Finance
Financial Support for Student Parents
Financial support is available from the Students’ Union for student parents whose children attend the UCC Creche Cois Laoi and those who are in alternative childcare while on a waiting list for Crèche Cois Laoi. Applications are invited from full-time student parents, for the 2011/12 academic year.
Financial assistance is means-tested and is strictly limited to children (under 12yrs of age). Support is paid from Sept 19th 2011 to May 31st 2012 (excluding 2 weeks at Christmas and 2 weeks at Easter). The amount of subsidy awarded can vary from year to year as it depends on resources and numbers of successful applicants.
Applications can be handed in or posted to the Students’ Union Office, 54 College Rd., Cork. The deadline for applications is 31st August2011.
As there can be delays in obtaining certain financial documentation, it is advisable to apply for this in good time as incomplete applications or applications without required documentation will be returned and this may delay payments for eligible applicants.
Further details are available in the notes that accompany the application form and from:
SU Welfare Officer: Dave Carey
Tel: 021 4902181
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Student Finance Click a title below to expand or collapse
- Childcare Assistance Fund
- Budget 2011
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Budget 2011
What does it mean for UCC students?
Grant
The amount you recieve will be cut by 4%, effective immediately. This includes the 2nd and 3rd installments of the Grant for this year.
The distance you must travel to qualify for the non-adjacent rate has almost doubled. From 2011/12 students must now travel 45km instead of 24km to recieve the higher rate. This will include students already in receipt of the grant, and takes effect from the beginning of the 2011/2012 year.
There will be a new income band taken into account. Students with family incomes between €51,381 and €55,920 will qualify to have 50% of their Reg fee paid.
UCC students are also subject to a capitation fee of €150.
The Reg Fee
The Student Services Charge, or Reg fee, is set to rise to €2,000. This rise only applies to the first child in a family paying the SSC at any one time. Additional children will pay the current €1,500 charge. From 2011/12 the charge will be renamed the “Student Contribution”.
USI is working hard to ensure that this charge will be payable in installments.
UCC's Funds
Your place of study will recieve a 7% reduction in income this year, including a 5% reduction in its non-pay budget. This will directly affect the provision of frontline services, such as your Library and Student Health service.
Mature Students
Mature students will no longer automatically qualify for the non-adjacent rate of the grant, and will have to also meet new criteria (Having a place of residence over 45km from place of study). This change effects both new and existing applicants.
PLC Charges
A new charge of €200 will be introduced for students in PLC courses. This charge will be paid by the exchequer on behalf of students in receipt of grants or the BTEA.
Graduate Employment
It has been announced that a graduate internship programme is to be launched in the public and community/voluntary sectors creating 15,000 graduate placements. The programme is much in line with USI’s proposals on graduate employment. Further details are expected in the coming days.
Student Assistance Fund
The Student Assistance Fund has not been affected by the budget.
Children's Allowance
For students with children, there will be a €10 euro cut in the Child Benefit for the first two children and €20 for the third, reverting back to €10 for any subsequent child.
Efficiencies
Pay savings and administrative efficiencies have also been highlighted in the budget for the Education sector as a whole, but we do not yet know how this will affect students.
- Money and Budgeting
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If you find yourself in your own personal financial crisis, please don’t hesitate to contact me or contact the Money, Advice and Budgeting Service on 1890 283 438 (9 a.m - 8 p.m. Monday to Friday)
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Shop in Lidl or Tesco and look for ‘own brand’ items.
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Buy in Bulk, it’s much cheaper in the long run.
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Avoid convenience foods or other prepared meals.
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Keep your eyes peeled for special offers…never eaten noodles before? You do now!
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Never shop when you’re hungry (and try to shop with a list) so that you don’t buy unnecessary items.
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Go home for lunch if you’re near enough for; if not, bring lunch to colleger. It’s much cheaper.
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UCCSU run a second-hand bookshop so that you can buy your books there at a much reduced price.
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Charity shops have great bargain buys.
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Turn off the lights when you leave the room, and try to save energy around the house, wasting electricity or heating will cost you now!
- Get the UCCSU’s NiteBus (€2) or share a taxi home after a night out in town.
For more tips visit mabs.ie
For a handy budgeting sheet and template, visit www.mabs.ie
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- Grants and Scholarships
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Maintenance Grant
The maintenance grant is the main source of financial help available from the Irish State for students in full-time Post Leaving Certificate Courses (PLCs) and full-time higher education undergraduate/postgraduate courses.
Students in part-time courses are not eligible to apply for a maintenance grant.
The application form for the 2009/2010 maintenance grant is available here:
Click here to download/view Maintenance Grant Application Form
If you wish to check out your eligibility or any of the conditions and limits for the maintenance grant visit: www.studentfinance.ie
The closing date for application is 31st August 2009. Late applications will be accepted but payment of money will be delayed – if in doubt, get an application in!
If you have any questions or need any help with your application form, get in touch with me and we can talk through it.
UCC Scholarships
A number of scholarships exist within UCC, details of which are available here:
http://www.ucc.ie/en/registration/scholarships/
- Student Support Funds
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Student Assistance Fund
The Student Assistance Fund provides financial assistance for full-time higher education students who are experiencing financial difficulties whilst attending college. Students can apply for Student Assistance to help them with either temporary or ongoing financial difficulties. The Student Assistance Fund provides a further source of funding for higher education students in addition to the Student Grant.
Each year, the State allocates a certain amount of Student Assistance funding to all publicly funded higher education colleges based on the size of the college’s full-time student population.
Applications open in late October and forms can be obtained from the Fees Office in the North Wing.
To work out whether you may be eligible for the Fund you need to be aware of the main conditions of the programme. The 6-step guide will assist you in this process. Each step has a button that will guide you through the eligibility requirements of the fund.
Applications are currently closed and will open again in 2011.
Millennium Partnership Fund:
The aim of the fund is to support students from disadvantaged areas with regard to retention and participation in further and higher Education courses.
Area Partnership Companies, and Community Groups, manage the Fund locally. Your home address must be located within the Partnership or Community Group area. Applications from RAPID areas will be prioritised within the application process.
Generally, the Area Partnership Company that you should apply to would be of the same locality as the Local Authority that awards your grant i.e. if Roscommon County Council gives you your grant, then you should apply to Roscommon County Partnership for the Millennium Partnership Fund.
(Note: Students not in receipt of a maintenance grant may be eligible in exceptional circumstances and dealt with on a case by case basis.)
If your home address is in the Cork City Partnership geographical region(within the Cork City boundary - ring 021 4302 310 if you are unsure), then you should apply for the Millennium Partnership Fund through UCC.For more information on either of these funds, check out www.studentfinance.ie
Applications for the Millennium Partnership Fund are now closed.
