Another BTEA Question

s14barnes

I'm 25 , living with parents, and going to do third level education.

Got refused for a SUSI Grant based on household income too high.

Am I right in saying you have to be on Job Seekers for 9 months to be eligible?

I'm on it 6 months.

So that means I'm not entitled to anything through college?

Thanks

Annasopra

s14barnes wrote: »

I'm 25 , living with parents, and going to do third level education.

Got refused for a SUSI Grant based on household income too high.

Am I right in saying you have to be on Job Seekers for 9 months to be eligible?

I'm on it 6 months.

So that means I'm not entitled to anything through college?

Thanks

Yes

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/back_to_education/back_to_education_allowance.html

For third level courses you must have been getting a qualifying social welfare payment (see above) for 9 months (234 days of unemployment*). You must be getting the qualifying payment immediately before you start the course.

*If you are getting a jobseeker's payment, each day you are unemployed, except Sunday, is counted as a day of unemployment.

Balagan

Worth having a look at the various criteria for meeting the qualifying period requirements in case you might be eligible under one or those.

Satisfying the qualifying period
You do not have to have been getting your qualifying payment continuously. Periods spent on other relevant social welfare payments (or getting credits or in short-term employment) that are not broken by more than 12 months (52 weeks) can be used to determine whether you satisfy the qualifying period criteria. You must always be getting a qualifying payment immediately before starting your course.

Time spent on the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA), Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS), full-time FÁS/Failte Ireland training courses, FIT, Community Employment schemes, Part-time Job Incentive scheme, Community Services Programme, Rural Social Scheme, TÚS, the National Internship Scheme, Workplace Placement Scheme (WPP), Back to Work Enterprise Allowance, Short Term Enterprise Allowance, FÁS Job Initiative, Revenue Job Assist and JobBridge may count towards the qualifying period.

You may go directly from one of the above schemes to Back to Education Allowance provided you were getting one of the qualifying social welfare payments listed above immediately before or after you started the scheme. If there is a break of more than 4 weeks between leaving the Scheme and starting an approved course of study you must establish an entitlement to a qualifying social welfare payment to qualify for BTEA.

Time spent on Youthreach can count towards the qualifying period provided you establish an entitlement to a qualifying social welfare payment before or after completing the Youthreach programme.

Time spent in prison can count towards the qualifying period provided you establish an entitlement to a qualifying social welfare payment.

Time spent on Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) or on direct provision can count towards the qualifying period for BTEA. This applies only if you establish an entitlement to a qualifying social welfare payment immediately before you start your approved course of study.

If you have been awarded statutory redundancy and are entitled to a qualifying social welfare payment immediately before you start the course (note that it is not necessary to actually be receiving the payment) you can get immediate access to the BTEA without any waiting period. You must take part in the BTEA scheme within one year of getting statutory redundancy.
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/back_to_education/back_to_education_allowance.html