PRSI class as a mature student

[joe sod]

I was a mature student in the late 90s, in that I had prsi contributions before that as an employee which are reckonable for pension. However after that as a student I didn't receive any reckonable contributions, I think I was assigned K class for those years. I only really found out that if you are a mature student that you get credited prsi contributions for those years. I sent welfare an email saying that I was a mature student for those years because I thought maybe they were not aware as I never signed on or applied for any benefits during this period.
After a long time and some back and forth messages they said that prsi credited contributions as a mature student are not reckonable for pension just for short term benefits.
Can anyone shed any more light on this topic?

 

[Marsupial]

The relevant Operational Guideline can.

I only really found out that if you are a mature student that you get credited prsi contributions for those years. I sent welfare an email saying that I was a mature student for those years because I thought maybe they were not aware as I never signed on or applied for any benefits during this period.

How did you find that out, because it's not mentioned in the Department's Operational Guidelines for PRSI credits*?

Perhaps you are thinking of the following subset of educational courses where PRSI credits are available:

Approved Education course​

When participating in an approved course of education (provided the person qualifies for credits at the commencement of the course of study) an insured person may be granted a credit for each week or part of a week during which s/he is participating in:

• a scheme administered by the Minister and known as the Back-to-Education Allowance Scheme

or

• a scheme administered by the Minister for Education and Skills and known as the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS)
• any other course of education approved by the Minister for Social Protectio

* https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/9...ontributions/#qualifying-conditions-in-detail

 

[MrsBre]

I think you only qualify for student credits if you commenced before you reached 23. See excerpt below from gov.ie.

Student Credits

Where an insured person has completed a course of full-time education and re-enters insurable employment an entitlement to student credits may exist. Student Credits are reckonable for short term benefits (for example, Illness Benefit) only.

The award of student credits is made only to students who commence full-time education before reaching the age of 23 years.

In order to be awarded the credits the student must submit:

• a statement from the college showing that the course was full-time and the date of commencement and cessation of course

and

• verification of date of re-entry into full-time insurable employment as an employed contributor

Student credits are awarded from the date of the beginning of the relevant tax year up to the date the insured person re-entered insurance as an employed contributor. Credits are also awarded in respect of the two previous tax years before re-entry into insurable employment.

Where student credits overlap with other credits such as pre-entry credits only one type of credit may be awarded in respect of any particular week. Student credits can only be awarded once.

A course of full-time education means a course of full-time instruction by day at a university, college, school or other educational establishment.