Q.  I’m hoping to go to college this September. When do I apply for the maintenance grant?

10.07.10

This year prospective students are being encouraged to apply now for a maintenance grant and not to wait until they have been accepted on a course.

To be eligible for financial assistance under the student grant schemes, you must be entering an approved full-time course in an approved institution. You must also satisfy the eligibility conditions for the relevant scheme which include age, nationality, residence, academic progression and means. This year the rules about residence have changed. From 2010 there is a new requirement that you must have lived in Ireland for three of the previous five years.

There is one application form for all student grant schemes. These include the Higher Education Grant, the Vocational Education Committees’ Scholarship, the Third Level Maintenance Grant for Trainees and the Post-Leaving Certificate Maintenance Grant.

You can download the student grant application form for 2010/2011 and guidance notes from the www.studentfinance.ie website. The form is also available from your local vocational education committee (VEC) or your local authority. If you are applying for the Higher Education Grant you should send the completed form to your local authority. If you are applying for the other grants you should send the completed form to your local VEC. You must apply to the local authority or VEC in your home area, not the area where the college is located. Return your completed application form as soon as possible (the closing date is 31 August 2010).

When you have accepted your place on a course, you will need to fill in the course acceptance form that applies to you and return it to the local authority or VEC where you applied for a maintenance grant.

Citizens Information: Buncrana 074 9363496; Carndonagh 074 9373741

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