students' allowance
Social welfare payments and the student grant
Introduction
Social welfare payments and the BTEA
Case studies
Introduction
If you are returning to education and have been getting a social welfare payment you may qualify for the Back to Education Allowance or the student grant depending on your circumstances. It is not possible (in most cases) to get the Back to Education Allowance and a full student grant at the same time.
If you are getting One-Parent Family Payment, Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension or Illness Benefit, you will need to assess whether it is more beneficial for you to transfer to the BTEA when you go back to education or to remain on your current payment and apply for a student grant. If you are receiving Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Allowance, you must transfer to the BTEA if you wish to keep a social welfare payment when you go back to education.
This document outlines your options.
Back to Education Allowance
The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) allows people getting certain social welfare payments to get a social welfare payment while participating in approved full-time courses in further and higher education. People taking part in the BTEA scheme are paid a weekly allowance equivalent to the social welfare payment they were getting before starting their course.
Student Grant Scheme
Students doing full-time higher education undergraduate/postgraduate courses and full-time Post Leaving Certificate Courses (PLCs) may get financial support through the means-tested Student Grant Scheme. Grant rates for qualifying students vary according to a number of factors, including household income, family size and whether the student's college is close to their permanent residence. From 2012 onwards, new postgraduate students do not qualify for a full student grant but they may qualify for a partial grant (see below) if they pass particular means tests.
The scheme is made up of 3 components - a maintenance grant, a fee grant and a
Introduction
Social welfare payments and the BTEA
Case studies
Introduction
If you are returning to education and have been getting a social welfare payment you may qualify for the Back to Education Allowance or the student grant depending on your circumstances. It is not possible (in most cases) to get the Back to Education Allowance and a full student grant at the same time.
If you are getting One-Parent Family Payment, Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension or Illness Benefit, you will need to assess whether it is more beneficial for you to transfer to the BTEA when you go back to education or to remain on your current payment and apply for a student grant. If you are receiving Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Allowance, you must transfer to the BTEA if you wish to keep a social welfare payment when you go back to education.
This document outlines your options.
Back to Education Allowance
The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) allows people getting certain social welfare payments to get a social welfare payment while participating in approved full-time courses in further and higher education. People taking part in the BTEA scheme are paid a weekly allowance equivalent to the social welfare payment they were getting before starting their course.
Student Grant Scheme
Students doing full-time higher education undergraduate/postgraduate courses and full-time Post Leaving Certificate Courses (PLCs) may get financial support through the means-tested Student Grant Scheme. Grant rates for qualifying students vary according to a number of factors, including household income, family size and whether the student's college is close to their permanent residence. From 2012 onwards, new postgraduate students do not qualify for a full student grant but they may qualify for a partial grant (see below) if they pass particular means tests.
The scheme is made up of 3 components - a maintenance grant, a fee grant and a