# Second Level Mature Student



## Daisy_ (19 Apr 2010)

I am 19 and currently get €100 per week on JSB. I do not pay any rent/bills, except I buy my own food/toiletries. I have a medical card.

I have applied to go to a further eductation college in Dublin to do the Adult Leaving Certificate course.

The course is full-time, 5 days per week from 9am until 4pm.

I still live at home (my mother doesn't own the house, my grandparents do) and my mam works part time, but, fincancially isn't in a position to help me out.

If I get a place on the course it would mean I'd need to move to Dublin. 

1) Would I qualify for BTEA and Rent Allowance?

2) If I don't qualify for either BTEA or/and rent allowance, is there any other financial help I can get?

I have absolutely no other way of getting any finanical help other than from the SW/state/HSE. 

I have looked on welfare.ie and Citizen's Information and I just can't find a straight-forward answer.

All help appreciated. 

Thank you.


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## shesells (19 Apr 2010)

not sure but try emailing phoneservice@citizens.info.ie - they are great to help out on more complicated queries like this


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## doubledeb (19 Apr 2010)

You have to be 23 to qualify as a mature student. 
Is there anywhere closer to home that you could do your leaving cert?
Why Dublin?
www.citizensinformation.ie and check out education and training there


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## Daisy_ (19 Apr 2010)

Thank you both for your replies.



doubledeb said:


> You have to be 23 to qualify as a mature student.
> Is there anywhere closer to home that you could do your leaving cert?
> Why Dublin?
> <URL REMOVED> and check out education and training there


Thanks for clarifying the mature student age. I thought anyone who went onto to further education / returned to education qualified as a mature student.

There is nowhere in my county/town that do the Adult Leaving Certificate. Dublin is the nearest county that does the full-time course, any other courses I've found, seem to only be part-time, which isn't what I want.

I have checked on Citizen's Information website (and welfare.ie) and I cannot find a straight-forward answer. I think I'll do as _shesells_ suggested and send an email to the email address she provided and see how I get on. I will let you know.

Thank you both for taking the time to reply and help me, I appreciate it.


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## Mel (19 Apr 2010)

You're 19 - why don't you go back to the local school, or change to a different local school than you used to attend?


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## niceoneted (20 Apr 2010)

I concur with Mel, My cousin went back to do the laving in his early 20's. He laughs about having to wear the uniform. He loved it and did very well. 
I think you should look at going locally to a local school too. 
Fair play to you for deciding to go back and good luck.


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## Daisy_ (20 Apr 2010)

I elft school before I did my Junior Cert, due to severe bullying problems. 

There are only two local schools, the people who bullied me are students of both schools so therefore those schools aren't an option.

I know it might sound silly, but for four years, I was bullied psychologically and sometimes psychically. It has taken me three years to build up the courage/confidence to go back to school, and I'd prefer to start somewhere new, rather than go back to where I was before and spend my days looking over my shoulder.


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## Mel (20 Apr 2010)

I'm sorry to hear that Daisy, and fair play to you for not giving up. 
What about taking the bus to a school in a nearby town? 
If you're set on going to Dublin, maybe give the college themselves a call they should have seen this situation before.


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## Daisy_ (20 Apr 2010)

Mel said:


> I'm sorry to hear that Daisy, and fair play to you for not giving up.
> What about taking the bus to a school in a nearby town?
> If you're set on going to Dublin, maybe give the college themselves a call they should have seen this situation before.


I have an interview with the college in Dublin in a few weeks.


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## sam h (21 Apr 2010)

I don't have any practical advice for you, I just wanted to wish you well.

It takes alot of courage to go back and face up to what you weren't able to previously.

It's great that you are in a better place and able to do now what the cowardly bullies prevented you from doing initially.

Best of luck with the interview & your studies!!


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## Daisy_ (21 Apr 2010)

sam h said:


> I don't have any practical advice for you, I just wanted to wish you well.
> 
> It takes alot of courage to go back and face up to what you weren't able to previously.
> 
> ...


Thank you Sam H. I appreciate your (and everyone else's) good wishes.

As it happens, I got a letter from the college this morning with the information for my interview. I hope it goes well and I get a place. Fingers crossed!


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## Mel (21 Apr 2010)

Ring the college before your interview Daisy - someone there will know the answer for you. 
If it turns out you can't afford to stay in Dublin then maybe you will be able to organise something else. 
Good luck.


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## Marietta (21 Apr 2010)

*Daisy,*

*You will qualify for the BTEA....read the following*


*Goodluck on your studies!*


*You can also qualify for BTEA if you:*

are aged between 18 and 20 years AND
are out of formal education for two years AND
getting one of the following social welfare payments for at least 12 months (312 days):
Jobseeker's Allowance or Jobseeker's Benefit OR
One-Parent Family Payment

*Q11: How is the BTEA paid?
A: The BTEA is paid at a standard personal rate. If you are currently getting a reduced rate of payment (because you have means assessed against you, or you only qualify for a reduced rate of benefit), you qualify for a higher weekly rate of BTEA. The allowance includes Increases for a Qualified Adult and Qualified Children, where applicable. The rate of payment is affected only by changes in the Budget each year and changes in qualified adult or qualified child status.
* 


[broken link removed]


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## Daisy_ (21 Apr 2010)

Mel said:


> Ring the college before your interview Daisy - someone there will know the answer for you.
> If it turns out you can't afford to stay in Dublin then maybe you will be able to organise something else.
> Good luck.


Thank you, I will do that.

I e-mailed Citizen's Information and got an automated response today saying it takes seven business days for a reply to email queries. 



Marietta said:


> *Daisy,*
> 
> *You will qualify for the BTEA....read the following*
> 
> ...


Thank you very much, I really appreciate your help.

How much is the B.T.E.A weekly? Would I qualify for €100 p.w (same as my JSB) or €196 p.w? Someone told me before that the B.T.E.A is €240 p.w, is this correct? 

Now I hope I can qualify for Rent Allowance. Fingers crossed.

Thanks again everyone.


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## Marietta (22 Apr 2010)

As outlined above you will get the full amount of BTEA, I don't know about the rent allowance but I think you will qualify seeing as your parents have little means, why don't you speak to your local community welfare officer or pop along to the citizen advise or Job club centres.


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## truthseeker (23 Apr 2010)

Marietta said:


> As outlined above you will get the full amount of BTEA, I don't know about the rent allowance but I think you will qualify seeing as your parents have little means, why don't you speak to your local community welfare officer or pop along to the citizen advise or Job club centres.


 
I second this, and also OP, seeing as you probably havent done any academic type interviews before, why not contact your local school and ask to speak to the career guidance teacher who could give you some pointers on how to approach the interview?


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## shesells (23 Apr 2010)

Daisy_ said:


> Thank you, I will do that.
> 
> I e-mailed Citizen's Information and got an automated response today saying it takes seven business days for a reply to email queries.



That's the automated response, 48 hours is usual. Since they took the "email us" button off their website I have heard they get very few mails. At a time when more people than ever need help, it's ridiculous to me that they seem to be trying to stop people from making contact.

I prefer to get answers to stuff like this in writing so that I can refer to it afterwards, talking it over on the phone is helpful but unless you take notes it's easy to forget the details.


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## Daisy_ (23 Apr 2010)

Thank you for all the help. I appreciate it.


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## Daisy_ (27 Apr 2010)

Hello,

I need some help again. 

Can anyone suggest some questions I should/could ask the college?

I am trying to think of some questions, but am coming up blank!

I don't know why I can't come up with any questions, usually, I have no problems thinking of questions!

Thank you.

Also, I had a reply and they confirmed I will qualify for B.T.E.A, but possibly not for Rent Allowance/supplement, but I'd have to check with my local C.W.O or maybe the C.W.O in the area where I'd be moving to.

I'll phone my local C.W.O tomorrow and see what they say, hopefully I'll qualify for Rent Allowance. Fingers crossed.

Thanks again for all your help.


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## Welfarite (28 Apr 2010)

post your query about Rent supplement in the Welfare and Benefits forum; you'll get better response from the 'experts' there!


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## truthseeker (28 Apr 2010)

Daisy_ said:


> Can anyone suggest some questions I should/could ask the college?


 
Ask them about their methods of teaching, do they approach the subject matter in a similar way to an ordinary school, or do they offer other methods like tutorials (more similar to a third level college).

Ask about their pass rates for students, out of 100 students who register each year, how many of them stick with the course, and what kind of marks do they end up with.

Would they consider their marks to be representative of a random sample of students in the country or would they consider that their students get better marks than average?

Do their teachers have experience in ordinary 2nd level schools?

Do they offer any extra curricular activities or extra tuition if needed?

How do they address issues like students needing a bit of extra help in a particular subject without holding up the rest of the class?

How are students performance measured, are there regular tests, assignments, homework?

Are there any social activities offered for students, sports, clubs?


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## Daisy_ (30 Apr 2010)

Brilliant, thanks everyone.

Only a few more days, am getting slightly nervous now lol!


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