How Do You Pay for College Without Help from Parents

LegacyUser

Any of my friends who did masters had their parents pay their fees, rent, and all other expenses, they didn't even have jobs in their UG or masters. I've put off going back to college for long enough; I worked all throughout my UG, sometimes multiple jobs at the same time, and still managed to get the best results out of my friends but yet I'm the only one who hasn't gone on to do any further education and had the worst paying job out of the lot of us.

I did have money put aside but unfortunately I've had to take a deep dig into them this year due to being on SW/very expensive medical procedures that the state would not cover. I've also had a parent rob some money off of me so there's that too....I'm not like my friends. I have no one to help me financially, everytime I pay my rent it feels like a sucker punch to the gut, I've lived off 9cent packs of noodles for a few weeks at a time this year. When I was in college my dinner tended to be tomato soup I made from canned tomatoes or half a pack of cous cous which were about 60cent in Aldi.

The course I want to do (PME; 6k per year for fees for 2 years and then rent and living expenses) does not have a financially viable option like springboard, or so I believe. How does anyone afford masters who don't have parents to rely on? I know some people get loans but they need to start being paid back straight away, you don't get a grace period till you start working and SUSI is only 2k per annum towards the fees, no maintenance. I can't do it through springboard, so how do others pay their way through to college who don't have the bank of mum and dad to rely on.

Rubberchikken

Is it necessary to do the masters now?
I realise it's tough to find college fees plus rent plus everyone needs to eat but sometimes something has to give.
Could you live at home while going to college,?
Having a masters is no guarantee that you'll get a better or more ideal job.

Have you spoke to a bank/credit union about a student loan? Maybe the repayment options could be negotiated.

YellowLead

Hi OP,

Even if it feels like everybody has bank of Mam and dad to rely on because it’s the case for your friend group, it’s certainly not the case for a lot of people. It mightn’t seem fair but that is life.

In my case I got the student grant, I chose a university within commutable distance so there wasn’t rent to contend with (though at the time you did get more maintenance if your college was far away). People manage via grants, loans, part time jobs.

Good suggestion above to defer the masters for a few years. This will allow you to save up some money, whilst also giving you work experience and help you decide if that postgraduate is what you really want. Often people end up going in different directions.

Or you could do a part time masters in the evenings - takes longer but allows you to work full time and earn simultaneously. A lot out there doing just that!
Edit I googled PME and see it’s secondary teaching so that can’t be done part time. I know plenty however who went working to save for it and then did it in their late twenties, you don’t need to jump straight from undergrad into it and the experience will stand to you.

If you are on welfare at the moment there are back to education allowances you could use for living expenses potentially and the loan to cover the fees - perhaps with the credit union you could negotiate a small grace period.

Edit - just to add that getting a good job goes beyond degree results. How well a person comes across at interview stage matters more - have they a good attitude, do they understand the business, have they an idea what is expected of them, can they demonstrate they have aptitude...etc. If you have great results then well done it’s good to have that in the bag - but that’s not all you need.

Loveinapril

I think you need to put the idea of a Masters on hold until you can save towards it. I worked my way through my undergrad, like all of my friends. That was over a decade ago so I know things are different now but I am only just able to afford a Masters this year. Why is it that you ended up in a lower paid job than your friends did? Can you look for a higher paying job? Some organisations will pay a percentage of course fees if it is applicable to the role so that may be an option if you can find a part time Masters that suits.

LimeFruitGum

Do you absolutely have to do the Masters now? Could that not be a 5-year-plan type of target?

My last postgrad was through Springboard: several of us either got new jobs or promoted on the back of that course. Why not avail of a Springboard that comes close to your skills/interests, with the goal of getting a better paying job that will help fund your Masters in X years time.

Can you do this Masters in another EU country? AFAIK, Germany or the Netherlands offer low-cost options, might also be cheaper to live there depending on where you end up.

pwurple

Be careful with universities and masters. Remember they are selling you that education.

SusanRichards

Hi Op

Without knowing your full background (in particular age as need to be "mature student" ) have you looked at Susi? It can be possible to get post grad grant for full fees.

They have a change in circumstances process which is fairly robust and will tie you in circles but I know it's possible to get through it and get fully funded fees.

The critical piece is having evidence of independent living from previous year (and they do not accept sky or mobile phone bills. It must be a utility), and now in your case sounds like your income dropped signifcanty (change in circumstances).

You'd need to apply first to susi from previous years and then appeal the decision based on a change in circumstances.

<Mod Snip> Please do not request PM contact from posters. Keep all advice on thread.

Link

LegacyUser

Firstly what are your undergrad subjects for the PME and are they in demand? If lucky enough to have in demand ones you could register your initial degree with the teaching council for further Ed and get Garda clearance and make self available for subbing (or at least you could previously). What a lot of people don't realise with second level teaching is there is little job security until CID contracted which could take years and also most don't start out on full hours.

Caranica

I did my Master's part time and luckily work made a contribution, which ultimately worked out to be just over half my fees as they gave me more in year 2 than in year 1.

I'm in agreement with the others here, the post-grad you want to do right now is not attainable in your current circumstances. Getting a job and saving (securely) is the way to do it. In that time you will also work out if that truly is the masters for you. I changed my mind totally on the direction I was going, having taken some time out to decide.

spaceHopper

Few options,
You said you were on social welfare, will they pay for training/education and allow you to keep calming SW. You might get HAP or rent allowance too.

Work do it part time and see if your employer will pay for it or refund you.

Look for a better job and do it part time or see if they will pay. You must have a few years’ experience under your belt.

Do micro courses on udemi and the like and use you work experience and UG to progress your career.

Borrow form a bank, credit union…

Have you claimed back all your tax for expenses.

Do you need a masters will a Postgra cert or diploma be sufficient

In short make a plan to be able to afford and work towards that. I’m crap at saving I started putting money in the CU by standing order and it’s been painless.

micosoft

Caranica wrote: »

I did my Master's part time and luckily work made a contribution, which ultimately worked out to be just over half my fees as they gave me more in year 2 than in year 1.

I'm in agreement with the others here, the post-grad you want to do right now is not attainable in your current circumstances. Getting a job and saving (securely) is the way to do it. In that time you will also work out if that truly is the masters for you. I changed my mind totally on the direction I was going, having taken some time out to decide.

This. I did both my Masters while in FTE. TBH I found that helpful as my masters was aligned with work so it improved my MSc.

It's rare that a masters will do anything more than a slight change to employment prospects *unless* academic related role.

Magicmatilda

Couple of options,

Can you get SW to cover back to school for the PME?
Alternatively the UK have programs where they pay you to train as a teacher. https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/how-to-become-a-teacher could be a good option.

My parents never paid anything towards my fees, nor rent or anything. I funded my own education.

LegacyUser

Hi everyone op here. I would like to say thanks for the advice but I think I didn't explain some of the terminology or what it means so for clarity sake;

PME; it's a course you have to do to teach in Ireland. It's 2 years full time, there is no springboard or part time option.
I've deferred this course twice already due to finances. I can't do it anymore, I can't keep putting my life on hold. I mentally cannot take it, I would be qualified by now if I had just done it when I was first accepted. I saved for years to go back to college, I'm done. My soul is sucked out of me, I'm doing it now.

I can't live out of my home house as it is a bad situation. I don't want to go into it but it's bad.

I didn't get a better job because I didn't have a masters/didn't move to Dublin; I stayed in my college town which was unfortunately rife with competition in the industry I qualified in. 15 years ago you could get into the job I had without a UG degree, by the time I joined the company I was considered extremely lucky to have a job in a lab at all. I also didn't have the luxury of looking for a few months for a job like my friends, I started working immediately. I should've moved tbh but it just never even occured to me, I knew I had cheap rent, I knew my college town well, complacency I guess. It's irrelevant now though.

I cannot sacrafice another year of my life waiting for it to begin, I did that for long enough, my mental health can't hack it any more. I am already in my late 20s, I'll be 30 when I qualify.

I know I'm not the only person in this situation, surely other people have found them in this same situation and have a good idea of what I could do.

The UK option sounds good however I know that it's been very difficult for people who trained in the UK to have their teaching qualification recognised in Ireland but yeah that seems like the most viable option atm.

Loveinapril

OP, I can feel the despair from your post. It is a crappy situation to be in but you should look at the things you can do now, things that are achievable right now or in the very near future. Could you save enough for fees and work a part time job to live on?

LegacyUser

My friend has just finished his PhD with no help from family at any stage of his schooling. He got a job doing transcribing for the courts between his UG and his masters and was able to do it part time during the masters and PhD as he could set his working hours for when they suited him. Most people I know who've done masters with no help from family have done them either part time and worked, done them full time but had a job like my friend that could be done at weird hours around school or taken a loan out to cover it.

I've several friends who've gone back for Masters in their mid 30s or older as they worked totally unrelated jobs and saved for the masters so they could take the time off to do it so I wouldn't be getting to obsessed with what age you do/finish a degree. I'd be asking myself OP is this the only option for you if its a course with high frees and no options to help pay them I'd be looking at alternatives like studying somewhere else or alternative qualifications that can lead to the same end goal. UK is an option but do also look around the EU as theres a lot of universities that have no fees and offer Post grad courses in English. Can you go aboard with the qualifications and experience you have OP and earn more then come back to and do the course (assuming you'd still want to)? Just try not to think straight line about things and think what other ways you can get to your goal while still having some enjoyment in your life along the way

Floricwil

Hi OP,

I'm not sure what your background is but I would think very carefully about doing the PME. You say that at the moment, you have the least money out of all of your friends? Well be prepared for that to continue if you enter teaching.

Before anyone starts slating me, yes the starting salaries for teachers aren't too bad however there is no room for progression. And that salary is what you receive *if* you get a full time job. And that is a very big if. Unless your subject is really in demand (like Irish say), be prepared to work crappy hours here and there with no holiday pay for a couple of years. I know from sub teachers in a my school, say they get one period of substitute work a day for the week (so 5 40 min periods) they cannot claim any SW because technically, they "worked." - every tho it was only for 40 mins.

My school has noticed a pattern whereby they hire new teachers during the summer only for the teachers to turn around in September to say they can't take up the work. Why? Because they cannot find affordable accommodation in Dublin based on their pay.

The PME is waaay over priced. It could easily be done in one year but for now, its a 2 year course.

I'm not trying to put you off, but just think carefully about it.

YellowLead

I would echo Floricwil. If you are thinking of going down the secondary teaching route it should be because you have a genuine vocation for and passion for teaching. It will take a number of years to get established and get a permanent position and even then the starting salary is not ‘high paying’ and you might stifle to pay of loans.

There is no magic masters that will automatically get you a high paying job. There are excellent Soringboard courses which are basically free and encourage people to retain in IT skills among other things. They can be done part time while you work and depending on your speciality you could expect a good salary much quicker - Data analysis or software development for example.

If you are sure teaching is what you really want to do then the UK could be an option - I know people who have done it so while it may be tough, it’s not impossible. Or put in on hold for a few years and work to save up for doing it here in Ireland.

mariaalice

OP I know it's hard but the first thing you need to do is reframe it a bit, jealously of friends and feeling hard done by because you have to pay rent it will only make you a bitter cynical unhappy person.

There are lots of young people in your position, you are going to have to work for a year or two and save, then get a credit union loan, if you are doing a PME there are options for loans.

Not every parent supports their child through college.

CivilCybil

OP I've been in a similar situation.
I did my first two years in uni by working nearly full-time hours while also going to college.
I failed my third year exams. So decided to repeat. Got a loan to pay fees. Ended up working two jobs to try and pay back the loan and never had time to go to college so packed it in altogether.

Went into arrears on the loan and had to get it restructured. Took me nearly ten years to pay it off.
Started out on the bottom rung of the bottom ladder in a career. But they had a good education programme so I did a diploma and then another and another. Eventually got work to pay for my degree.
Lots of other things happening in the interim too like marriage, babies, divorce, marriage and more babies.
I'm coming up on 40 and still don't have a degree but I'm making my way. I'll probably never have a very high earning potential but considering what I came from, I'm doing pretty well.

An old friend I used to live with in college had their parents pay for everything. I used to be so jealous. Same person started in a fairly decent career and was making great money. Unfortunately they had an accident and are left with a lot of deficits. Their career is gone as is their financial security.
Point being, nobody knows their future. Just do your best with what you have and try not to look too much at what everyone else has.

mistersifter

Have you looked into Hibernia college's PME?

The lectures are done online and you watch them in your own time AFAIK.

The work experience element is obviously a day-time thing, so if you had an evening/weekend job could this work?

Are you teaching in-demand subjects like languages or home ec, where you will have a better chance of getting long-term work?

Jimmy Bottlehead

OP, a lot of universities and colleges have Student Assistance / Hardship Funds, especially for postgraduate students. They are not there to pay your tuition fees, but if you can show them you're in a poor financial situation, they can allot money for groceries, living expenses, travel costs, placement costs (if applicable), rent and so on.

Someone else mentioned SUSI grants; depending on location, you may be entitled to a partial or full grant. Also, look up Back to Education allowance. You may be lucky enough to qualify.

If not, seek out part time work. Quite a lot of students work while completing their postgraduate studies. It's not ideal and it's arguably not fair, but that's life.

Unlike some other posters, I completely hear your reluctance to postpone again. I encourage you to chase this. If you want this bad enough, you'll find ways to make it work. You may struggle to pay fees on time, or have to revert to noodles and soup for periods, you'll have tears and despair but as you know, these two years are going to pass anyways so why not make the PME happen in that time?

phildub

I received a student grant which covered my fees plus maintenance and I worked full time doing my masters. I dont know where you get the idea that your parents should be paying for you in your late 20s. And I mean that as nicely as possible, you seem to have some resentment towards your friends and expect the deal that they got in life. I have a masters in my field and I'm living in Dublin on minimum wage trying to get experience so be prepared not to walk into a job with a masters. If this is something that you really want to do,lile you've said you will have to look into options such as bank loans and working throughout. You said you work in a lab, do you have a science degree? Would you consider a masters in science,it would open so many doors for you and would be better paid than a teacher. Have you looked at regeneron in limerick,they pay extremely well and I'm sure there would be loads of growth opportunities.

Best of luck

sullivlo

mistersifter wrote: »

Have you looked into Hibernia college's PME?

The lectures are done online and you watch them in your own time AFAIK.

The work experience element is obviously a day-time thing, so if you had an evening/weekend job could this work?

Are you teaching in-demand subjects like languages or home ec, where you will have a better chance of getting long-term work?

This.

I was in a similar position to you OP. I ended up doing my PME with Hibernia. I got a loan to pay the fees and I was lucky enough to get a lot of regular subbing hours during it, which funded essentials. The PME students in school currently are working very hard due to covid etc, but in most schools you will get some form of regular subbing. When things are back to "normal" there will still be subbing due to in-service etc.

Depending on your subjects you may pick up some maternity work or parental leave or even learning support, if your subjects are in demand. On my first years PME I covered a career break, and in the second I covered two lots of parental leave, and I know that most of the people on the course with me had a regular income from subbing.

There is also a back to education allowance that you may be eligible for once you're pursuing a higher level degree than you had previously (I wasn't eligible because I have a PhD which is level 10 and the masters is level 9).

Edit: the teachers union credit unions offer deferred payment loans to PME students to pay fees IIRC. I didn't go that route but it was an option.

Best of luck with it.

Oranage2

A PME might not be the be all and end all to all your problems OP. And 30 isn't old at all. You could apply for grants if you're doing it through a normal university or if you choose private then you could apply for a loan.

You could also make it a 5 year plan were you work for 2-3 years and save up enough. But if you want to do it now then unfortunately you'll probably have to live off tinned soup and instant noodles again, sacrifices will be have to be made. I know it's not fair some people have mammy and daddy pay for everything but you have to look past that and realize what you can do in your situation.

Airyfairy12

Hi OP. I have no financial help from family either, I had planned to do the PME when I finished my undergrad but when I did finish it the HDip in teaching had become the 2 year masters and the cost tripled, because of this it wasn't affordable for me so I didn't pursue it. Over 5 years I saved up the money with the intent of doing the course but I heard so many bad things about the profession from teachers such as the difficulty in getting a full time permanent job ect.
You dont say if you was to do the PME in primary or secondary? I know for secondary teaching its very difficult to get full time hours never mind a permanent position and you wont get paid for Summers or holidays. That said if its something you really want to do you can get a SUSI grant to help cover fees and you can keep your social welfare while studying for the PME. For whatever reason grants and back to education allowance is permitted for masters in education.
In the mean time register with the teaching council and contact schools with a cv to let them know youre available for subbing & supervision. You can do this without the PME and get paid. You can also sub & get paid while training to be a teacher, lots of student teachers do this.

Floricwil wrote: »

Hi OP,

I'm not sure what your background is but I would think very carefully about doing the PME. You say that at the moment, you have the least money out of all of your friends? Well be prepared for that to continue if you enter teaching.

Before anyone starts slating me, yes the starting salaries for teachers aren't too bad however there is no room for progression. And that salary is what you receive *if* you get a full time job. And that is a very big if. Unless your subject is really in demand (like Irish say), be prepared to work crappy hours here and there with no holiday pay for a couple of years. I know from sub teachers in a my school, say they get one period of substitute work a day for the week (so 5 40 min periods) they cannot claim any SW because technically, they "worked." - every tho it was only for 40 mins.

My school has noticed a pattern whereby they hire new teachers during the summer only for the teachers to turn around in September to say they can't take up the work. Why? Because they cannot find affordable accommodation in Dublin based on their pay.

The PME is waaay over priced. It could easily be done in one year but for now, its a 2 year course.

I'm not trying to put you off, but just think carefully about it.

^ This
Depending on your subjects its very difficult. I know several teachers, one has been subbing since she qualified 10 year ago, another subbing 6 years, both relocate and travel all around the country for jobs. My teacher friend secured a permanent job after 15 years and she's only on a 10 hour contract. Pay for newly qualified teachers is much lower than it was 10 or so years ago, you will not qualify for a mortgage until you secure a full time permanent position and as a sub you pretty much have no rights or entitlements. Even teachers with in demand subjects like Irish find it very difficult to secure permanent jobs and often cover maternity leaves & career breaks but with very little job security.

Not trying to put you off either but this is the reality of the profession.

OP, your parents owe you nothing. Being resentful or jealous of others who had parents who financially supported them will get you nowhere. Loads of people can't afford to undertake further education or have the career they want, when they want, for a myriad of reasons. It's called real life.

In the first instance you are not entitled to go do a masters or other further education to become whatever. You are certainly not entitled to have others, be they your parents or the state, pay for it all for you.

The solution here is obvious, work and save up for it. It might take a few years, but that's life.

Embarking on a life of entitlement and resentment will make you miserable. It is very foreseeable if you continue as you are that when/if you qualify as a teacher you will be miserable when you struggle to get a job if that very competitive and difficult environment - who will you be resentful and jealous of then? It's no way to live your life.

Airyfairy12

Leighton Melted Rosemary wrote: »

Embarking on a life of entitlement and resentment will make you miserable. It is very foreseeable if you continue as you are that when/if you qualify as a teacher you will be miserable when you struggle to get a job if that very competitive and difficult environment - who will you be resentful and jealous of then? It's no way to live your life.

Have to agree with this too, considering gaining employment in teaching requires quite a bit of nepotism in many schools - its not uncommon to discover teachers are related to, family friends, neighbors etc of the principal or vice principal or closely connected to staff members that have a close friendship with someone in management.
I once worked in an education center where one 'teacher' handed out sheets of crossword puzzles, markers & paper to the student then sat at his desk and did nothing but stare at his computer screen. He was very good friends with the head of the local ETB. He only has the job for that reason.

Its very easy to get bogged down with frustrations at the unfairness in the teaching profession. Your PME means just as much as the other 20 or so applicants with the exact same masters.

PoisonIvyBelle

I don't think your situation is as unusual as you think, I was in the same boat and knew many others without the bank of Mammy & Daddy. It's absolutely do-able. First thing is to find out why you're only getting fees and not maintenance from Susi, is there a reason for that? In my case I got the topup grant for my first 2 years on a higher diploma and worked 30 hrs a week, then took 2 years out to save for my degree as I couldn't get the grant for it and couldn't work much during that year. Got a bit ****ed in the last year halfway through and got a student loan that I didn't have to start paying back until the following year.

I won't say it was easy but it wasn't impossible.

Xterminator

Sorry op, you are asking "there is this expensive thing i want, and i cannot afford it." an your experience is that some people get help from mammy and daddy.

well some people get help from mammy and daddy to get a deposit for a house. Many don't. Not every parent can afford large sums of cash, and some perhaps could but feel it beneficial not to pay for their child's every desire.


A masters is expensive and not really a necessity at this time. if your parents have enabled you to get through college with an honors degree, without having to work for college fees, or having to get a loan from the bank, then you are in quite an elite group, because worldwide to graduate college without any debt is actually pretty uncommon.

I guess im suggesting you come across a little bitter, and i suggest you exercise a little perspective her, and practise some mindfulness. Without meaning to come across as harsh, if you have your degree in your chosen field, no debt, and youe life on front of you, then you are in a great position compared to many people in your generation. But there are some people with even greater privilege - or as Qui-Gon Jin said " theres always a bigger fish".

If you look at them and adopt a poor me approach, it wont benefit you well in life. you would be far better served appreciating the situation you have, and 'counting your blessings'. It will help you live a happier more satisfied life.

LegacyUser

Hey. OP here.

I posted saying that I only knew of people who were financially supported and had fees paid via their parents but I knew others would be in a similar situation to me who cannot get help from parents so what did they do. I was looking for online schemes or some other alternative like the UK option....people seem to think I am believe people are solely supported by their parents and I feel like I'm hard done by or the odd one out- my point was that I know there are others just like me who haven't been able to have parents help.

SUSI no longer offers maintenance for post graduate courses, that's why I can't get it. Best case scenario SUSI will pay 2k of the fees, there was a period of time where SUSI was not available at all to post grad courses.

I already worked and saved for years for a post grad and tbh didn't want to be alive whilst I was doing that. I saved and saved for years already and it was all pointless in the end cause I got unexpectedly sick for 18 months and had to go on SW as a result. It's a rare relatively unknown condition and I had to spend thousands abroad to just get a diagnosis, I was really ill for the first 15 months without even a diagnosis, now that I am diagnosed it's taking forever to even get treatment cause nobody has really heard of this condition and thus don't know how to treat it. I am digging/dug into my savings from being on illness benefit and my medical expenses. But I'm done. I worked and worked miserably for years and it all turned out to be for nothing/pointless anyways, if I had went straight into the post grad from my undergrad I would've ended up in debt sure but I would've paid that off whilst working, and ended up in the exact same position I am on now; on social welfare back in debt, but hey at least I would've been doing a job I actually wanted to do for the past 4 years with a qualification under my belt that having worked and been utterly miserable the past 6 years without the qualification and now severely less savings. I am done. I am not going back to a working in an industry that sucked my soul out of me, had me crying in bathrooms on my break, just utterly miserable. I worked for so long to get savings I can't do it anymore, as someone here said, the next 2 years are going to happen no matter what I might as well be doing the course than finding myself back in this exact same position again in 2023; I can be exactly where I am now in 2023, or actually have the qualification in 2023. I'll work during the course but I am not putting it off again. I applied and got in in 2019 and 2020 but put it off to try to save, had I just did the course in 2019 I would be qualified by now...instead I am back exactly where I was in 2019.

People keep telling me here I'll never be happy or get hours or a job as a teacher until maybe 15 years down the line, well then surely it's best to get on the ladder as soon as possible. Better I get a permanent job in 15 years and not 17+ years. I don't think a masters will solve my problems but becoming a teacher which I can only do via the PME would make me a lot happier with my life.

People are interested in what my subjects would be. It's Biology/Science which I know is not the best subject in the world for jobs but also it's not the worst. I also know of a part time course you can do once qualified to become a maths teacher which I would be interested in undertaking. It's fully funded by the government. I like maths. I know chance of a permanent job would be higher with in demand subjects and seeing as everyone keeps telling me Ill have virtually no hours anyways for the first few years I could probably undertake this course if I felt up to it. I had a cousin who got a permanent teaching job a few years ago shortly after qualifying without connections (his subject was woodwork so it wasn't a highly in demand subjects like Irish or Maths), I know he is the exception but I am trying to stay positive here.

Also the person who said my parents paid for college for me....just a side point but they didn't. I got a full grant and maintenance so all my fees were paid by the government and I worked multiple jobs whilst in college to support myself. As I said I don't mind working during college, I did that for my undergrad but I was lucky that the grant covered my fees, SUSI does not cover fees for postgrad courses (except 2k but there's still a 4k balance per annum, I also wouldn't be getting any maintenance as SUSI does not give maintenance for postgrads, only undergrads). I just wanted to know how other people in the same position as me, no financial safety belt, no one to rely on financially got through their course, I'm sure working wouldn't cover all my fees, personal expenses, rent, etc. Other people have managed to do so, I just wanted to know how.

You need to find another job that, even if you don't like it, does not make you so miserable while you save. There's no alternative really, if it was not teaching I could point you towards companies that will fund masters etc. for their workers (but obviously have to be relevant to the work of the company).

Do some sums on loans, it would be very financially silly, but could be feasible to save up two years worth of loan repayments (smaller than the entire sum) and you would get to the course quicker? Although this could/probably would leave you in a very poor financial state if you don't immediately get work.

Have you considered teaching English abroad to save up (after covid)? Could do the CETA and save and teach abroad, would not be ideal time-wise, but you would be teaching in a way and could save up? You might enjoy this work and see it as helping you with your future career in Ireland as you would learn transferable skills (classroom control etc.)?