Back to education allowance - Masters

splashuum

Hi guys,

Does anyone know if one can qualify for BTEA while studying a postgrad masters ?

splinter65

splashuum wrote: »

Hi guys,

Does anyone know if one can qualify for BTEA while studying a postgrad masters ?

Only if it’s for a masters in Ed.

LegacyUser

From welfare.ie
"The postgraduate option of the BTEA scheme is only for people who wish to take:

a postgraduate course of study that leads to a Higher Diploma (H. Dip.) qualification in any discipline, or
a Professional Masters of Education (Primary or Secondary teaching).
Only postgraduate courses in Ireland are eligible for the BTEA scheme.

Other postgraduate qualifications including a Master's degree are not recognised for BTEA purposes.

You will not get the BTEA if you already hold a postgraduate qualification."

amtc

That's completely incorrect. My friend got it to study Chinese medicine in a private college, and another to study thelogy in maynooth.

Wanderer78

Yes, unofficially, it's possible to get social welfare funding for other masters programs, I got it for a science related program. Talk to your local office and best of luck

JustJoe7240

amtc wrote: »

That's completely incorrect. My friend got it to study Chinese medicine in a private college, and another to study thelogy in maynooth.

Quoting from k_to_education/back_to_education_allowance.html#l7dddc

You can get the Back to Education Allowance for a postgraduate course of study that leads to a Higher Diploma (H.Dip.) qualification in any discipline or a Professional Masters in Education.

Other types of postgraduate qualifications are not recognised for BTEA. The only exception to this is where a college has admitted a person without a third-level qualification to a Master’s course on the basis of relevant life experience - in these cases the person may be entitled to BTEA.

You will not get BTEA if you already have a postgraduate qualification.

splinter65

amtc wrote: »

That's completely incorrect. My friend got it to study Chinese medicine in a private college, and another to study thelogy in maynooth.

That may have been the case years ago but not now.
You can only get it for a HDip or Masters in Ed.

Hoboo

I couldn't get it for MBS HRM in 2010, said no Masters is covered, up to level 8 only

Wanderer78

splinter65 wrote: »

That may have been the case years ago but not now.
You can only get it for a HDip or Masters in Ed.

i was doing my masters only a couple of years ago, its true i may have gotten lucky with timing, but id recommend the op approaching their local welfare office and see what happens. when i was doing my masters, the rule of 'only get it for a HDip or Masters in Ed' was indeed in place, but as i explained earlier, i still got welfare funding for mine, for three years in fact. it does depend on a few variables though, so the op may not be so lucky, but id still try.

amtc

Both of the examples I quoted were last year. One in maynooth and one in Blanchardstown

splashuum

Thanks for all the advice. I spoke with my local office today and was told on the phone that I wouldn’t have any chance of qualifying and it’s not worth even applying. Although It was pretty clear that this person wasn’t fully informed from some of the other answers I received ...

Wanderer78

splashuum wrote:

Thanks for all the advice. I spoke with my local office today and was told on the phone that I wouldn’t have any chance of qualifying and it’s not worth even applying. Although It was pretty clear that this person wasn’t fully informed from some of the other answers I received ...

Yea unfortunately I'd imagine the response is common but isn't necessaryily true, it truly depends who you get talking to