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Apply for your student grant now
26.05.10
A LOCAL councillor has
urged young Inishowen people to get their
applications in now for third level student grants.
Cllr Charlie McConalogue, who is a VEC member, said
several actions were being taken this year to help
ensure the late payment of grants is not an issue
again this year. And he encouraged students planning
to go to third level in September to get their forms
in early to help ensure prompt payment.
“The situation last year where hundreds of students
in Inishowen suffered late payment of grants as a
result of the Department of Educations delay in
publishing the terms of the Third Level Grant Scheme
was unacceptable,“ he said. |
'“I have been lobbying
through Donegal VEC since last September to ensure
that this situation does not arise again and, from
contacts with the new Minister for Education, Mary
Coughlan, I am confident that the Grant Scheme
details will be published soon and in good time for
the processing of grant applications this year.“
A significant change from last year is the decision
to make the grant application form available early.
Cllr McConalogue urged students to download the
grant application form at
www.studentfinance.ie and get it into |
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the VEC or Donegal
County Council as soon as possible, even though the
final closing date is not until August 31.
“This will mean that students can be alerted in good
time if there is further information needed for
their application and avoid delays in payments after
college starts.
“VEC grants staff also undertook the initiative this
year of meeting school guidance counsellors in March
to encourage the early engagement of Leaving Cert
students in filling out application forms.“
A meeting will also be organised at a location in
Inishowen with parents and students to discuss the
application forms and answer any questions that
parents or students may have. Download the grant
application form at
www.studentfinance.ie . |
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