Social welfare payment when going back to do masters (full time)

Kealyboy

Hi I am currently working full time in social care. I am also completing a BA (honours) in social studies (professional social care) on a part time basis. As I eventually want to further my studies and progress to doing a masters in social work. As this is a two year full time course, I would be required to leave my job for the two years. I could apply for a career break for the two years which would be ideal.
The two year that I would be unemployed would I be eligible for social welfare assistance? As I have a mortgage, bills etc?

Thanks

intheclouds

Kealyboy wrote: »

Hi I am currently working full time in social care. I am also completing a BA (honours) in social studies (professional social care) on a part time basis. As I eventually want to further my studies and progress to doing a masters in social work. As this is a two year full time course, I would be required to leave my job for the two years. I could apply for a career break for the two years which would be ideal.
The two year that I would be unemployed would I be eligible for social welfare assistance? As I have a mortgage, bills etc?

Thanks

No you wouldnt. Social welfare doesnt cover the luxury of Masters degrees unfortunately or Id spend my life doing them.

Cant you do the Masters part time?

Kealyboy

intheclouds wrote: »

No you wouldnt. Social welfare doesnt cover the luxury of Masters degrees unfortunately or Id spend my life doing them.

Cant you do the Masters part time?

Yes I can but it takes twice as long.

Would I not be even entitled to back to education allowance or mortgage assistance?

mp22

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

intheclouds

Kealyboy wrote: »

Yes I can but it takes twice as long.

Would I not be even entitled to back to education allowance or mortgage assistance?

I dont think you can get BTEA for either a Masters OR if you leave a job to go back to full time education, although they do change the rules from time to time so check it out.

Maybe ring Citizens Info and ask what you could be entitled to?

myappeal

Hello Kealyboy,

The rules and qualification criteria for Jobseekers payments are quite rigid when it comes to situations like this.

For the purpose of a Jobseekers payment two issues would arise, firstly leaving employment of your own free will and volition would mean that you would not be deemed to be a genuine jobseeker. Effectively you would have made yourself unemployed without just cause and good reason - and no, improving your education or prospects by leaving work to further your education will not be counted as a just cause or good reason to give up paid employment to seek a Jobseekers payment in this instance.

Secondly, the issue of Genuinely Seeking Work. It would be unreasonable to seek to suggest that you meet this condition of Jobseekers payments given that your stated intention to study full-time and that you would not be genuinely seeking work. If that was the case you could have stayed in work and undertaken your education. Therefore you cannot claim that you are available for or genuinely seeking employment for a Jobseekers payment.

The Back to Education Option (BTEA) is only open to persons in receipt of qualifying social welfare payments. As you would not have any underlying entitlement to a social welfare payment, based on your description of your circumstances, you would not qualify for the BTEA.

There is no longer any Mortgage Interest Supplement paid by the DSP. That stopped a few years ago.

Sorry its all bad news....

Regards,

Necro

myappeal wrote:

The Back to Education Option (BTEA) is only open to persons in receipt of qualifying social welfare payments. As you would not have any underlying entitlement to a social welfare payment, based on your description of your circumstances, you would not qualify for the BTEA.

This.... and you would have to be on the qualifying payment for a minimum of 9 months for a third level course. It might be even longer for a masters.

loconnor1001

Check out to see if they do Springboard for the MA you are looking to do. My local IT has some MA courses through springboard which would get you a payment if you qualify. https://www.springboardcourses.ie