Masters Degree Fees, Registration Fee and BTEA

InkNut

Hi all,

I was hoping someone could clue me in on a few things as I'm quite worried about what step to take next.
I'm in the final semester of my final year of my Level 8 Undergraduate degree. I am also on the back to education allowance and was fortunate enough to have started my degree in time to be able to receive the maintenance grant aswell.

Although I realise I have been blessed financially throughout my degree, I am trying to find the right information for masters funding. I have applied for a few masters degrees and hope to start in September if finances allow.

I realise I cannot apply for both the maintenance grant and the BTEA. However, I was wondering what my options are. Am I eligible to apply for BTEA for the masters? And if so, will I have to pay the masters course fee and registration fee? At roughly €8,500 I definitely could not afford it. I've heard that I can't apply for the BTEA during a masters. Is this true?

Also, if I could apply for it, can I still apply for the course fees/registration fee to be paid?

Thanks in advance for any help:)

snubbleste

Am I eligible to apply for BTEA for the masters?
And if so, will I have to pay the masters course fee and registration fee?
At roughly €8,500 I definitely could not afford it. I've heard that I can't apply for the BTEA during a masters. Is this true?
Also, if I could apply for it, can I still apply for the course fees/registration fee to be paid?

No.
If you got the means-tested grant then you should'nt have to pay fees except a partial registration fee.
Yes.
You'll get no maintenance grant.

Annasopra

You won't get BTEA on a masters. You can apply for a grant towards your fees no maintenance. There will be two rates of fee grants - 2000 and a second rate that hasn't been announced yet but will probably be around the 6000 mark

InkNut

Thanks for the replies. Do you know if I would still have to pay a registration fee if I get the fee grant?

HavingCrack

Registration fees don't exist for Masters Degrees, at least none I have come across.

Annasopra

HavingCrack wrote: »

Registration fees don't exist for Masters Degrees, at least none I have come across.

Some colleges such as DIT split the fees into registration and tuition - DIT don't

OP

This may be of use

http://www.studentfinance.ie/mp7232/maintenance-grant/index.html

B: Fees and Maintenance Grants for new entrants to postgraduate studies

Students entering new postgraduate courses from the 2012-13 academic year onwards will not be entitled to any maintenance payment under the Student Grant scheme
However, students on the lowest level of income entering new postgraduate courses from the 2012-13 academic year who qualify for the special rate of grant will be eligible to qualify to have tuition fees paid up to the maximum fee limit under the Student Grant scheme
A limited number of other low-income students who would previously have qualified under the standard grant thresholds will qualify to have a €2,000 contribution made towards the costs of their fees. However, there will be a new income threshold for this payment which will be lower than the standard grant threshold. The income threshold for this level of grant is currently being determined in the context of the formulation of the student grant scheme for the 2012-13 year.