Need advice on coming from abroad to study in Ireland.

Dooley220

Hi first I'd better just clarify I am a full Irish citizen although I have lived in Australia since November 2011. I'm 18 year's old and I completed my leaving cert (Not sure how many point's I got but I know it was between 260-290) however I did fail maths.

Admittedly my complete lack of knowledge on applying to colleges and grants and all that in Ireland is my own fault due to me not paying attention in school when they spoke about those things because I knew I'd be moving to Australia with my whole family after I finished school and I didn't think I'd be going back for at least 3 or 4 years!

My first question is does the fact that I failed maths mean I'll have to repeat the leaving cert maths exam if I want to go to college in Ireland?

My second question is what is the situation with grants if I live alone in Ireland and both of my parents aren't living in the country?

I also couldn't find much information online about college courses in Ireland, it mostly seemed to be reference codes to check in the college prospectus books!

And a final question is would I have to go to a PLC college for a year or two before I'd be able to go to an IT or a Uni?

Any and all help and information will be greatly appreciated! Sorry if this is posted in the wrong forum.

Annasopra

There are several different options you could consider;

repeat your leaving cert
do a plc course
apply through the CAO


I think the best thing to do is go and talk to an adult education advisor in your local VEC and talk through your options.

I would advise doing this ASAP (as in whenever they reopen after christmas) because if you are applying through CAO the deadline is February 1st

Dooley220

Is there a way to contact an adult education adviser online? Seeing as I live in Australia I don't think the ones around here would have much knowledge on my options for studying back home :P

Annasopra

Ah ok

I thought you had moved back home

Firstly you should be aware that in order to avail of free fees and grants there are residency rules. You generally have to have lived in Ireland for 3 of the last 5 years

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/third_level_education/fees_and_supports_for_third_level_education/fees.html

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/third_level_education/fees_and_supports_for_third_level_education/maintenance_grant_schemes_for_students_on_third_level_courses.html

What area of the country were you living in before you moved?

Dooley220

Thanks for the links I'll be checking them out as soon as I post this reply

I was living in Cavan up until November 13th 2011, then I was in Australia from the 15th of November until September 13th, was back in Ireland for roughly a month and I'll probably be staying here in Aus until July or August 2013 if it is possible for me to go to college in Ireland! So hopefully I'll be eligible for the grant otherwise it's gonna take a lot of hard saving to be able to live alone and support myself through college lol.

Thanks again for the info

Annasopra

Right ok

What area would you like to study?

Dooley220

I'm not 100% sure yet but I'm quite interested in the Freshwater applied and marine biology courses offered by Galway-Mayo IT. I think I would've been able to get straight into that course if it wasn't for the fact I failed maths! So I think I'll have to do a PLC course first. The entry requirement's say a pass in a level 5 or 6 FETAC course grants entry but I'm not sure if that's any FETAC course or if it would be specific ones!

paperclip2

To be honest I'd consider repeating LC maths. The FETAC route into college for those under 23 can depend on a lot of luck. Even if you were to do a linked FETAC course only a few places on the college courses are kept for plc applicants. Most linked courses have more FETAC applicants than there are places and it can go to a lottery to decide who gets the college place. Repeating Maths would be a better bet.