dropped out near end of first year, starting new course. fees?

mikkey

i spent a year in dublin at a level 8, but dropped out before the final exams, now, after saving up for a year, i want to go to galway for science (level 8).

I think I'll have enough for rent, etc. as I won't get the grant for repeating first year, and the €2000 or so for the student contribution of the fees.

But it was recently ointed out to me that i would need a further €5500 or so to cover tuition fees for first year, as these are not covered by the free fees scheme for students repeating.

I heard something about a 1 time change of mind loophole that allows you to still get the tuition portion of the fees covered (only paying the €2000 yourself) but only for a level 6 or 7 course.

i think this seems really unfair as I wouldn't have the money to cover any more fees, but i might be mistaken so if anyone could shed some light I'd be really thankful.

Caiseoipe19

No I'm fairly certain you'll have to pay tuiton fees for the year.

If you dropped out in the first semester (or before a specific date near the beginning of Semester 2) you would only have to pay half fees but that's not the case for you.

ciano1

Nope, full fees for you (~€5500 + €2250 reg fee)
I think the 'loophole' you're thinking of is if you go from doing a level 6 or 7 to doing a level 8. Im not too sure about that though.

I think if you wait 5 years, you'll be considered a 'second chance student' and will be able to get the grant again.

mikkey

Ya I'm not too sure on that loophole, just something i came across on the athlone i.t. website, couldn't find it anywhere else.

I've waited a year and its been unbelievably boring i dont think i could stick another year, never mind 4 more. Do ye know is there any way around it or would there be a bit of lee-way? I really don't like the idea of waiting another year just to save up.

And thanks for the replies so far lads.

Raging_Ninja

Why is it unfair? The taxpayer pays you to do each year of college once - you decided to leave the course for whatever reason and thats it.

There may be a way that you can go to further education, but it requires (or at least was a requirement when I looked into it a few years ago) that you go on the dole for a period of time (a year or so). Check with the citizen's information office and the department of social protection.

BTW I got to ask, whats with the italicized 'p's in your posts?

mikkey

There much bigger things that the taxpayers money is getting wasted on, I don't see a college education as a waste of money. Fair enough I studied a year and then dropped out but not everyone knows what they want to spend the rest of their life doing when they're 17. But i see where your coming from and thanks for the input all the same.

That'd be back to education allowance your on about, if your under 23 you have to be out of education for 2 years and on the dole 9 months to get it, I've been out for 1 year and on the dole a short while, if i have to take another year out i might just go for that because then the money I have saved up could go towards the fees and it would be handy income to have, along with the fact finding work out there is hard.

OH sorry about that, it was annoying me too, the letter p key is broken on the laptop, so I have to copy and paste it any time i need it, strangly it kept coming up italicized and i didn't know why, but when I use quick reply at the bottom of the page it seems to be ok.

Raging_Ninja

mikkey wrote: »

There much bigger things that the taxpayers money is getting wasted on, I don't see a college education as a waste of money. Fair enough I studied a year and then dropped out but not everyone knows what they want to spend the rest of their life doing when they're 17. But i see where your coming from and thanks for the input all the same.

I was in a similar boat to yourself a few years ago. The fact is that the State shouldn't have to keep paying people to go to college for as long as they want. We get paid to do it once (fees in my case, never got the grant) and in return you (we) pass the exams the first time round.

OH sorry about that, it was annoying me too, the letter p key is broken on the laptop, so I have to copy and paste it any time i need it, strangly it kept coming up italicized and i didn't know why, but when I use quick reply at the bottom of the page it seems to be ok.

wasn't annoying, was just curious.

boardzz

Apparently it's quite difficult for a college to collect information on applicants about previous colleges unless you tell them so you could chance pretending you never attended college before.

Lockstep

OP have you considered going to college abroad? Tuition fees in Northern Ireland are lower than here and if you go to England or Scotland, you can get loans to cover the fees until you can afford to pay them back.

A ffriend of mine who dropped out of NUIG after 2 years is studying in Scotland and getting his tuition paid for. I don't know if this is still the case but it might still be in force and worth a look.

mikkey

Well assuming what I heard about getting the fees covered for level 6 and 7 courses, it is still unfair that they don't cover them for level 8 courses.

Boardzz, from what i know it is the Free Fees Initiative who pays the fees, a government body, and not the college itself, so I don't think that would work, its worth a try though

Lockste, I've thought about it, but it wouldn't be worth the hassle and all, and to go to a UK college you have to apply by january of that year, which means I would have to wait for a year anyways, in which case I would have the time to save up the price of Galways' college fees anyways. Good idea though, I do know Scotland has a free fees scheme much the same as ours.

joeKel73

mikkey wrote: »

to go to a UK college you have to apply by january of that year, which means I would have to wait for a year anyways, in which case I would have the time to save up the price of Galways' college fees anyways.

The UK colleges are much more flexible than here. If you were interested I'd say contact them, they will likely fit you in.

mikkey

Its a good idea, but i don't think it would be worth the effort of travelling and that.

Has anyone else been in the same situation with a level 8 course with information about it that could help ?

lilonocks

mikkey wrote: »

Its a good idea, but i don't think it would be worth the effort of travelling and that.

Has anyone else been in the same situation with a level 8 course with information about it that could help ?

I had this problem too, decided to change course after a year. Unfortunately I was told there was no way I could avoid it and ended up paying full fees.

cat_xx

Do you pay full fees for the entire duration of the course or just the first year and then normal fees for the remainder? My brother wants to do medicine but didnt get the HPAT and was thinking of doing science for the year then redoing the HPAT and hopefully going into medicine. Can anyone give me any info on this?

ciano1

cat_xx wrote: »

Do you pay full fees for the entire duration of the course or just the first year and then normal fees for the remainder? My brother wants to do medicine but didnt get the HPAT and was thinking of doing science for the year then redoing the HPAT and hopefully going into medicine. Can anyone give me any info on this?

Why would you start a course with the intention of dropping out?
You pay full fees for the year that you have already done.

Eg Drop out after first year and pay fees for the first year of the new course and get free fees for the rest of the course

cat_xx

Well he would start the science course and do the hpat again and if he didnt get it the second time around then he would just continue doing the science degree! I've heard of a lot of people doing that!
Thanks for your reply!

iAmMine

mikkey wrote: »

i spent a year in dublin at a level 8, but dropped out before the final exams, now, after saving up for a year, i want to go to galway for science (level 8).

I think I'll have enough for rent, etc. as I won't get the grant for repeating first year, and the €2000 or so for the student contribution of the fees.

But it was recently ointed out to me that i would need a further €5500 or so to cover tuition fees for first year, as these are not covered by the free fees scheme for students repeating.

I heard something about a 1 time change of mind loophole that allows you to still get the tuition portion of the fees covered (only paying the €2000 yourself) but only for a level 6 or 7 course.

i think this seems really unfair as I wouldn't have the money to cover any more fees, but i might be mistaken so if anyone could shed some light I'd be really thankful.

I did the same myself lad a few years ago, I ended up having to pay just under 7 grand, randomly got €1600 reimbursed then the Februray after, haven't a clue why, asked no questions!

Can't say I found it unfair tbh, I thought the fees were high as balls but I know that I blew it 1st time round so 'twas my penance for being a thundering gombeen.