Anyone got BTEA approved?

Mandzhalas

Getting a little worried here... I have applied for BTEA a little over than month ago, but to date didn't get any correspondence from my social welfare office. Normally they are very quick.
Starting college in two weeks and in no way I will afford to pay any fees so i don't want to mess this up. Anyone got their BTEA confirmed and how long did it take?

marble2015

Nope I've been waiting 5 weeks and haven't heard anything yet too, might ring them next week too see.

Have you applied to susi too? That's who pays your fees if it's a third level college

Mandzhalas

marble2015 wrote: »

Nope I've been waiting 5 weeks and haven't heard anything yet too, might ring them next week too see.

Have you applied to susi too? That's who pays your fees if it's a third level college

oh yeah applied to SUSI same week as I got my offer.

marble2015

Mandzhalas wrote: »

oh yeah applied to SUSI same week as I got my offer.

Oh good good, it's such a nightmare waiting, some people on another forum on this said they've been waiting quite a while too

SameHorse

you can apply in plenty of time, like you did (and I did also), but the BTEA doesn't get approved or processed until you're actually attending the course and submit the letter of registration from your uni/college to your social welfare office to have it added to your BTEA application.

And by 'letter of registration' ... I don't mean the one telling you to register, I mean the one confirming that you've actually registered and are attending the course.

cheers

marble2015

SameHorse wrote: »

you can apply in plenty of time, like you did (and I did also), but the BTEA doesn't get approved or processed until you're actually attending the course and submit the letter of registration from your uni/college to your social welfare office to have it added to your BTEA application.

And by 'letter of registration' ... I don't mean the one telling you to register, I mean the one confirming that you've actually registered and are attending the course.

cheers

Pretty certain they send you a letter first though, saying that you've been either provisionally accepted or refused and then request the letter of registration from the college??

SameHorse

Pretty certain it's as I said. Of course.. it's possible the person I was speaking to about it a week ago at the social welfare office where my BTEA application is being processed isn't as well informed on this topic as you are. Improbable... but possible.

marble2015 wrote: »

Pretty certain they send you a letter first though, saying that you've been either provisionally accepted or refused and then request the letter of registration from the college??

mightyreds

I've never had pre approval it's always been as said collect jobseekers for first 1/2 weeks of college while waiting on registration letter, get the letter, bring it to the social and then the week after it starts going to my bank. The only acknowledgement I ever got was the guy behind the counter saying that's all sorted or if the letters posted the money going to the bank

marble2015

SameHorse wrote: »

Pretty certain it's as I said. Of course.. it's possible the person I was speaking to about it a week ago at the social welfare office where my BTEA application is being processed isn't as well informed on this topic as you are. Improbable... but possible.

Hmm odd, some people have actually confirmed it on this site that they got a letter of pre approval, maybe it's different in different offices. A little ridiculous if they don't inform you if you've been accepted or refused before you begin. Good to know anyway as I've been going crazy waiting on a letter from the postman everyday lol, I hope no news is good news!

CZ 453

marble2015 wrote: »

Hmm odd, some people have actually confirmed it on this site that they got a letter of pre approval, maybe it's different in different offices. A little ridiculous if they don't inform you if you've been accepted or refused before you begin. Good to know anyway as I've been going crazy waiting on a letter from the postman everyday lol, I hope no news is good news!

This is what they are doing in Cork. You get a letter saying you have been provisionally approved(with proof of offer). Then you are asked to get a letter of registration to be fully approved.

raze_them_all_

I got the pre approval letter thing

spygirl

rang my local social welfare office this week, had btea last year so wanted to make sure was still in place for this year. Told not to panic as not being dealt with until next week. Last year I didn't get it until end of the first week in September. Has anyone heard back from susi yet regarding fees grant?

Dair76

I've been told I can print off a Certificate of Attendance, which "verifies years registered at UCD" on the UCD website. Maybe other universities do the same? I haven't received anything back from the DSP yet, but assume I can just give them this letter before being pre-approved for the BTEA? Would save waiting I suppose.

Louis Lane 6

I received a letter that says my application is provisionally approved and that I have to bring into my local social welfare office a letter from my college that says I am registered on my course.

JayIre

Same as above. Received the pre approval letter last week. Just need to drop in my registration letter from the college when I get it.

rosmoke

I got refused because I don't have a qualifying payment in my own name before starting the course (I satisfy the 9 months rule because I'm a qualified adult on my wife's payment) The thing is that my contract ended 2 weeks ago and I applied for jobseeker's benefit and I should get it. After I get the JSB approved I guess it shouldn't be a problem to get BTEA, right ?

baron von something

I applied back in June and haven't heard anything back yet. Knowing them they probably lost my application. I'll give them a ring in the morning

mrkiscool2

baron von something wrote: »

I applied back in June and haven't heard anything back yet. Knowing them they probably lost my application. I'll give them a ring in the morning

You definitely should! I applied at the start of the month and they rang on Friday about my application, just asking questions about it. They said I should hear from them in the next two weeks by post so I would definitely get onto them!

baron von something

Darn social welfare. I rang them up

Me - "well, I applied for Back To Education Allowance in June and haven't heard anything back yet. What's the story?"

Guy- "uh give me a minute....

.....

.....

.....
.....
Uh I think I'm going to have to ring you back later"

The feckers are notorious for losing forms I bet that's what happened to mine

marble2015

baron von something wrote: »

Darn social welfare. I rang them up

Me - "well, I applied for Back To Education Allowance in June and haven't heard anything back yet. What's the story?"

Guy- "uh give me a minute....

.....

.....

.....
.....
Uh I think I'm going to have to ring you back later"

The feckers are notorious for losing forms I bet that's what happened to mine

Did he get back to you in the end lol?

baron von something

Of course he didn't. I rang back this morning and after ages talking to them they realised that I actually got approved on the 15th July and that I "must just not have gotten the letter"

All those sleepless nights worrying about it but hey it all worked out ok. I just have to bring them a letter from the college when I register.

Just waiting on SUSI now

EoinG94

Just a quick question for you guys. I'm 20 years old and been on the dole now since the end of November or start of December 2014. I have applied for a course today and now awaiting an offer from the CAO. But for me to qualify for BTEA I must be out of formal education for at least two years and been signing on for 9 months. Is formal education that of secondary school or a Post Leaving Cert course or does it involve third level also ? Keep in mind I haven't received an award since June 2013 which was a FETAC level 5.

Cheers in advance.

Mandzhalas

EoinG94 wrote: »

Just a quick question for you guys. I'm 20 years old and been on the dole now since the end of November or start of December 2014. I have applied for a course today and now awaiting an offer from the CAO. But for me to qualify for BTEA I must be out of formal education for at least two years and been signing on for 9 months. Is formal education that of secondary school or a Post Leaving Cert course or does it involve third level also ? Keep in mind I haven't received an award since June 2013 which was a FETAC level 5.

Cheers in advance.

To qualify for Btea you have to be at least 23 years old.

paperclip2

Mandzhalas wrote: »

To qualify for Btea you have to be at least 23 years old.

BTEA age threshold is 21, or you may qualify if you are between 18-21 and out of formal education for at least 2 years, and getting a relevant DSP payment for the required period.
As far as I know Youthreach and FAS courses aren't considered formal but PLC's are.

If you are applying for BTEA for a postgrad course the age requirement is 24.

SameHorse

Apparently in Galway City they're going to be doing interviews before approval. I was also told they haven't even got around to start going over the applications yet....

pain in the hole since I have to commute to Uni (the guts of 30 miles in total ) while I'm supposed to be collecting my weekly payment at the local post office. Post office only opens at the same time my lectures begin. And I haven't quite nailed the being-in-two-places-at-the-same-time thing I've been trying to figure out, though I had hoped to brush up on my quantum physics while in Uni.

will have to request that they change my collection point to some place close to campus or start paying me through the bank, regardless of current BTEA application status.

otherwise I'll either be late to the same lecture(s) until it's sorted (not a good first impression) or I'll miss payments.

raze_them_all_

Kilkenny have actually been fantastic with my beta. I went in today to explain that I was moving before my next signing date, got told that they would switch it to bank for the week between jsa and beta, got told when to have forms filled in by, etc. Not often you can say nice things about the social welfare places, well pleased with how they handle themselves

SameHorse

I called in to the Galway office today telling them about the difficulty I'll have going to the post office whilst trying to attend my lectures, and she switched me over to bank straight away...I wasn't even hoping for that, just a post office close to campus... so I was very happy with the result, although next weeks payment will still need to be collected at the local post office but that can't be helped.

so, overall I'm quite pleased with that.

Niaveee

I got refused for being 25 days short on the qualifying time. Has upset me so much. Have to cancel my course now

SameHorse

Niaveee wrote: »

I got refused for being 25 days short on the qualifying time. Has upset me so much. Have to cancel my course now

don't cancel yet... I'd get on to some local TD's and see if they can advocate on your behalf and see what can be done.

CZ 453

Niaveee wrote: »

I got refused for being 25 days short on the qualifying time. Has upset me so much. Have to cancel my course now

Did you submit an application? i got told I wouldn't qualify in the offices but I applied anyway.

EoinG94

Niaveee wrote: »

I got refused for being 25 days short on the qualifying time. Has upset me so much. Have to cancel my course now

Sorry to hear that. When did you sign on ?

Niaveee

SameHorse wrote: »

don't cancel yet... I'd get on to some local TD's and see if they can advocate on your behalf and see what can be done.

I contacted two of my local tds already, both contacted my local intreo center on my behalf but were unable to help. At my wits end. Truly devastated

Niaveee

CZ 453 wrote: »

Did you submit an application? i got told I wouldn't qualify in the offices but I applied anyway.

Yes I submitted an application. Fingers crossed that you have better luck than me

Niaveee

EoinG94 wrote: »

Sorry to hear that. When did you sign on ?

Signed on in May but was on illness benefit for a year prior to that. They allow 50/50 of other payments to make up the qualifying time but unfortunately I was 25days short on jobseekers benefit. Was told I can't appeal it too

EoinG94

Niaveee wrote: »

Signed on in May but was on illness benefit for a year prior to that. They allow 50/50 of other payments to make up the qualifying time but unfortunately I was 25days short on jobseekers benefit. Was told I can't appeal it too

I feel for you buddy ! I'm waiting on word back also. But I'm uncertain. BTEA needs reviewing by the department in my opinion.

EoinG94

Niaveee wrote: »

Signed on in May but was on illness benefit for a year prior to that. They allow 50/50 of other payments to make up the qualifying time but unfortunately I was 25days short on jobseekers benefit. Was told I can't appeal it too

If you don't mind me asking, what level is the course ?

Niaveee

Agree with you there definitely needs reviewing. It was a level 8 course

Dair76

Anyone else still waiting?

Mrs cockett

Dair76 wrote: »

Anyone else still waiting?

Yes, Haven't heard a word.

Dair76

Was approved myself a month ago, pending documentation from the college (which I had already provided), and have heard nothing since.

Mrs cockett

Dair76 wrote: »

Was approved myself a month ago, pending documentation from the college (which I had already provided), and have heard nothing since.

Seems to be on a go slow I was not even approved, although I was told by man in social welfare office that I should get it.So I am still collecting JS in post office every week and getting on good in my course

gillymuffins

Anyone been left short money on their payment today? I got €160 last week, but €144 this week?

Jim tully

Also waiting to hear back six weeks into my course. On my midterm next week so I think I'll give them a shout. Should I not be concerned as I'm collecting JSA from the post office every week even though I'm officially registered in college?

raze_them_all_

no you keep signing on till you get the decision

Dair76

Just an update to my own situation - I went down to my local office (I know that won't be an option for everyone, but they just don't answer the bloody phone). Basically I was told that my payments "should have been going through", and he couldn't say why they weren't. Anyway, my payments will now start going into my bank account this Thursday.

Supposedly.