BTE Payment and College Fees?

cafe.laka

Hello!

I am currently receiving the Back to Education payment as I am studying Business Administration at FETAC Level 6. I was receiving the same payment last year when I was doing Level 5 Admin. I am hoping to go to WIT in September and study English under the BA Arts degree.

In order to continue receiving BTE, I need to be progressing in levels, which is fine as the English course is a Level 8. However I have also heard that you need to stay in the same area of education, in my case Business, and if this is true then I will not be able to study English. Does anybody know if this is true?

Also, if I am on BTE will I still have to pay the Student Contribution Fee of €2500? It says on Qualifax:

"The Student Contribution Charge for the academic year 2013/14 is €2,500. The Student Contribution is an annual charge which is set by the Government and all third level students are liable to pay it, unless they have qualified for a grant"

I did previously qualify for a grant in 2010 when I first went to college, however I dropped out after first year. As far as I am aware, I am still entitled to my grant for the second year of a course, but would have to pay for the first year myself. Not sure how the BTE comes into this, I'm hoping I can use the BTE for first year and then sign off and continue on with the grant, or to just carry on into second and third year with the BTE if there is any problem with the grant.

Incidentally, the course I dropped out of in 2010/11 was the Arts course in WIT, which I am reapplying to, however I majored in Sociology at the time and I think I failed some of my summer exams so would have to repeat the year from scratch, not just pick up where I left off, as this time I will be majoring in English anyay.

Thanks in advance for any information!

Sarah

nicearbhaill

what level of award did you do when you first went to college. if it was the same level and your enter onto the same year you may also be liable for tutition fees. Did you withdraw or drop out.


All students are liable for the student contribution fee - how you fund it is down to you.

sorry cant be of more help

Cravez

cafe.laka wrote: »

I did previously qualify for a grant in 2010 when I first went to college, however I dropped out after first year. As far as I am aware, I am still entitled to my grant for the second year of a course, but would have to pay for the first year myself. Not sure how the BTE comes into this, I'm hoping I can use the BTE for first year and then sign off and continue on with the grant, or to just carry on into second and third year with the BTE if there is any problem with the grant.

Incidentally, the course I dropped out of in 2010/11 was the Arts course in WIT, which I am reapplying to, however I majored in Sociology at the time and I think I failed some of my summer exams so would have to repeat the year from scratch, not just pick up where I left off, as this time I will be majoring in English anyay.

Thanks in advance for any information!

Sarah

You'll be liable to pay the Student Contribution Charge and also your Tuition
Fee's for the first year of your course. I checked the WIT fee's so you will have to pay €2750 (Contribution) & €1319 (Tuition) = €4069 Total.

With the Back to Education Allowance, you can claim it and also claim the student contribution charge grant. you cannot however claim Back to Education Allowance and the Maintenance Grant.

Your options would be:

• Pay the full amount for your first year (€4069)
• If you previously finished your first year of the same course as you said, try move directly into second year? You won't have to pay tuition or the contribution then.
• Wait 5 years and return as a second chance student and you can claim free tuition fees and also the grant again

Personally, the WIT tuition fee's aren't that expensive so I would try see if you can do one of the first two options above.

cafe.laka

Doubt I'd be able to go into second year, as I will be doing a different major this time around will have to see if I can get the money together!

Failing that, do I have to be totally out of education for five years to return as a second chance student or just out of WIT? I've been gone from WIT four years this year but I've been doing FETACs in a local school for the past two years.

Thanks for your help!

Cravez

cafe.laka wrote: »

Failing that, do I have to be totally out of education for five years to return as a second chance student or just out of WIT? I've been gone from WIT four years this year but I've been doing FETACs in a local school for the past two years.

5 years out of Third Level (level 7 or 8) so if you have stayed out of WIT for 4 years then another year you should be able to get tuition fee's paid for again as a second chance student. However in regards the grant iv heard that SUSI can be a bit weird in regards the 5 year rule and previous education, they may not give you the grant for the contribution charge because you have done FETAC's in less than 5 years. I would double check in regards that elsewhere but you should be able to get Tuition Fee's paid for again in a years time.

mkearn15

i am been charged 2500 student contribution fee for last year 2013/14. I had to repeat two exams for first year, am on back to education allowance. College wont let me register or release my exam results until i pay the fee. Does anyone know if this is right? and if it is would the bank provide a student loan to cover this?

eoinster

i just got accepted for a place in the 3rd year of the bachelor of business in gmit. this will be me repeating year 3 but it has been 5 years since i last attended college. i contacted the fees department of gmit and they said that the 5 year rule is only if your repeating level 8(year 4) of a course and that i would have to pay fees for the year. does anyone know if this is correct?

Annasopra

eoinster wrote: »

i just got accepted for a place in the 3rd year of the bachelor of business in gmit. this will be me repeating year 3 but it has been 5 years since i last attended college. i contacted the fees department of gmit and they said that the 5 year rule is only if your repeating level 8(year 4) of a course and that i would have to pay fees for the year. does anyone know if this is correct?

Im not sure but I think its arguable. Why are you not regarded as a secind chance student?

eoinster

the gmit fees department said the 5 year second chance student thing is only if your repeating 4th year for the 2nd time and its been 5 years.

who actually decides if a student is eligible for free fees? is it the college or some other organization.

BonkeyDonker

eoinster wrote: »

the gmit fees department said the 5 year second chance student thing is only if your repeating 4th year for the 2nd time and its been 5 years.

who actually decides if a student is eligible for free fees? is it the college or some other organization.

Ultimately SUSI decide. If you have been out for five years or more then you should qualify - but the college has no role in deciding if SUSI pay you or not. The college may just be trying to get you to pay your fees early, as it can take some time from them to get the money from SUSI.

eoinster

thanks, thats good to know. im going to be getting the back to education allowance.
do you know if i still apply at susi.ie about about the fees?

BonkeyDonker

eoinster wrote: »

thanks, thats good to know. im going to be getting the back to education allowance.
do you know if i still apply at susi.ie about about the fees?

Yes - SUSI cover your fees.

Annasopra

BonkeyDonker wrote: »

Ultimately SUSI decide. If you have been out for five years or more then you should qualify - but the college has no role in deciding if SUSI pay you or not. The college may just be trying to get you to pay your fees early, as it can take some time from them to get the money from SUSI.

Huh?

He was talking about the tuition fees. SUSI doesnt decide on those its the college.

eoinster

this is what i was told was due in fees by gmit.
Student Contribution Fee of €2,750 plus the Level 7 Tuition Fee of €204 for the academic year 2014/2015

does susi cover the contribution fee?

BonkeyDonker

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

Huh?

He was talking about the tuition fees. SUSI doesn't decide on those its the college.

That may be covered by BTEA, I just know one of the two paid mine.

Annasopra

BonkeyDonker wrote: »

That may be covered by BTEA, I just know one of the two paid mine.

No

BTEA doesnt pay fees
The college determines your eligilibity for tuition fees and omce you are eligible government pay
SUSI will pay your student contribution fee if you are eligible for a grant.

BonkeyDonker

Joeytheparrot wrote: »

No

BTEA doesn't pay fees
The college determines your eligilibity for tuition fees and omce you are eligible government pay
SUSI will pay your student contribution fee if you are eligible for a grant.

Thanks for clearing that up - when I went through the process and was speaking to the college they said that SUSI would pay for that in my case. I assumed (incorrectly) that it was SUSI who picked up the tab.

Annasopra

eoinster wrote: »

this is what i was told was due in fees by gmit.
Student Contribution Fee of €2,750 plus the Level 7 Tuition Fee of €204 for the academic year 2014/2015

does susi cover the contribution fee?

SUSI should pay the student contribution fee if you are eligible

eoinster

thanks for the clarification.