Cost of Education Allowance

Henlars67

Got my first BTEA payment today. €188.
I was expecting to get the €300 COEA as well but there's no sign of it.

When can I expect to see it?

Nymeria

hey, as far as I know it can be sometimes end of September, beginning of October before the other payment comes through. Last year I remember there was quite a delay on it.

Son of Sniglet

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the Cost of Education allowance won't be here for another while - typically the last week of October/first week of November. That's from my experience anyway.

Henlars67

Ah FFS, that's a load of *****. Thought it was intended for books etc. How are people supposed to buy them in the meantime?

Annasopra

Heres a few ideas:

Use the library,

do some photocopying -

buy 1 or 2 urgent books with the 188 that you're getting every week

Nymeria

Henlars67 wrote: »

Ah FFS, that's a load of *****. Thought it was intended for books etc. How are people supposed to buy them in the meantime?

To be honest I bought all the required books last year and barely used them, what a waste of money that was. We were even told by some tutors that they were essential, but in reality I got more use out of other stuff I found in the library or online.

And actually most Uni libraries will have a reserve amount of the course books, just don't wait till the week before the submission date to find them because that's when the whole year seems to panic :-)

If you really want to get them I would try getting second hand ones.

Annasopra

I agree with Nymeria. You don't need to buy all of the books anyway. You can photocopy a chapter that you need from the library copy or buy second hand - lots of things you can do!

annex

You will need to get a letter from your college stating that you are in attendance and submit that to social welfare before you get the book allowance. The sooner you do that the sooner you get it but it won't be till at least the start of next month.

TomWN

annex wrote: »

You will need to get a letter from your college stating that you are in attendance and submit that to social welfare before you get the book allowance. The sooner you do that the sooner you get it but it won't be till at least the start of next month.

I already got the allowance, and at least 2 other people in my class have got it as well.

I got the letter of registration last Monday and brought it to the SWO that evening, and got the allowance with my BTEA payment straight into the bank Thursday morning.

annex

TomWN wrote: »

I already got the allowance, and at least 2 other people in my class have got it as well.

I got the letter of registration last Monday and brought it to the SWO that evening, and got the allowance with my BTEA payment straight into the bank Thursday morning.

It must be different rules for different offices, I have never received the allowance without submitting a letter and never before mid October. I have submitted letters of registration yes but they always wanted additional proof that I had started classes.

TomWN

annex wrote: »

It must be different rules for different offices, I have never received the allowance without submitting a letter and never before mid October. I have submitted letters of registration yes but they always wanted additional proof that I had started classes.

The course started last Monday 10th, the day I got the reg letter. - It basically said I was a registered student and I commenced my studies on the 10th.

There is always different rules for different offices, and you may be unfortunate enough that your local office doesn't actually handle BTEA, and sends the information you give to a "main" office for your area.

Henlars67

TomWN wrote: »

The course started last Monday 10th, the day I got the reg letter. - It basically said I was a registered student and I commenced my studies on the 10th.

There is always different rules for different offices, and you may be unfortunate enough that your local office doesn't actually handle BTEA, and sends the information you give to a "main" office for your area.

I'd be fairly sure my local office does handle BTEA, it's probably one of the largest offices in the country outside of Dublin.

I read elsewhere that you can't get the cost of Education allowance until you show you local office proof of having paid fees or proof that SUSI will be paying fees.

Is there any truth in this?

I still haven't heard back from SUSI

Maldesu

Henlars67 wrote: »

I'd be fairly sure my local office does handle BTEA, it's probably one of the largest offices in the country outside of Dublin.

I read elsewhere that you can't get the cost of Education allowance until you show you local office proof of having paid fees or proof that SUSI will be paying fees.

Is there any truth in this?

I still haven't heard back from SUSI

Last year I got my Cost of Ed with one of my early payments, maybe 3rd or 4th, but have yet to get this one. Usually it can take some time. I never had to provide additional proof.
I don't know if every office does BTEA, but I think every main county office does handle it. Of course, I could be wrong on that part.

rebecca 30

In final year in N.U.I.G back since 3/9, I rang BTEA section and they said it would def be end of Oct and I sent in letter in July

Annasopra

I think different social welfare offices have different rules or ways of administering

thebutlerdidit

I got a letter from SW last Thursday saying that i had been granted the BTEA payment which will start getting paid into my bank a/c on the 27th and that the cost of education allowance will accompany the first payment - OP did you receive similar letter?

was processed in North Co. Dublin SW office

Henlars67

thebutlerdidit wrote: »

I got a letter from SW last Thursday saying that i had been granted the BTEA payment which will start getting paid into my bank a/c on the 27th and that the cost of education allowance will accompany the first payment - OP did you receive similar letter?

was processed in North Co. Dublin SW office

No, I've been getting BTEA for 3 weeks now, never even got a letter to say I had been granted it, just checked my Bank Account and it was there.

Called to my local welfare office last week to ask about the Cost of Education Allowance payment and was told;

"It'll be a while yet, usually the first week of October".

I said that's only 2 weeks away to which he replied;

"It'll be longer than that, probably the end of October".

I just walked out after that.

thebutlerdidit

maybe find out which office processed the BTEA applications. I know that the applications from my town were not processed by the local SW office but rather sent to Finglas where they had set up a team to process them. I can only speculate that this may have been a result of the lack of resources at a local level to process a large number of claims.

Henlars67

They are definitely processed in my local office

thebutlerdidit

that sucks man. I just checked and it has actually been paid into my bank a/c with my first payment. Definitely worth dropping into them again, i know it a real pain in the butt, but they have to understand that this is important.

Its not all positive for me btw, I'm about to start filling out my SUSi appeals form:mad:

good luck with it

daithi09

thebutlerdidit wrote: »

that sucks man. I just checked and it has actually been paid into my bank a/c with my first payment. Definitely worth dropping into them again, i know it a real pain in the butt, but they have to understand that this is important.

Its not all positive for me btw, I'm about to start filling out my SUSi appeals form:mad:

good luck with it

I thought if you got the BTEA you couldn't get any other grant?

thebutlerdidit

daithi09 wrote: »

I thought if you got the BTEA you couldn't get any other grant?

If you're getting the BTEA you can't apply for the maintenance part of the grant. You should still apply for the fees part (student contribution).

[B]Student grants[/B]
From the 2011/12 academic year the Student Grant Scheme is divided into 2 components – maintenance grants and fee grants. You cannot get the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) and the maintenance component of a student grant together unless you were getting BTEA in the 2009/10 academic year and are continuing your studies or progressing to a new course.

Although you are not entitled to the maintenance component of the student grant, you must still submit a student grant application form to be assessed for a fee grant to pay your Student Contribution (formerly called the student services charge), field trip costs and tuition fees (if payable).

If you are getting a One Parent Family Payment or a disability payment (Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension or Illness Benefit) you can choose to stay on your current social welfare payment and apply for a student grant or you can choose to transfer to the BTEA.

That paragraph is from citizens information site - search BTEA

Henlars67

thebutlerdidit wrote: »

that sucks man. I just checked and it has actually been paid into my bank a/c with my first payment. Definitely worth dropping into them again, i know it a real pain in the butt, but they have to understand that this is important.

Its not all positive for me btw, I'm about to start filling out my SUSi appeals form:mad:

good luck with it

I am just waiting for SUSI to turn me down. I fully expect to have to appeal as well.

teddy_303

well I called in to bishops square , dublin 2 in person to ask about this €300, and after waiting nearly an hour, was met by the most ignorant obnoxious man in all Ireland, who was rude, ugly and unhelpful.not the usual staff ppl they have on, who are very helpful always up till now at least. he told me he didn't care what was going on, that it was their decision when the gave it out, first said mid November, then said end of November..I should probably make a formal complaint about him...how hard can it be to set a date for this, really, please..

Son of Sniglet

Yeah, I called the Cork local office the other day, asking when it would be paid and yer wan said 2 to 3 weeks! I'm in my final year of my degree, and it's never been paid this late...

Shankly88

teddy_303 wrote: »

well I called in to bishops square , dublin 2 in person to ask about this €300, and after waiting nearly an hour, was met by the most ignorant obnoxious man in all Ireland, who was rude, ugly and unhelpful.not the usual staff ppl they have on, who are very helpful always up till now at least. he told me he didn't care what was going on, that it was their decision when the gave it out, first said mid November, then said end of November..I should probably make a formal complaint about him...how hard can it be to set a date for this, really, please..

is this a old chubby man with grey hair!! if so ive had the same experiences with him! the other staff are normally fantastic but he is a sour the one im talking about anyway

teddy_303

I'd say he is late 50's, 6 ft 3", not really chubby, but more big boned, with grey hair and wire rimmed glasses...there is another guy that sounds like him from this description, whom I've dealt with many time, who is a total gent, helpful and polite at all times, anytime i spoke to him... the ignoramus, I never saw before yesterday...

Shankly88

teddy_303 wrote: »

I'd say he is late 50's, 6 ft 3", not really chubby, but more big boned, with grey hair and wire rimmed glasses...there is another guy that sounds like him from this description, whom I've dealt with many time, who is a total gent, helpful and polite at all times, anytime i spoke to him... the ignoramus, I never saw before yesterday...

ye thats him!! and ye the other guy is a proper gent aswell!! always offers you proper advice and goes out of his way to help unlike others who will pass you on and on till you end up back with them after getting nowhere!!. hopefully we can get the 300 soon.. only so many times you can rent important books from the college library and exams coming up cannot afford them without

teddy_303

yep...good luck with it anyway Shankly...

teddy_303

finally arrived thank fu@k....

Shankly88

teddy_303 wrote: »

finally arrived thank fu@k....

Bishops square ye?? Amazing hopefully Itl be there when I check the balance tommorow