Back to education allowance with degree

Panda103

Hi, I would love some help.
I have a level 7 degree in art and design, I despised every second of it, I chose it stupidly when I was 17.
I finished it but I didn't do very well. I would love to go back to college and study science.
I can't get a good job. IV just been working **** hospitality job after **** hospitality job for years, and I will need to get back to education allowance to support myself.
But given that I have a degree already will I be able to get it?
Could I lie and say I never got one? I bearly passed it anyway.

DeeAvery

How it works is you have to progress in levels. To quote directly from the operational guidelines:

*Reference should be made to appendix 3 – National Qualification Framework. If a QQI level 8 degree is held, application to study for QQI level 8 Higher Diploma can be approved. A person who already holds a level 7 ordinary degree can only apply for the one year add-on honours degree course. They are not eligible to commence a new four year level 8 degree course.

If an add on year is not something you can do I would look into springboard and other courses and schemes for unemployed people. If you want to keep working there are lots part time, evening courses and online courses out there too. It just takes a bit of research and hard work.

They also have a way of checking things through the CAO. They have a record of your offers and acceptances. For example I contacted Trinity to get a form off them as I knew I had to fill it out as I was returning as a mature student who dropped out of my last degree. This is in regards to my eligibility in regards to getting the free tuintion fees. The response I got of trinity was "Yes we see here you were offered a place through the CAO for DBS in 2009, and here is your form." I have no idea if the DSP has access to that information but they probably do so I wouldn't chance it. You end up being fined, or having to pay them back, or have your social welfare payments cut/reduced.

It might not be fare. But that's the way it is unfortunately. They don't actually want to help anyone progress in life.

Panda103 wrote: »

Hi, I would love some help.
I have a level 7 degree in art and design, I despised every second of it, I chose it stupidly when I was 17.
I finished it but I didn't do very well. I would love to go back to college and study science.
I can't get a good job. IV just been working **** hospitality job after **** hospitality job for years, and I will need to get back to education allowance to support myself.
But given that I have a degree already will I be able to get it?
Could I lie and say I never got one? I bearly passed it anyway.

Panda103

Thanks for the reply! I was thinking that they would know alright
Do you know any institution that has student loans like the UK? Where you pay them back when you are finished and you start working.
I looked into it and I can get loans but not that much and I would have to pay them back like a month after I get them.
I could work the whole way though like I did before but that was 3 years of college during week and working every weekend, Im almost in my 30s now I don't want to go back to that kind of life again again, it really takes it toll.

vodkat92

Panda103 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply! I was thinking that they would know alright
Do you know any institution that has student loans like the UK? Where you pay them back when you are finished and you start working.
I looked into it and I can get loans but not that much and I would have to pay them back like a month after I get them.
I could work the whole way though like I did before but that was 3 years of college during week and working every weekend, Im almost in my 30s now I don't want to go back to that kind of life again again, it really takes it toll.

Hi, I am literally in almost the exact same situation as you, I was just wondering how you got on? Did you manage to get BTEA or find somewhere that does a long term loan?