Student Grants 2012/2013 ---- any responses yet ???

roguey

I got a response yesterday. I got a letter saying I need to send them a final course acceptance form and a proof of nationality, such as a "certified copy of a passport". Does anyone know what this means? Do I photocopy my passport and get a garda to sign it or what?

kaflin

roguey wrote: »

I got a response yesterday. I got a letter saying I need to send them a final course acceptance form and a proof of nationality, such as a "certified copy of a passport". Does anyone know what this means? Do I photocopy my passport and get a garda to sign it or what?

That's a bingo!
Stamped at a garda station.

Richard Hillman

Finally got a letter for SUSI today its says

"Dear Richard

Thank you for your recent application for a student grant. Following assessment of the details you have provided in your application we are pleased to inform you have been deemed eligible to progress to the next step of your student grant assessment process"


Does this mean i will receive the full grant (pending all letters to be sent and accurate) or would they state that I will receive a percentage grant? I ask this because i was fairly borderline on the 50% fees grant.



In other news. I need to provide full registration to the social welfare in a couple of weeks to make sure i get BTEA. Because the system is so slow, i have to get a high interest loan to make sure i am fully registered by the deadline. Even if I get a refund when the grant comes through, i will still be greatly out of pocket :rolleyes:

AlexDublin

Richard, this whole system is so flawed........ Im not sure from what they said there what level of grant that means your are getting.... or not getting. Its an absolutely ridiculous situation for students to be in at this time of year. SUSI really need to sort themselves out.

theNewGirl

I called them again today, they have my final form but they can't tell me when it will be reviewed only that they HOPE TO get the first few grants out in October time, which means that we have to wait at least another month, if we are lucky...

EDIT: Also maybe if they had less people working on the helpline, or even less hours, they could have more people processing the applications, what are the times for the call center? Cause I called today at half 8 and got an answer and that isn't the latest I have called at and I always get an answer...just a thought...seeing as they wouldn't need so many people to hear complaints and ask how long more until they can get to the next stage if said people actually had grants

Musefan

Hi, I am at my wits end with SUSI today. I got this email:

"I refer to previous correspondence in relation to documents required to support your student grant application.

If you have not returned your documentation pack, please be advised that we cannot process your application any further until you submit this documentation. Therefore the processing of your application and any subsequent payment due will be delayed.

Please submit your completed documentation pack, ensuring to tick the box beside each document on the list to confirm the document is enclosed, as soon as possible and include a completed final course acceptance form. (Please log onto www.cdvec.ie/student-Supports/grants.aspx to download the final course acceptance form). Failure to submit all documents requested at the same time will result in a further delay in the processing of your application.

If you have submitted a full and complete documentation pack, please forward the final course acceptance form.

Thank you"

I have already submitted all my documentation except the final course acceptance form which I am getting stamped on Thursday. I panicked about the email as it sounded as if they didn't have record of any of my other documents. Rang SUSI who said that this email "did not have the desired effect" and made a lot of students worry. Damn right it did! I submitted all my documents ASAP and applied within the first week and I was told today that for some reason my application hadn't progressed as far as it should but that there was an alert on it now for it to be looked at. Great!:mad:

Musefan

Was also told that as of yet, nobody has received final confirmation of a grant.

MakaDonVeli

Got the same email yesterday as well, whole system is a farce tbh. Gonna post my final acceptance letter 2moro.

AlexDublin

What a load of b****cks. SUSI need a good kick up the arse.

ChickenZombie

The only thing you can say about Ireland is that it's a bit Irish...

Still waiting - same as everyone else...

Gone like a bullet when I get my degree....

Annasopra

Folks you should be giving this feedback to your local TDs so that the Minister gets it. If enough TDs contact the Minister they will see there is a problem and try to address it.

longhalloween

ChickenZombie wrote: »

Gone like a bullet when I get my degree....

Bit harsh, considering the government is (maybe) paying for your education and living expenses.

I applied on the 26th of June, called SUSI today and was told it'll be another 2 or 3 weeks before a decision is made. So basically I'm attending college for free until then

PopePalpatine

I've been told that I didn't send the right documents. Fcuking joke, they won't even tell me what I didn't send! :mad: I'm hoping it's something I can easily get.

Maldesu

I got a letter today saying to send documents that I already sent. Useless shower are just trying to get the number to drop down

Fatboydim

Same as... Even after getting that same email on Monday... I phoned up and asked if there were any issues, was told no, all I had to send is the Course Acceptance form. Then today get a letter asking for additional documents of proof, which they already have.

An absolute shambles... and that's saying something when I'm used to dealing with Mayo VEC.

GismoBaby

Musefan wrote: »

Hi, I am at my wits end with SUSI today. I got this email:

"I refer to previous correspondence in relation to documents required to support your student grant application.

If you have not returned your documentation pack, please be advised that we cannot process your application any further until you submit this documentation. Therefore the processing of your application and any subsequent payment due will be delayed.

Please submit your completed documentation pack, ensuring to tick the box beside each document on the list to confirm the document is enclosed, as soon as possible and include a completed final course acceptance form. (Please log onto www.cdvec.ie/student-Supports/grants.aspx to download the final course acceptance form). Failure to submit all documents requested at the same time will result in a further delay in the processing of your application.

If you have submitted a full and complete documentation pack, please forward the final course acceptance form.

Thank you"

I have already submitted all my documentation except the final course acceptance form which I am getting stamped on Thursday. I panicked about the email as it sounded as if they didn't have record of any of my other documents. Rang SUSI who said that this email "did not have the desired effect" and made a lot of students worry. Damn right it did! I submitted all my documents ASAP and applied within the first week and I was told today that for some reason my application hadn't progressed as far as it should but that there was an alert on it now for it to be looked at. Great!:mad:

I got that email today and thought the same thing! This is the first I heard of the course acceptance or did I just miss something? Sure were 3 weeks back at college now could have had that blasted form filled ages ago and sent back!

Balls of a process

Maldesu

So I rang SUSI this evening to see what was going on with the documents. They said the needed the proof of Independent residence and proof of residence for 3 of the last 5.
Told them that I had it sent in and had confirmed with them that they had received the documents. They asked what documents and I told them.
5 mins later they confirm that they do have my documents and that they'll sort it out.

So, I told them I expected a notation to be made and took the name of the woman who I was talking to. No doubt I'm at the bottom of the queue again. I'm not too bad off since UCD are being fairly laid back about the SUSI end of things (for now) and I'm only looking for the fees paid. Poor feckers looking for the full grant though...

AlexDublin

Maldesu fair play to you for making that girl accountable.

Maldesu

Always take names and write them down somewhere with the date/time of the conversation. When you do make a call, have it to hand so you can read back or access it as soon as you need it.

Gingernuts31

Maldesu wrote: »

Always take names and write them down somewhere with the date/time of the conversation. When you do make a call, have it to hand so you can read back or access it as soon as you need it.

The wife is always telling me to do this. She always does it and it comes in handy most of them time. We got her pack this week to tick off and send back revelant docs. Waiting to get 1 piece of paperwork and then will send back everything together.

MakaDonVeli

Got an email from them Monday asking for documents that I sent in months ago, and at the end it said if you have done this then please just forward us the final course acceptance form. So as one does, who is basically relying on the grant, I get nervous and think, why would they email me this if they have got my documents already.

So gave them a phone call, the woman at the other end said that it was emailed to everyone, but didn't have the desired effect?! Of course it didn't, so she told me to ignore it and wait for a txt message from them.

Low and behold, I wake up this morning with a txt message from them, asking me to check my email because of urgent documentation required!! But no email, bar the one that was sent to me 2 days before.

Ring back again and she fed me the same story. I told her what happened and she went on hold for a good few minutes. Come's back and says they have my documents but just need my final course acceptance form.

Absolute farce tbh, seems each helpdesk employee has a different sheet in front of them with a different answer.

Got beyond a joke at this stage.

Musefan

I was in contact with UCD today who asked me to pay half my fees (approx 3500) in order to retain access to the library. Alternatively I can pay 1000 euro and get a letter which I can show every time I want to get into the library, but I wouldn't be able to use printing facilities (which I depend on a lot). Decided I will probably just try and pay the half fees and wait for a refund because I don't fancy all the hassle with letters to go here and there. Silly SUSI

Jwacqui

Got the same email today from SUSI as previous posters. Rang them and was told to wait a week???!!?!! to see if I get a letter asking for more documents and if not just post my acceptance letter!

What a joke! They can't even tell by my file if I need further documents. Should that not be the first thing they do. Make a note so if you call you can find out what you need to know! :mad:

Maldesu

So, in addition to the letter from yesterday, I had an additional email and text asking for the same thing, which I'm ignoring right now since I figure they were automated. I'm sending off the final acceptance form tomorrow and I'll see what happens.

Musefan

Maldesu wrote: »

So, in addition to the letter from yesterday, I had an additional email and text asking for the same thing, which I'm ignoring right now since I figure they were automated. I'm sending off the final acceptance form tomorrow and I'll see what happens.

Hi Maldesu, I would disregard the email and letter too. Got the same message and emailed today to say I was sending my final course acceptance form. They replied saying my application would be processed as soon as they got the form (which is tomorrow as I sent it via registered post!)

AlexDublin

they really are a mess!! I thought was getting used to the fact that they are so unorganised and unhelpful but no. no im not.

PopePalpatine

To further complicate matters, they're now asking for my Dad's P60 and P21 forms for 2011. The trouble is...he's in England, where those don't exist. Anyone able to help?

AppleBottle

So I got a letter about my proof of residence last week. I had sent in 3 bank documents for 2009, 2010 and 2011. Bank statements are listed on the back of the form. Rang them up and explained that documents had been sent in. And the person said that I had sent in 3 bank statements but that was all. Then it was explained that they were from the above 3 years and the person on the other end seemed very confused and explained it must have been overlooked that they were from 3 different years and not in all one year which is what had been down on my file. Then I'm informed that even though they had made this stupid mistake (the years were even highlighted for the year they were in so they would see!!!) I still have to send in MORE documents to prove my address! They know I've been here... Another letter about my previous education states I've been in college for the past 3 years and this is my 4th and final year! And they still need more documents. Seriously?!

It really seems like they aren't trained enough for the job they are taking. The other documents were sent back to them yesterday and I have already printed out the Course Acceptance Form so I can just send it right away once I am fully approved! I really can't afford this to be delayed.

dorkacle

I've just got another letter basically tellin me the same as my last letter... 'My application is being assessed and they will contact me if they require any further information.'

Think they just sendin me these to fob me off and stop me calling them ha!

I originally applied in June for crying out loud...!

Annasopra

Folks - giving all this feedback to local TDs would be invaluable. They would forward onto the minister who's office would be inundated with it.