Mature Student- So confused!!

Zara23

Hi everyone,

So I am asking this in behalf of a friend. She was in college and received the full grant in first year when she was 18-19. She then became seriously ill and did not complete the exams. Due to this illness, she was awarded the grant again as an exception due to the illness and repeated first year. However, she was still not fully recovered as she thought and had to drop out again by Christmas. She was still 19 at the time of dropping out.
She is now just turned 24 and is applying for a new course but we have no idea if they will pay for fees or not as they have already paid twice. She was under the impression that everything is wiped clean once you are an independent mature student, is this right?
I read that you can be considered a second chance student after 5 years but I'm not sure this qualifies as she repeated or at least the fees were paid for that year.

I'm just so confused trying to figure out if she is eligible under free fees scheme or for a fee grant and to be honest I don't know the difference. I also don't know what is needed to cover the Student contribution fee. She will be receiving the BTEA so we know she will not qualify for maintenance.

I called SUSI but I'm not sure the woman knew what she was talking about. She told me that a 3 year break is all that is needed (although I read it's 3 years for re-entry to the previous course and 5 for a new course).
She told me that because the previous course was a level 7 and the new course is a level 8 that it is seen as progression and will be fine. This makes no sense to me as I told her that she never passed first year so how could she be progressing?
I think for the second chance student thing, she doesn't quite make the 5 years. I am so confused, someone please help!

Thank you in advance

Engine No.9

Any chance she'll have turned 25 by the time the school year starts? Slate should be wiped clean after 5 yrs have elapsed since she last was on a course but I worry that since she dropped out at Christmas (we still don't know what year it was when she left the course), and returning earlier in the year i.e. September, might rule her out. The way the Government is penny pinching these days wouldn't surprise me in the very least if they ruled her out because she returned to education 4 yrs and 10 months after she was last in college.

SuSi: Reps

Hi Zara23,

I'm sorry if it was not clear on the call to HelpDesk hopefully I will be able to help.

I believe you're only eligible to receive the Free Fee Scheme once but I don't know about the guidelines and regulations surrounding the circumstance of your friend. You can contact Citizens Information regarding this. They also have a webpage about the scheme. You can find it through the following link: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/third_level_education/fees_and_supports_for_third_level_education/fees.html.

I do believe she will be eligible to apply for funding through SuSi but I think she will have to attend until Christmas without funding and then she can be awarded. The five year rule means that you if you don't complete a course after five years you may return to a course at the same level and receive a grant. As your friend dropped out at Christmas 5 years ago then she will not have achieved a five year gap until then.

You were correct, it is not progression as she did not complete the course but the five year rule will make her eligible.

I hope this information helps. If you need any further help please don't hesitate to ask.

Kind regards,
Aoife,
SuSi HelpDesk.

Zara23

Thanks for the quick response Susi. I am still unclear on a few things though- as she received a grant for first year twice (due to exemption being granted because of illness) does this count as 2 grants received? Is it the same as having received a grant in first and second year?
Or since the first grant was given 5 years ago, that one is discounted and the second one (only received until Dec) is counted since it is around 4 1/2 years since then?
The free fees scheme states that: Subject to compliance with the other conditions of the Free Fees initiative, students who have previously pursued but have not completed a course of third level study and subsequently resume third level studies:
are not eligible for free fees for the equivalent period of time spent on the first course of study where the third level course concerned did attract exchequer funding (as above). Part-time and evening students are included in this category.

So am i correct that she would be eligible for free fees in December?

If not, will she be eligible for the fee grant including the tuition and student contribution charge elements as long as she satisfies the income levels ect?
Or will she need to pay a third of each of these because of the year that she was in college until December?

SuSi: Reps

Hi Zara23,

The 5 year gap clears her of anything she has previously received, as she did not complete the course. The only thing is that she will have to wait until December or even January, to start receiving funding. As long as she meets the other criteria for applying she would be eligible to apply the full grant from SuSi.

I don't want to give advice on the Free Fee Scheme as I am not linked to that scheme.

I hope this information helps.

Kind regards,
Aoife,
SuSi HelpDesk.