My experience with Susi Grant

DublinGirl1989 wrote: »

Hi All, I have noticed continuing issues people are having with Susi and I thought I would share my experience with them (it’s long). I am one of the lucky ones in that I have managed to get the grant but it has been a very long and stressful process which nearly caused me to leave college.

Some background, I am a 29 year old woman who lives with a family member, though not a parent or guardian. I have not lived with a parent since I was a child, and was raised by a grandparent who has since passed.

I applied for the grant in April 2017 for the following year 17/18, I figured early application would give me a chance to iron out any problems before the year started! That was wishful thinking.

The first thing they requested was utility bills as proof of address, or a rental agreement from an agency, or social welfare payment etc. I am the last in so all bills are in my landlords or co inhabitents name. This should not be a problem because their website states that you can give bills in another name with bank statements to prove you have paid them. This was no problem I could give them this for the previous year as needed and further back if requested. I received a letter back saying that they could not accept this as the bills were not in my spouses name. I rang and explained the situation and they told me that in this case I couldn’t be considered independent. I explained that I wasn’t living with my parents and they asked for a proof of parental estrangement.... I again explained I wasn’t estranged I just wasn’t living with them, as I am nearly 30. Also I could very easily prove they have different addresses to me, my mother is in England and my father lives in a different county. They would absolutely not budge, and kept insisting I apply as an independent and include my parents wages.

I refused to this as I knew with my parents wages I would be refused, despite being an independent adult woman. I spent countless hours calling, emailing and sending letters to them and met brick walls at every turn. They were unhelpful, rude or simply robotic. I would often get automated responses which didn’t even answer my questions. In the end I simply kept my dependent application, and when they refused it I decided that I would appeal it. I appealed directly to Susi first, which was of course denied and the decision upheld. So I chose to go for the next step, the external appeal process. This would take 30 days or so to be looked at, and it was now April of the next year. The external appeals got touch with me, the girl asked if I could provide as many different proof of address possible, and also provide proof of my parents addresses.

It took me 2 days to get this back to her and it took them less than a week to overturn the Susi decision. I was in fact eligible for a full grant, fees and maintenance. Susi had spent a full year denying me a grant which I was fully entitled to. I understand Susi are busy but to not apply any commen sense to a situation is simply shocking. I dread to think how many students gave up because they simply couldn’t bear to keep going and appeal.

I would strongly advise anyone who feels they are wrongly denied to keep going because the external appeals are decent and reasonable and they will really look into every details.

I also feel that it is unfair that mature students could possibly be classed as dependent, especially if they can give clear proof they do not live with parents. Susi clearly have very strict rules and they are not allowed to look at any possible other scenario. It is not unusual for people to have bills in a landlord or co inhabitants name, or be in private rental, or not been in receipt of social welfare. They need to review their system.

I am lucky I have gotten the grant, although the first payment was due yesterday and has not been paid so I must again contact them.