. I have tried to get student and credit union loans but to no avail - have no income and having a dependent hampers me severely. It is very difficult to do part time work given the nature of the course I am doing - I am doing placements in hospitals far away from home, childcare is already a headache.

Anyone any ideas at all? I don't want to drop out but I can't see a way past this at all.

1 Approach your local St Vincent DePaul and ask for some assistance
2 When you start back at college speak to the students union welfare officer - ask them if they have any advice -particularly ask them how you could be helped through the student assistance fund
3 Check if you can get some subsidy for childcare through the college

Paulie Walnuts

girlonfire wrote: »

Even though you're not eligible for the grant, you can still apply to have your reg fees covered. You go through the process of filling out the grant form and just indicate that you're applying to have the fees covered only.
I'm not entirely sure, but I'd imagine that as you're entitled to BTEA, you'd be entitled to free fees.

Yeah i'm pretty sure that is correct. I am in receipt of the BTEA and though I don't receive a VEC grant my student fees are paid for by the VEC. You'll probably have to go through a load of form filling but it will probably be worth it in the end.

eaglej13

Paulie Walnuts wrote: »

Yeah i'm pretty sure that is correct. I am in receipt of the BTEA and though I don't receive a VEC grant my student fees are paid for by the VEC. You'll probably have to go through a load of form filling but it will probably be worth it in the end.

you should defo be able to get the fees covered by grant, if attending uni apply to council, anywere else apply to vec

LaLucy

Sorry to highjack but can you get fees paid if doing a plc course and getting btea?

annacanna

would it not make more sense to go on one parent family allowance and apply for the grant, you will still get 217.80 lone parent a week plus whatever level of grant you are entitled to and the top up since you are getting lone parent allowance, could be worth another 6100 euro a year

Paula_K

LaLucy wrote: »

Sorry to highjack but can you get fees paid if doing a plc course and getting btea?

No, the VEC will not pay your fee's for a PLC course.

And to the OP if this is your first degree and you meet the criteria then you are definitely entitled to free fee's when on Back to Education. Free fee's is separate from the maintenance grant which cannot be gotten while on BTEA.

embee

Paula_K wrote: »

No, the VEC will not pay your fee's for a PLC course.

And to the OP if this is your first degree and you meet the criteria then you are definitely entitled to free fee's when on Back to Education. Free fee's is separate from the maintenance grant which cannot be gotten while on BTEA.

I was in college way back in the day (1998) but dropped out after first year. When I recommenced at a different college and on a different course (but still a degree course) now last year, I would've had to pay full fees for first year but they waived it under the "second chance student" rule.

So, this is my "first" degree, though I did do 1 year of college eons ago. I wonder does that entitle me to have fees covered?