SUSI

tomishere

Hi All,

Initially, I just want to say I post on boards under another username but I'm using this one as I don't want to be recognised by one or two people who know that I use boards.

I'm having a few problems with SUSI at the moment. I lodged an application and had been talking to a supervisor at SUSI about my application and was told that I needed to post on some details to confirm what I was saying (I had been sexually abused as a child, was at college less than 5 years ago and dropped out due to depression). So everything was going fine, I received a letter saying I've been approved but needed to send on documentation x,y,z. So I was talking to the same supervisor again and realised that I made a mistake on my application. Instead of putting 'Independent Mature Student' I should have put 'Dependent Mature Student'. I informed the same supervisor at SUSI and he said just fill out a new application using a different e-mail address and it would be fine.

On December 3rd I got a refusal letter, for my second application, due to previous education. My 2nd application form had been cut and pasted word for word with the change I needed to make. About two weeks later I contacted the supervisor I had been dealing with and he said he would get an assessor to call me back and sort this out, no one called me. Unfortuanetly and without realising it I let time go by, I was dealing with the Gardaí about the peadophile who abused me and could deal with nothing else. On the 8th of January I emailed SUSI for the supervisor I'd been dealing with to call me back, no call came. I would have called but financial circumstances,at the time, ruled this out as an option.

So today I called SUSI, and was told that said supervisor is on a training course in Dublin. That's not so bad I can try and contact him next week. I was told that I need to submit an appeals form, that's fine. The problem is by reading the legislation I 've nothing I can appeal on. My whole argument up to this point has been that my life was in a terrible state a few years ago. I now go to counseling, was advised by a psychiatrist to go back and educate myself and completed a PLC course last year that got me into the Higher Education Institution I'm at now. Would someone please tell me if there is a basis for appeal on extenuating circumstances?

Just if it makes any difference I'm on back to education.

Thanks,
Tom

SuSi: Reps

tomishere wrote: »

Hi All,

Initially, I just want to say I post on boards under another username but I'm using this one as I don't want to be recognised by one or two people who know that I use boards.

I'm having a few problems with SUSI at the moment. I lodged an application and had been talking to a supervisor at SUSI about my application and was told that I needed to post on some details to confirm what I was saying (I had been sexually abused as a child, was at college less than 5 years ago and dropped out due to depression). So everything was going fine, I received a letter saying I've been approved but needed to send on documentation x,y,z. So I was talking to the same supervisor again and realised that I made a mistake on my application. Instead of putting 'Independent Mature Student' I should have put 'Dependent Mature Student'. I informed the same supervisor at SUSI and he said just fill out a new application using a different e-mail address and it would be fine.

On December 3rd I got a refusal letter, for my second application, due to previous education. My 2nd application form had been cut and pasted word for word with the change I needed to make. About two weeks later I contacted the supervisor I had been dealing with and he said he would get an assessor to call me back and sort this out, no one called me. Unfortuanetly and without realising it I let time go by, I was dealing with the Gardaí about the peadophile who abused me and could deal with nothing else. On the 8th of January I emailed SUSI for the supervisor I'd been dealing with to call me back, no call came. I would have called but financial circumstances,at the time, ruled this out as an option.

So today I called SUSI, and was told that said supervisor is on a training course in Dublin. That's not so bad I can try and contact him next week. I was told that I need to submit an appeals form, that's fine. The problem is by reading the legislation I 've nothing I can appeal on. My whole argument up to this point has been that my life was in a terrible state a few years ago. I now go to counseling, was advised by a psychiatrist to go back and educate myself and completed a PLC course last year that got me into the Higher Education Institution I'm at now. Would someone please tell me if there is a basis for appeal on extenuating circumstances?

Just if it makes any difference I'm on back to education.

Thanks,
Tom

Hi Tom,

I have provided a link to the SUSI Appeals form below. One may indeed appeal a decision on "Other" grounds besides the 9 that are printed on the appeals form. It is on the tenth option on page 3. You will need to clearly explain exactly what grounds you are appealing on though.


http://www.cdvec.ie/getattachment/Student-Supports/Grants/SUSI-Appeals-Form---August-2012.pdf.aspx


I hope this answers your question.

If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to ask.

Kind regards,
Robbie