Institute of Technology Carlow Access Programme 2013 IT Carlow are not in the HEAR and DARE Access schemes but they do operate a scheme of their own. The applications forms need to be completed not later than Feb 1st. There are two different applications forms one is for the Disability Entry Route the other is the Financial Supports. So the bottom line is if you think you might be eligible for either complete before February 1st 2013.
Note as in the Case of DARE Carlow run a programme which considers applicants witha disability for reduced points. But all students with a disability will be assessed for supports on entry into their course.
Student Grant- The SUSI grant process Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) is the new single awarding authority for all new grant applications for the 2012/13 academic year. If you are a new student or changing course you should apply to SUSI through this website.
The student grant application system is an“Online application system” and is accessed at
http://www.studentfinance.ie. To assist all applicants there is a SUSI Support
Desk which will provide extended opening hours for email queries and telephone queries. Contact details are in the SUSI Support Desk section.
SUSI has a Nationwide Mentoring Network in place to assist applicants who might have access issues using the online system. You should contact the SUSI Support Desk for additional information on this network.
You do not have to have confirmed your final choice of college or course to apply for a student grant.
Online Student Grant Application
The online application facility for 2012/13 student grants is now available. Before you register and start your online application you should take the time to read through each of the steps 1 to 4.
Who should apply to SUSI?
The following students should submit an online application to SUSI:
• a student who completed the Leaving Certificate in 2012;
• a student who never previously pursued a Post Leaving Certificate course (PLC), an approved undergraduate course or an approved postgraduate course;
• a student who completed an approved course in 2011-12, or a previous academic year, and hopes to pursue a further course in 2012-13, including those pursuing an “add-on” course in 2012-13;
• a student who attended but did not complete a course in 2011-12, or a previous academic year, and hopes to pursue an approved course in 2012-13;
Register to make an Application
To make an application all you have to do is click on the SUSI icon on the student grant page and register your personal details. You will need your PPS number and an e-mail address. This e-mail address can only be used for one registration/application as it will be a contact reference for interaction with SUSI. You will be asked to input a password, again select one that you can remember as you will be unable to access your online application without it.
Completing an Application
Once you have registered you can commence your application. Having read steps 1 to 4 you will have the necessary details to answer the question as they arise. The online system will prompt you through each section. As you go through the questions you can click on the symbol for a more detaile explanation of what is required for that question. You can also save and come back to your application as often as you need to.
It may be helpful if you and anyone helping you with your application take the time to watch the SUSI-Guide to completing the grants online application.
Submitting the Application
When you are happy that you have completed your application correctly, all you do ishit the “Submit ”button on the last page of the online application form. Once your application has been submitted you will only be able to change your contact details by using the ‘Change Your Personal Details’ section on the main menu. Note: you will not be able to make changes to any other section of your application. After you submit your application, the system will send you an email with a copy of your application for information purposes only. Next Stage
The SUSI assessment team will contact you by post after they have completed an initial assessment of your application. Following this initial assessment you will be asked to submit photocopies of documentary evidence to support your application. You will be sent a personalised SUSI document pack which will include: • A schedule of the documents (photocopies only required) that are required from you to process your application further; • A personalised declaration form that needs to be signed by all parties to your application; • Explanation notes on the specific documents requested and guidance on where to get any documents required;
• A
pre-addressed envelope to facilitate the return of your documents to
SUSI.
All SUSI postal correspondence will be addressed to the applicant and will display the SUSI logo on the envelope.
In the event of any difficulty or query in relation to the documents requested, contact the SUSI Support Desk for assistance.
Returning your Documents
You must
return:
• Your application Declaration Form signed by all parties to your
application;
• Your
personalised document list together with photocopies of all your required
documents at the same time in the pre-addressed envelope
provided.
Next Step
SUSI will then assess your application with the documents provided by you and advise you if you are provisionally awarded for a student grant for the 2012-13 academic year. You will be notified of the final step of the application process which you need to complete when you have selected your final college/course.
Payment of Student Grants
When your registration for
an approved course at an approved college has been confirmed SUSI will arrange to pay your student grant on a monthly basis directly into your Irish bank account.
SUSI Support Desk
The SUSI Support desk is the
single contact point for all e-mail and telephone queries. The SUSI Support Desk will provide email and telephone support from 9.00 a.m. – 8.00 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 10.00 a.m. – 1.00 p.m. on Saturdays. Contact details are in the SUSI Support Desk section
Step 1 : Type of applicant
When you are completing your online application in Section A, question 15 you will be asked to confirm what
type of applicant you are.
For the purposes of the Student Grant Scheme there are two types of applicants – dependent or independent students.
A. Dependent Student:
The category of dependent student is broken down into the following two student
types:
- Student dependent on
parent(s) or legal guardian, or
- Mature student dependent on parent(s) or legal guardian.
Student dependent on parent(s) or legal
guardian:
This covers all applicants who are, or were, under 23 on the 1st of January in the year of entry or re-entry to an approved course. This option covers most 2012 Leaving Certificate students. If you were under 23 years of age on 1st January, 2012 you must apply as a dependent student.
The means test for your
application will be based on your income (if you have any) and on your parent(s)
or legal guardian’s income for the 2011 tax
year.
If you are under 23 and living independently your means test will still be assessed on your income and
your parent(s) or legal guardians’ income for the 2011 tax year as per the
student grant scheme 2012.
Mature student dependent on parent(s) or legal
guardian:
This covers applicants who are over 23 on the 1st of January in the year of entry or re-entry to an approved course and who was ordinarily resident with his or her parent(s) or legal guardian from 1st October of the year before the first point of entry to an approved course, or re-entry to an approved
course.
The means test for your
application will be based on your income and on your parent(s) or legal
guardian’s income for the 2011 tax
year.
B
Independent Student:
This covers mature applicants who are over 23 on the 1st of January of the year of entry or re-entry to an approved course and living independently since at least the 1st October 2011.
The means test for your application will be assessed on your income and, depending on your personal circumstances, the income received by your spouse/civil
partner/co-habitant.
Step 2: Residency Status
In order to qualify for a
grant a student must be legally resident in Ireland for at least 3 of the 5
years up to the day before your approved course commences in an approved
college. If you do not qualify at the beginning of your course, it is possible for you to meet this requirement during the course of your studies; reviewed at the beginning of an academic
year.
In Section B of the application form you will be asked to confirm if you were legally resident in Ireland for 3 of the last 5 years. If your answer is yes - just click the box and SUSI will at a later stage in the application process request supporting documents from you. Suggested documents would
be:
• Evidence that you sat the Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate exams in Ireland, or equivalent school exams in the EU, EEA or
Switzerland;
• a letter from a school principal in Ireland, the EU, EEA or Switzerland confirming
your attendance at a school;
•
Social welfare statements, or equivalents from the EU, EEA or
Switzerland;
• Utility bills;
• Registration with the Private Residential Tenancies Boards (PRTB), or equivalent from the EU, EEA or Switzerland;
• If
you are a non-EEA national, a letter from the Department of Justice and Equality
confirming the period of your lawful presence in Ireland. Periods of unlawful presence will not be considered.
Other supporting documents that may be requested in respect of 3 of the last 5
years:
• If you were working, a photocopy of your P60 Revenue
Statements;
• Bank
statements.
A combination of any of the above documents may be requested as considered appropriate by SUSI.
Note: A
minimum of one document per year is
required.
If you have not been resident in Ireland for 3 of the last 5 years you click the no box and you will then have the following options:
EU Member State /the EEA/Swiss
Residents
If you have been living in another EU Member State, the EEA or Switzerland for at least 3 of the last 5 years immediately before the date on which a year of study commences, you may be eligible for a grant for tuition fees only. If you do not qualify at the beginning of your course, it is possible for you to meet this requirement during the course of your studies; reviewed at the beginning of an academic year. You will be required to provide photocopies of supporting documents such as income tax returns/domestic bills showing your residency in that country.
If you were Studying Abroad
If you do not meet the residency requirement in Ireland because you were temporarily resident outside Ireland because you were pursuing an approved course of study or postgraduate research in the EU, then you may still be eligible to apply for a student grant. In this case, you will need to have been legally resident in Ireland for at least 3 of the 5 years immediately before you commenced that course of study or postgraduate
research.
Step 3: Nationality & Related
Status
A student must meet the
nationality or immigration status requirement in order to be considered for a student grant. In Section B of the application you will be asked to confirm your nationality or immigration status. There are a number of categories as outlined below:
Nationality
To
qualify you must be either:
•
an Irish national,
• a
national of another EU Member State, the European Economic Area (EEA) or
Switzerland:
If you are an Irish national you will be requested by SUSI later in the process to
provide a photocopy of the long version of your birth certificate if you were born on the island of Ireland before 1 January
2005.
For a national of another EU Member State, the EEA or Switzerland you will be requested by SUSI later in the process to provide at least one or more of the
following:
• a certified photocopy of your passport.
•
a national ID card issued by an EU Member
State
• a certificate of naturalisation together with a certified copy of your passport or other official documentation;
• a
foreign births registration certificate together with a certified copy of your passport.
To have your photocopy certified you should present the copy and the original at your local Garda Station where the copy will be stamped and signed as being a
true copy of the original by a member of the Garda Siochána or a Commissioner of Oaths. The person certifying the copy must provide his or her name, address and telephone number.
Immigration
Status
If one of the nationality categories above does not apply in your case you will then need to have:
• been declared a refugee under the Refugees Act 1996,
or
• admitted to Ireland as a Programme Refugee, or
•
permission to remain in Ireland as a family member of a refugee under section 18 of the Refugee Act 1996,
or
• been granted subsidiary protection under the European Communities (Eligibility for
Protection) Regulations 2006, or
•
permission in writing to enter and reside in Ireland under Regulation 16 of the European Communities (Eligibility for Protection) Regulations 2006, or
• permission to remain in the State as a family member of a European Union, EEA or Swiss citizen under the European Communities (Free Movement of Persons) Regulations 2006 and 2008 and EU Directive (EU Treaty Rights provisions), or
• permission to remain because of marriage or civil partnership with an Irish national or because you are the dependent child of such person,
or
• humanitarian leave to remain granted before the Immigration Act 1999 came into effect, or
• permission to remain in Ireland following a decision not to deport you under section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999, or
•
Permission to remain because you are the dependent child of a person who has acquired Irish Citizenship under Part III of the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Acts 1956 to 2004.
If you qualify under the above you will be requested by SUSI later in the application process to provide certified copies of your current permission to remain in Ireland. The following evidence may be asked
for:
• Department of Justice and Equality letters issued to you confirming details of your immigration status in Ireland, and/or
•
Department of Justice and Equality letters issued to your family
member where your immigrations status is dependent on your family member’s
immigration status in Ireland;
•
Certified copy of your Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB)
Certificate of Registration cards;
•
Certified copy of your
passport.
SUSI may ask for additional documents as further
evidence.
To have your photocopy certified you should present the copy and the original at your local Garda Station where the copy will be stamped and signed as being a true copy of the original by a member of the Garda Siochána or a Commissioner of Oaths. The person certifying the copy must provide his or her name, address and telephone number.
Step 4: Reckonable Income Limits
Applicants must satisfy a
means test to determine whether they are entitled to a grant in the first
instance and also to determine the level and rate of grant for which they are eligible.
What is Reckonable Income?
Reckonable income for
student grant purposes is gross income from all sources, whether it arises in Ireland or abroad.
The income taken into account is gross income before any deductions such as PAYE, income tax, capital gains tax, capital acquisitions tax, PRSI and so
on.
Whose Income is Considered?
This will depend on the type of applicant you are as
follows:
1. Independent Students – An Independent student will have his/her own income taken into account as well as that of his or her spouse, civil partner or
cohabitant.
2. Dependent Students – With
regards to dependent students, the student’s and parent’s incomes are taken into account with the following exceptions: Divorced and Separated Parents With regards to divorced or separated parents, the income of the applicant and that of the parent with whom he or she lives will be taken into account. If parents are separated but remain residing in the same house as the applicant, both incomes should be taken into account. Deceased and Estranged Parents If the awarding authority is satisfied that the student has no living parent or is irreconcilably estranged from both parents, a dependent student may be exempted from having parents’ income taken into account. Foster Parents with regards to foster children, the income of the foster parents is not taken into account in calculating reckonable income.
What is
the Reference Period?
For this academic year 2012/13, the reference period will be the 1st January to 31st December 2011.
If the business year differs from the tax year, we look at the income in the business accounts for the period which ends between 1st January 2011 and 31st December 2011.
What Income is disregarded?
Certain
payments are disregarded when calculating reckonable income. These are known as
income disregards:
• Child Benefit
• Family Income
Supplement
• Disability Allowance (where paid to the
applicant)
• Blind Pension (where paid to the applicant)
•
One Parent Family Payments (Means Tested) (where paid to the
applicant)
• Guardian’s
Payment
• Foster Care
Allowance
• Domiciliary Care
Allowance
• Carer’s Allowance
• Student Assistance
Fund
• Student grant
• Compensation for a personal injury
There are other deductions allowed which are detailed here.
What are
the Reckonable Income
Limits?
To be eligible for a grant, the applicant’s reckonable income must be established. There are a variety of limits in respect of the allowable income depending on the
adjustments/increments which are applicable in a particular case. Reckonable
income limits are available
here.
Are there any Adjustments/Increments applied to the Reckonable Income
Limits?
There are two scenarios
whereby increments may be applied to the reckonable income
limits:
1. Number of dependent children The income limits are adjusted in respect of the number of dependent children in a home.
2. Number of full time students Additional increments may be applied to the income limits in Table A for Maintenance and Fee Grants where another
relevant person(s) is attending a full-time course of study of at least one
year’s duration as specified in the Scheme.
These additional increments are outlined in Schedule 1 of the Scheme.
What
Documentary Evidence do I
need?
The documentary evidence required for income will depend on your situation and is listed at Schedule 5 of the Scheme.
Who is eligible for Special Rate of
Grant?
There is a special rate of grant available for eligible students whose income is below a threshold (currently) €22,703. This special rate provides a top up on the normal grant award.
The conditions to qualify for the special rate of grant
are:
1. Student must qualify for the ordinary rate of
grant.
2. Total reckonable income must not exceed €22,703.
3.
On the 31st December 2011, the reckonable income must include an eligible long-term payment prescribed under the
scheme.
In addition, it is important to note that the reckonable income for the special rate only is net of the Child Dependant increase (CDI) where paid by the Department of Social
Protection.
When can you have a Change of Circumstances in relation to Reckonable Income?
If
you or your family have had a change in reckonable income after the reference period that is permanent and likely to last for the duration of your course, then your eligibility for the grant may be assessed or re-assessed to reflect the change in income. It will be based on revised income rather than income for the year ended 31st December
2011.
All income is re-assessed and not just the income of the person who experiences the negative change. Awards or adjustments will be made with effect from the month in which the change in circumstances occurs.
More information on changes of circumstances are available
here.
Can you have a Change of Circumstances for the Special Rate of Grant?
If you meet the income threshold for the special rate and do not have one of the
eligible payments as at the 31st December 2011 but you subsequently acquire one of the eligible payments (other than Jobseeker’s Allowance or Jobseeker’s Benefit), then a change of circumstances in relation to the special rate of grant may be applied.
How do I Make My 2012-13 Student Grant
Application?
As part of their
communications campaign SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) have produced an Online tutorial which explains and gives advice on how to complete the online application process.
The SUSI Application Tutorial is available
here.
The online application
system is now open for the 2012-13 academic year. You can register online with
SUSI and then complete the online application form. Remember, it will NOT be necessary to have received an offer of a college place or to be enrolled in college in order to apply online.
A maintenance grant is a contribution towards the living costs of a student and is payable at
• (a) the standard rate, at either a full (100%) or part (75%, 50% or 25%), depending on the level of reckonable income or
•
(b) the special rate which is payable depending on the level of reckonable income and on condition that you are in receipt of an eligible payment as at the 31 December 2011
The maintenance grant is paid at either the adjacent or non-adjacent rate, depending on the distance between a student’s normal residence and the institution where the approved course takes place. The adjacent rate is payable if the student’s normal residence is determined by the awarding authority to be 45km or less from the approved institution they are attending. The non-adjacent rate is payable in all other
cases.
A tuition student does not qualify for a maintenance grant.
The levels of maintenance grant applicable for 2012-13 are as
follows:
Levels of
Grant
Non-adjacent Rate
Adjacent Rate
Student Contribution Paid
Special rate of maintenance grant
5,915
2,375
√
Standard Rate- 100%
Maintenance
3,025
1,215
√
Standard Rate- 75%
Maintenance
2,270
910
√
Standard Rate- 50%
Maintenance
1,515
605
√
Standard Rate- 25%
Maintenance
755
305
√
(All figures are in
Euros)
2. Fee
grant
A student or tuition student can be considered for a fee grant which is made up of three elements (tuition fee element, student contribution element and a field trip element). The reckonable income bands for maintenance and fee grants and the approved course you are attending will determine the various elements of the fee grant that may be payable.
(i) Tuition fee element
If you are pursuing an approved undergraduate course in the State, and your fees are not being met under the Free Fees Schemes, or if you are pursuing an approved postgraduate course in the State or Northern Ireland you may be eligible for the tuition fee element of the fee grant. The rate payable (if any) is dependent on the level of your reckonable income and is subject to maximum fee limit.
(ii)
Student contribution
element
The student contribution charge for 2012-13 is €2,250. This charge is payable by students who qualify for free tuition fees under the Free Fees Schemes. You may be eligible for a full (100%) or part (50%) grant in respect of the student
contribution charge depending on the level of your reckonable
income.
(iii) Field trip element
A field trip is defined as a compulsory and integral part of a courses, which is for fact-finding or research purposes, and without which the student cannot graduate or progress to the next year of their
course.
Students qualifying for a
full (100%) fee grant, whether under the Free Fees Schemes or under the Student
Grant Scheme 2012, for attendance on an approved undergraduate course in the State or for an approved postgraduate course in Northern Ireland may be eligible for a grant in respect of eligible field trip
expenditure.
The rate payable (if any) is
dependent on whether the tuition fee cost (regardless of whether it is funded under the Student Grant Scheme or the Free Fees Schemes) and the student contribution element exceeds the maximum fee
limit.
The expenditure that is
eligible for consideration in respect of a field trip grant is the reasonably
incurred, receipted cost of travel and accommodation directly associated with the field trip.
PLC Programme Participant
contribution:
There is no provision to pay a fee grant in respect of attendance on PLC course: this includes the PLC programme participant contribution. The following categories of PLC
participants, however, is exempt from paying the PLC contribution to the course provider:
• Full
medical card holders in their own right and their dependent
children
• Those who are eligible under the Student Grant
Scheme
• Those in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) or Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) allowances
3. Postgraduate Fee
Contribution
Applicants
pursuing an approved postgraduate course may be eligible for the award of a
postgraduate fee contribution of €2,000 where the reckonable income is below
the limit specified for a Postgraduate Fee Contribution in Schedule 1 of the Student Grant Scheme 2012.
Documentation
Required
Following initial assessment of your application you will receive, by post, notification of the provisional grant decision and, if provisionally approved, a personalised list of the supporting documents you will need to return in order for SUSI to complete your application. Completed documentary evidence packs (photocopies of the documents, not originals) should be returned as soon as possible in the envelope provided to you by the suggested
date.
When you return all the necessary supporting documents SUSI will process your application to award stage, subject to you later confirming your acceptance on an approved course.
It is very important to start assembling the documents you may need once you submit your online application: sometimes there can be a delay in obtaining certain documents.
Documents detailing income generally relate to the previous year: e.g. applicants for a student grant for 2012-13 may be asked for a P60/P21 for the year
2011.
While you are required to submit photocopied documents only it is important to retain all the originals as you may be asked to produce these at a later
stage.
The Guidance Notes for making a Student Grant Application 2012/13 have full details on the documentary evidence required to support information provided in your application (e.g. personal details, nationality/immigration status, academic history, income etc) . The responsibility is with you to submit all the documentary evidence included in the personalised list of supporting documents that will issue to you from SUSI following the initial assessment of your
application.
A quick and easy way to deal with your tax affairs is by using PAYE self-service. You can view your own tax record, request tax refunds, request a review of your tax liability, claim a wide range of tax credits or allocate tax credits
between you and your spouse. You can also request a copy of your
P21.
Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) Support Desk