SUSI grant-deferring

lpoolfan101

Dear fellow students,
I wish to defer next year. SUSI has informed me that if I do this I wouldn't apply for next year's grant, but apply again for the 2018-19 year. This year, I get about €6000, €3000 for fees and €3000. That was with a household income between €20,000 to €25,000.
The household income for applying for next year, should I just continue to second year, would be significantly less, so I would probably get a higher grant. Should I defer and work about 40 hours a week on average for 14 months, on the minimum wage €9.25, which would total €22,200. Now, that is a very rough estimate. So fees for my course are about €3,000 per year. I am assuming that earning that amount of income combined with my mother's income would rule me out of getting fees for the 2018-19 year, but with the majority of that money being saved, I would surely have enough to pay for fees, as well as pay for a year's worth of Dublin student accommodation.

So, are my mother's financial concerns warranted, or is it financially viable for me to defer second year by a year?

Sup08

If the figures you are quoting are what you say you earn, there maybe no change to the fees part of the grant but there may be a change to the maintenance.
If you were to leave the employment before you start college, then that income can be disregarded from the total reckonable income.

lpoolfan101

Sup08 wrote: »

If the figures you are quoting are what you say you earn, there maybe no change to the fees part of the grant but there may be a change to the maintenance.
If you were to leave the employment before you start college, then that income can be disregarded from the total reckonable income.

So, that's good to know. I don't have the job yet, so I don't know how many hours I could get. 40 hours a week would be an overestimation, but even if I worked a bit less than that, would it still be viable to defer?

Sup08

Deferring is up to you and the college.
Grant applications are assessed on the year of their application and deferring does not make any difference if you meet the criteria the year of your application.

The budget each year can impose changes with the grant and deferring should only be considered if it really necessary.

lpoolfan101

Does this mean I need to have a medical certificate to defer?

Sup08

That is up to you and your college, the college agrees to defer the course not SUSI.

Sup08

I think you mean to say you a repeating year 1 as your post history states?

In this case, you would not be entitled to any further grant assistance until you are entering year 2 of an undergraduate course or take a break from studies of 5 years or more.

lpoolfan101

Sup08 wrote: »

I think you mean to say you a repeating year 1 as your post history states?

In this case, you would not be entitled to any further grant assistance until you are entering year 2 of an undergraduate course or take a break from studies of 5 years or more.

I'm talking about deferring year 2 by a year, not repeating year 1. I don't expect to get a grant when I come back, I'm just asking if it's viable to defer and save money from working in the year out.

Sup08

If you do not qualify for a grant and need to save for your course, yes, why not.. good that you are considering this option to continue with your studies.
Beware you don't get too used to working and end up giving up on the studies. This often happens.

Good luck with what ever you decide.

lpoolfan101

Sup08 wrote: »

If you do not qualify for a grant and need to save for your course, yes, why not.. good that you are considering this option to continue with your studies.
Beware you don't get too used to working and end up giving up on the studies. This often happens.

Good luck with what ever you decide.

Thanks man, It's nice for the support. I have made up my mind to defer now. Some people in my family have told me I am being selfish when I told them I am thinking of deferring. I have had a college year that was much longer than everyone else, and I have to repeat something, which will make it last even longer. The year was long and packed with challenges that the average student doesn't have to deal with. I never did transition year, and was very young going into college. I decided I had to take matters into my own hands for the first time in my life and defer.

Now, I am aware of the risks of deferring- of either becoming lazy, or getting a taste of the quick money. I am determined to use and enjoy this year to the fullest, and do things to develop myself, like finish off the Gáisce award. I am also determined to return to education, to go against what my family expects when I defer (to drop out), I just need this break.