SUSI-Grant Applications Open for 2012

paperclip2

Hi folks

Student Universal Support Ireland is now up and running for NEW grant applications:


https://www.grantsonline.ie/eseries/


People currently in receipt of a grant should contact their original grant provider if continuing into the next year of their course. If you aren't sure where to apply contact SUSI:

Where can I contact SUSI?

As part of SUSI’s support to students, there is a SUSI Support desk available in the lead up to and following the launch of the online application system for both email and telephone queries. You can email the SUSI Support Desk at support@susi.cdvec.ie

Or telephone us at 0761 08 7874

The SUSI Support Desk will be available from 9.00am-10.00pm (Monday-Friday) and 9.00am-6.00pm (Saturdays)

weazlor

Due to essential maintenance the site is currently unavailable. Please try again later.

Any updates on this perchance?

paul9mm

Hi
Am applying as a mature student, completed the SUSI online application but no contact since June 12.
I emailed SUSI's contact email about developments and just got this reply this afternoon:

"..Dear X,
Thank you for your e-mail.
All applications submitted are being reviewed at the moment. You will receive a letter either provisionally approving your grant application or declining it shortly.

You can appeal the decision made if you are not satisfied with the result.
Should you require further assistance do not hesitate to contact us on 0761087874.

Kind Regards,
Y
SUSI Support Desk "

(Note: X = My name, Y = SUSI contact, have left off the paste for privacy)

ditzyfairy

just filled out my application, i've accepted a place as a mature student but also qualify for Back to education allowance so have applied in the hope of having my fee's waived etc was talking to them on the helpline and they said it should take about 3-4weeks

Shryke

ditzyfairy wrote: »

just filled out my application, i've accepted a place as a mature student but also qualify for Back to education allowance so have applied in the hope of having my fee's waived etc was talking to them on the helpline and they said it should take about 3-4weeks

I am in the same boat and in the process of applying. Thanks for the info. I should have all the details I need by tomorrow.

Quick tip for anyone applying. Do so in Internet Explorer. I was using Firefox and it was giving me some trouble. Trying to enter data into different fields was asking for trouble, just in case anyone has any problems there.

W86indow

Hi all

I am a mature heading into 3rd year i receive BTEA during the year
this is my first year applying to have my fees paid

i just filled out the online application there on the 15th last sunday - now i have been talking to lots of people

and i know that the susi is going to send out application forms - but this office is doing it for the whole country !! -

so why have they not sent out the forms yet - we have 8 weeks until im back to the IT - i don't understand why they are leaving it so late ?? there is hundreds of thousands of students - how are they going to process all these application forms ??

i never applied for a grant before but i heard even when you were applying to local vec there was big delays

jewell

I'm a mature student going into 3rd year in UCC, in receipt of BTEA, i have had my registration fees paid for last 2 yrs. When I checked on Cork County Council website, it says if you are currently in receipt of grant you apply to the local council same as before and when I click where it says 'click here' I'm redirected to SUSI, very confused as to where I'm supposed to apply for my grant.

Could anyone shed any light on where/Who I'm supposed to send in my application?

Thanks a mill, J

paperclip2

jewell wrote: »

I'm a mature student going into 3rd year in UCC, in receipt of BTEA, i have had my registration fees paid for last 2 yrs. When I checked on Cork County Council website, it says if you are currently in receipt of grant you apply to the local council same as before and when I click where it says 'click here' I'm redirected to SUSI, very confused as to where I'm supposed to apply for my grant.

Could anyone shed any light on where/Who I'm supposed to send in my application?

Thanks a mill, J

Hi Jewell,

Yes its Cork CC that should be covering your grant this year. Did they send you out a letter regarding any changes in circumstances since your last application?
Afaik there is no online application for VEC or County Council grants this year.
Perhaps you could give the Corporate Affairs office in Cork CC a ring: (021) 4285519.

RoebuckWilson

Hi guys,

I've a confusing situation; that I don't know what to enter on my app.
I've organised all my paperwork - the only problem is that I've no proof of residence that goes to where I'm living.

I share a house with my brother and his girlfriend; but my bank statements have always gone to my home address and my only bill (phone) goes to my work address.

Can I still enter mature independent? Someone suggested I might be able to get a signed letter from commissioner of oaths or someone like that to state that they know I live at other address.

I'll be moving to Dublin soon for college; so I'm not sure whether to suffer thru this year and reapply for 2nd year

Thanks a mill

Annasopra

ghpeople wrote: »

Hi guys,

I've a confusing situation; that I don't know what to enter on my app.
I've organised all my paperwork - the only problem is that I've no proof of residence that goes to where I'm living.

I share a house with my brother and his girlfriend; but my bank statements have always gone to my home address and my only bill (phone) goes to my work address.

Can I still enter mature independent? Someone suggested I might be able to get a signed letter from commissioner of oaths or someone like that to state that they know I live at other address.

I'll be moving to Dublin soon for college; so I'm not sure whether to suffer thru this year and reapply for 2nd year

Thanks a mill

Do you not have anything at all - tax certs? anything at all?

RoebuckWilson

mango salsa wrote: »

Do you not have anything at all - tax certs? anything at all?

Fraid not... they've always been sent to my parent's house address. I think I'll have to put down mature dependent - not hope of if being accepted tho. Maybe next year when I'm in Dub, I can just reapply for 2nd year?

Argh a lotta scrimping and saving to be done in a few weeks methinks!! :eek:

paperclip2

ghpeople wrote: »

Fraid not... they've always been sent to my parent's house address. I think I'll have to put down mature dependent - not hope of if being accepted tho. Maybe next year when I'm in Dub, I can just reapply for 2nd year?

Argh a lotta scrimping and saving to be done in a few weeks methinks!! :eek:

Ghpeople, afaik if you start a course as a mature dependent candidate you keep that status for the duration of the course. So even if you have a provable independent address for 2nd year it may not be taken into account.

RoebuckWilson

Oh lord! Thanks paperclip... better get onto them and see what I can do so!! Thanks for the heads up!

ditzyfairy

could you change the address with the bank and then get them to send you out a statement?

madcharlie

jewell wrote: »

I'm a mature student going into 3rd year in UCC, in receipt of BTEA, i have had my registration fees paid for last 2 yrs. When I checked on Cork County Council website, it says if you are currently in receipt of grant you apply to the local council same as before and when I click where it says 'click here' I'm redirected to SUSI, very confused as to where I'm supposed to apply for my grant.

Could anyone shed any light on where/Who I'm supposed to send in my application?

Thanks a mill, J

Hey , SUSI is only for new applicants , Existing applicants contact their relevant VECS .

madcharlie

Hey , is that for real? I am in the same boat as ghpeople. I moved out last month to live with my sister. I know this year I will acessed as a mature dependent as i have not been living long enough away. However I thought I would be okay for next year (2013/2014), as I would have the relevant documents to prove I was living away. .... thanks for the heads up!

Shryke

I have applied as mature dependent myself. I assumed I would be able to qualify independent next year. That's ridiculous that I need to be judged by my parents means for the full 4 years.

Monkey Sampan

Did anyone else have error issues on the part where Social Welfare payments are added?

I kept getting this message and taught it was completely stuck at 56%




I ended up having to switch between two tabs with the same session open until one become responsive again
Only then could I selecte what I needed, close the error messages and log-on whenever it froze me out

Still, at least it's not as bad as heading into the Cork VEC every day for a few months like I had to years ago

Shryke

^ As I said on the first page, use internet explorer. I was getting some gyp with Firefox. IE worked perfectly.

Monkey Sampan

Shryke wrote: »

^ As I said on the first page, use internet explorer. I was getting some gyp with Firefox. IE worked perfectly.

That's advice you don't hear often

I was using Chrome which is normally very smooth, Firefox has a habit of crashing on me at the worst moments

I've it done either way, hopefully it's just teething problems

meabhaline

Guys i am having an issue too.

So i have been living in Dublin independently for 10 years. I applied as an independent mature student. Got all the bumph back from SUSI saying i have to provide lots of documents!
one of them is proof of independent living from October 2011 to July 2012. I have bills from the apartment I rented until march but because i broke up with my boyfriend i had to get a place in a hurry. I'm now renting a room in an apartment with two girls, i'm not on a the lease or any bills.

Sent a mail explaining my situation to SUSI and got a reply with pretty much copy and paste of the documents required list and a comment saying if i didn't have them i could not be assessed as an independent mature student. I felt like crying.
I gave them a call and got a lovely guy on the phone who was very understanding but that it was essentially up to assessor that opened the envelope on the day. He suggested i include copies of my CAO correspondence and old leases (that for some reason i randomly kept) along with a detailed cover letter stating my sudden and unplanned change in living circumstances in March. I'm just waiting on P21s then i am going to write the letter and hope i appeal their better side on the day.

Living in Dublin for 10 years on my own and i not having documents for 5 months is going to stop me being considered for a grant i badly need.

OMAR_COMING

meabhaline wrote: »

Guys i am having an issue too.

So i have been living in Dublin independently for 10 years. I applied as an independent mature student. Got all the bumph back from SUSI saying i have to provide lots of documents!
one of them is proof of independent living from October 2011 to July 2012. I have bills from the apartment I rented until march but because i broke up with my boyfriend i had to get a place in a hurry. I'm now renting a room in an apartment with two girls, i'm not on a the lease or any bills.

Sent a mail explaining my situation to SUSI and got a reply with pretty much copy and paste of the documents required list and a comment saying if i didn't have them i could not be assessed as an independent mature student. I felt like crying.
I gave them a call and got a lovely guy on the phone who was very understanding but that it was essentially up to assessor that opened the envelope on the day. He suggested i include copies of my CAO correspondence and old leases (that for some reason i randomly kept) along with a detailed cover letter stating my sudden and unplanned change in living circumstances in March. I'm just waiting on P21s then i am going to write the letter and hope i appeal their better side on the day.

Living in Dublin for 10 years on my own and i not having documents for 5 months is going to stop me being considered for a grant i badly need.

Im in the exact same situation

meabhaline

I know, it just seams so unfair.

Fingers crossed

Still I have just two weeks left at work and then a week off before registration, WHHHOOOOOPPPPP

Annasopra

meabhaline wrote: »

Guys i am having an issue too.

So i have been living in Dublin independently for 10 years. I applied as an independent mature student. Got all the bumph back from SUSI saying i have to provide lots of documents!
one of them is proof of independent living from October 2011 to July 2012. I have bills from the apartment I rented until march but because i broke up with my boyfriend i had to get a place in a hurry. I'm now renting a room in an apartment with two girls, i'm not on a the lease or any bills.

Sent a mail explaining my situation to SUSI and got a reply with pretty much copy and paste of the documents required list and a comment saying if i didn't have them i could not be assessed as an independent mature student. I felt like crying.
I gave them a call and got a lovely guy on the phone who was very understanding but that it was essentially up to assessor that opened the envelope on the day. He suggested i include copies of my CAO correspondence and old leases (that for some reason i randomly kept) along with a detailed cover letter stating my sudden and unplanned change in living circumstances in March. I'm just waiting on P21s then i am going to write the letter and hope i appeal their better side on the day.

Living in Dublin for 10 years on my own and i not having documents for 5 months is going to stop me being considered for a grant i badly need.

Do you not have anything at all in your new address - mobile phone bills? tax? employment?

meabhaline

Do you not have anything at all in your new address - mobile phone bills? tax? employment?[/Quote]

I only have my letters from cao. It will have to do.

W86indow

can you not contact your old landlord and get him to write a letter to say that you were living there ?
if he was registered with the prtb he should have you listed , they sent me another letter there a month ago to say that my landlord registered me i requested it on the website
they say on the website they wont sent it but they did for me

is your ex that bad - have ye any mutual friends in the house that might get your letters for you?

Scioch

I filled out the online application a few days ago. I dont recall anything about applying for a specific grant for fees or whatever. Starting to wonder now if I had done it right.

I just fill out the online application and they will decide what to give me right ? I dont have to specify I'm only after this or that. Yeah ?

Maldesu

Scioch wrote: »

I just fill out the online application and they will decide what to give me right ? I dont have to specify I'm only after this or that. Yeah ?

They pretty much decide what you get.

Ayrtonf7

So I got provisionally accepted at the start of august. I sent off all my paperwork about a week later and have yet to receive any info from SUSI. I know its a busy time for them etc, but a lot of my college services are being withheld from me because my Student Fees have not yet been paid.

They (NUIM) refuse to give me a student card until the fees are paid which pretty much means I am not able to access things like the Library, Gym, Certain workshops were I have classes. Its a pain, although Im not sure if my beef lyes with SUSI or NUIM.

Has anybody got any hard correspondence back saying "congrats you will be recieving your fees in such and such ?"

kaflin

Ayrtonf7 wrote: »

So I got provisionally accepted at the start of august. I sent off all my paperwork about a week later and have yet to receive any info from SUSI. I know its a busy time for them etc, but a lot of my college services are being withheld from me because my Student Fees have not yet been paid.

They (NUIM) refuse to give me a student card until the fees are paid which pretty much means I am not able to access things like the Library, Gym, Certain workshops were I have classes. Its a pain, although Im not sure if my beef lyes with SUSI or NUIM.

Has anybody got any hard correspondence back saying "congrats you will be recieving your fees in such and such ?"

No-one's got anything like that. At the moment it looks like the people furthest along in the process are being asked for their course details which seems to be the last thing they need before finally saying if you get a grant for sure or not.

AlexDublin

Ayrtonf7 wrote: »

So I got provisionally accepted at the start of august. I sent off all my paperwork about a week later and have yet to receive any info from SUSI. I know its a busy time for them etc, but a lot of my college services are being withheld from me because my Student Fees have not yet been paid.

They (NUIM) refuse to give me a student card until the fees are paid which pretty much means I am not able to access things like the Library, Gym, Certain workshops were I have classes. Its a pain, although Im not sure if my beef lyes with SUSI or NUIM.

Has anybody got any hard correspondence back saying "congrats you will be recieving your fees in such and such ?"

My beef is defintely with SUSI. They are unbelievably slow and inept. I cannot believe how many people are still waiting for a final decision. NO-ONE has received this. Its an absolute a f**k up.

Stephenr95

Hi i applied as a first year bar student in Ait
I applied to susi in August sent in my documents and FCA form
and still no word from them anyone got any advice

paperclip2

Stephenr95 wrote: »

Hi i applied as a first year bar student in Ait
I applied to susi in August sent in my documents and FCA form
and still no word from them anyone got any advice

Bombard them, politely,with calls and emails. At this point making a nuisance of yourself seems like the only way to get anywhere.

paperclip2

SUSI to open by mid-May for grant applications 2013.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/revamp-of-college-grant-system-in-bid-to-avoid-repeat-of-delays-29136409.html

Kay09

Hi,
I'm a third year, heading into my fourth year of a degree. In first year I applied for a grant as a dependent candidate, but have moved out of home mid- second year. I have put myself through a gruelling 3 years with no parental assistance, working 24hours every weekend on top of full time education, but I can't do this anymore due to sheer exhaustion threatening my academic work. I did apply via SUSI recently, but I read on this thread that they only deal with first years?
So, are we saying here that I am not entitled to ANY financial assistance from the government because I moved out of home at the age of 30 and mid way through my college course??

paperclip2

Hi Kay.
As far as I know, for the purposes of the grant you retain the student status you start with for the duration of your course. In other word if you started as a mature dependent candidate you are assessed as a mature dependent candidate for the whole of your degree irrespective of changes to that status. I would suggest you check it out further with SUSI though.

Annasopra

paperclip2 wrote: »

Hi Kay.
As far as I know, for the purposes of the grant you retain the student status you start with for the duration of your course. In other word if you started as a mature dependent candidate you are assessed as a mature dependent candidate for the whole of your degree irrespective of changes to that status. I would suggest you check it out further with SUSI though.

This is correct - I can dig out the information on it later for you Kay

Kay what I would suggest is speaking to your student union welfare officer - you might be able to apply to the student assistance fund through the college but speak to the welfare officer and see if they can help you out

Kay09

Have just called SUSI and yes it apparently is correct. This seems ludicrous! I can't fathom a reason behind it. My parents no longer live in Dublin, and the girl told me on the phone that this does not mean that I can change my status to independent, which seems a bit contradictory, as it is a blatant change of circumstances where I can no longer physically live with them!
The girl on the phone, although she knew I lived at home before starting college, told me (in not so many words) that if there was any way to prove that I was in fact living AWAY from home on 1st October before starting the course then I should reapply using another e-mail address (..in other words, lie). It appears that the only way to get financial assistance in this country is to lie about your circumstances, give false addresses etc. I am very disheartened. I will speak to the welfare officer in college, however, I'm sure there will be someone in the queue before me spinning a far more impressive lie than my true circumstances!
Anyway, that's the rant over, and not aimed at anyone on this forum by the way! Thanks very much paperclip2 and mangosalsa for your advice.

Annasopra

As I said Kay the Student assistance fund may be an option

SuSi: Reps

Hi Kay09,

I am sorry that you feel so disheartened but those are the rules. Once you enter in to the system under a status you must have a three year gap before re-entering the system under a new status.

Also the agent was not advising you lie. If you could prove that you live independently before starting the course then you should have originally been an independent.

If you have any further queries please don't hesitate to ask.

Kind regards,
Aoife,
SuSi HelpDesk.

paperclip2

Kay09 wrote: »

Anyway, that's the rant over, and not aimed at anyone on this forum by the way! Thanks very much paperclip2 and mangosalsa for your advice.

Sorry it worked out like that for you Kay. But really do try the Student Assistance fund. You have a genuine need for help given the change in your circumstances. Best of luck with it.