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Mature Student Leaving Employment to Return to Education - Fees

  • 05-09-2011 8:26pm
    #1
    Bernie_S
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8 ✭


    Hi all,
    I'd really appreciate some help on this as I've been researching and calling various VEC and LA offices but not getting any straight or consistent answers. In 2004 I graduated with an Honours degree in Computer Science, I received the full 'top-up' grant from the VEC for this course. I am now 32 and would absolutely love to re-train in Occupational Therapy and there is a 2 year intensive masters course in UL which I'm going to try my hardest to get into for Sept 2012. Anyway I would be leaving a full time job in IT to go back to university, I appreciate some may consider me completely foolish to do this but I know if I don't do this now I never will. I just can't get any proper answers as to whether I would be entitled to apply for a grant as a mature student or not, whether I would have to pay full fees or if I would be entitled to anything? I have a lot of financial responsibilites at the moment and can't afford to save much at all, hence these questions. Thank you for your time if you have read this and I really would appreciate any advice you may be able to give.


Comments

  • #2
    Annasopra
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41,158 ✭✭✭✭Annasopra


    Yes you would be eligible to apply for a grant as a mature student to do a masters but it is assessed on your income in October of the previous year so if you applied for a grant in Sept 2012 they would assess your income in October 2011. You could of course claim change of circumstances. If you are awarded the grant they pay fees upto 6270. Grant rules and laws change almost every year though so what I'm saying now could be right now but completely different next year.

    It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.

    Terry Pratchet



  • #3
    Bernie_S
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8 ✭Bernie_S


    Thank you very much Mango Salsa, there is some hope so! May I ask what you mean by claiming change of circumstances however?!


  • #4
    alberto14
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1 ✭alberto14


    How does the points system work for a mature student? Are u offered courses based on your own LC points? What are the other requirements along with being 23 to qualify for grant as mature student?


  • #5
    Annasopra
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41,158 ✭✭✭✭Annasopra


    Bernie_S wrote: »
    Thank you very much Mango Salsa, there is some hope so! May I ask what you mean by claiming change of circumstances however?!

    Say you earning 40,000 in October 2011 and the grant is being assessed based on this but you were made redundant in Jan 2012. This is a change of circumstances because your income has substantially dropped.

    It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.

    Terry Pratchet



  • #6
    Annasopra
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41,158 ✭✭✭✭Annasopra


    alberto14 wrote: »
    How does the points system work for a mature student? Are u offered courses based on your own LC points? What are the other requirements along with being 23 to qualify for grant as mature student?

    I think you can apply based on points or based on mature student entry. Im not quite sure but maybe have a read through the mature student forum. If you want a grant as an independent mature student you have to be living independently from your parents and 23 or over

    It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.

    Terry Pratchet



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  • #7
    Bernie_S
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8 ✭Bernie_S


    Oh I see, I thought they would be strict enough in terms of supporting documentation and would push me to apply for Back to Ed allowance in that case and might also look for my P60?
    Thanks again Mango Salsa.


  • #8
    augusta24
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 633 ✭✭✭augusta24


    Bernie_S wrote: »
    Oh I see, I thought they would be strict enough in terms of supporting documentation and would push me to apply for Back to Ed allowance in that case and might also look for my P60?
    Thanks again Mango Salsa.

    That two year course is a masters so has nothing to do with cao.

    Just so you know btea doesn't cover that course either so the grant would be your best option.


  • #9
    Annasopra
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41,158 ✭✭✭✭Annasopra


    Bernie_S wrote: »
    Oh I see, I thought they would be strict enough in terms of supporting documentation and would push me to apply for Back to Ed allowance in that case and might also look for my P60?
    Thanks again Mango Salsa.

    You don't get BTEA for Masters

    It was so much easier to blame it on Them. It was bleakly depressing to think that They were Us. If it was Them, then nothing was anyone's fault. If it was us, what did that make Me? After all, I'm one of Us. I must be. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.

    Terry Pratchet



  • #10
    Bernie_S
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8 ✭Bernie_S


    Thank you Augusta24, I'm going to make an appointment to actually go into my local VEC office and thrash it out with them.
    Thanks again.


  • #11
    Bernie_S
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8 ✭Bernie_S


    Thanks Mango Salsa, I didnt think I would be entitled to that all right so I'm going to go talk to the VEC in person. And buy a lotto ticket for tonight :)


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