Working for Work : Chapter 6 : Training & Education

Back to Education Allowance (BTEA)

The Department of Social Protection administer the Back to Education Allowance. This scheme allows you to keep your Social Welfare payment and return to approved full-time second and third level courses.

There are two education options available:

• Second level option
• Third level option

Redundancy

If you are awarded statutory redundancy, you can have immediate access to the BTEA. You must be entitled to a qualifying social welfare payment before starting your course.

Second Level Option

You can attend a second level course at any community, comprehensive, secondary or vocational school. The course must be full-time and lead to a certificate recognised by the Department of Education and Skills or approved by the Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC), e.g. Junior Certificate, Leaving Certificate, Post-Leaving Certificate or a City and Guilds Certificate

Other Second Level BTEA options

• Certain City and Guilds courses
• Foundation/Access courses at Universities or Institutes of Technology
• Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) courses

Please check with the school or college before you take up the course.

Third Level Option

You can attend a third level course of education at any university, third level college or institution provided that the course is a full-time day course of study and is approved under any of the following:

• The Department of Education and Skills Higher Education Grant scheme, or
• The Vocational Educational Committee's Scholarship Scheme, or
• The Third Level Maintenance Grant Scheme for Trainees, or
• If it receives Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC) recognition

BTEA Postgraduate option

If you already have an undergraduate third-level qualification, (i.e. you have a degree) your application for the BTEA while pursuing post-graduate education will only be considered if you are doing a Higher Diploma in any discipline or the Postgraduate Diploma in Education Primary or Secondary teaching only.

i You are advised to check with Department of Social Protection before taking up any further education options.

 

Payment on the BTEA

The Back to Education Allowance will only be paid for the 9-month academic year, for those in receipt of Jobseeker's payments. It is NOT payable for the 3-month Summer period between academic years. BTEA participants who are unable to find employment during the Summer period may be entitled to claim an unemployment payment. They will be required to satisfy the normal qualifying conditions, including the standard 'Genuinely Seeking Work' conditions - see Chapter 1.

Monitoring Arrangements

You must provide the Department of Social Protection with a certificate from the school/college confirming your registration, commencement and attendance as a full-time student on the course. You must supply this information to DSP before payment on the BTEA can begin. During the course of the academic year, you may be asked to provide confirmation that you are still taking part in the course.

Who is eligible for the Back to Education Allowance?

You will be eligible for the Back to Education Allowance if you are:

• Aged 21 and in receipt of one of the qualifying payments, or
• Aged 18 and in receipt of a (specified) disability payment, or
• Aged between 18 and 21 years of age and out of formal education for at least two years or
• Awarded a statutory redundancy payment and are entitled to a qualifying social welfare payment before starting your course.

Second Level option (SLO)

• Aged 21 or over getting one of the following payments for at least 3 months and be in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance, Jobseeker's Benefit, Farm Assist, One-Parent Family Payment, Deserted Wife's Allowance/Benefit, Widow's/Widower's Contributory, Non-contributory pension, Prisoners' Wife's Allowance or Carers Allowance
• Aged 18 or over and getting one of the following payments for at least 3 months: Blind Pension, Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension or Incapacity Supplement or
• Aged between 18-20 and out of formal education for two years and getting one of the following payments for at least 3 months; Jobseeker's Benefit, Jobseeker's Allowance or One-Parent Family Payment or
• Aged 18 or over and getting one of the following payments for at least 12 months: Blind Pension, Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension or Incapacity Supplement or
• Aged between 18 and 20, out of formal education for two years and in receipt of: Jobseeker's Allowance, Jobseeker's Benefit or One-Parent Family Payment for at least 12 months or - Aged 18 or over and in receipt of Illness Benefit for 2 years or more

i Under no circumstances will the BTEA be awarded to a person who already holds a postgraduate qualification.

Returning to the Back to Education Allowance (3rd Level Only)

Until now, a person could only apply for BTEA in respect of a 3rd level course, providing they were commencing their course at year 1. As of Monday 19th July, 2010 this changed as follows:

• A person will now be able to avail of BTEA where they previously did not complete their course (they may have 'dropped out') and are returning to the second or subsequent year of their 3rd level course.
• This also applies to people who are granted an exemption from a period of their 3rd level course because, for example, of their participation in a previous course. An example of this is where a person may previously have pursued a 3rd level course of education to higher certificate level. If they are planning to return to education to pursue their course to, say, degree level, they may avail of the BTEA for this.
• Where a person completed earlier year(s) of their 3rd level course on a part-time basis but is now getting a Jobseeker's payment, they may apply for BTEA to continue their course on a full-time basis.

For further information on these changes to the Back to Education Allowance, please visit the Department of Social Protection website at www.welfare.ie

Other Qualifying Periods

Periods spent on VTOS, FÁS Training Courses, Youthreach, C.E., Back to Work Allowance, FÁS Job Initiative or Revenue Job Assist may count towards the qualifying period to qualify for the BTEA. You may access the BTEA Scheme directly from one of these schemes under certain conditions.

Periods spent in receipt of Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA), Direct Provision or periods spent in prison may count towards the qualifying period for BTEA, but you must establish an entitlement to a Social Welfare payment before you commence your course of study.

If you finish one of the above mentioned schemes, and there is a break over 4 weeks between finishing the scheme and beginning an approved course of study you must establish an entitlement to a relevant qualifying Social Welfare payment in order to qualify for the BTEA.

Payment on the Back to Education Allowance

• Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) is paid at a standard rate. If you are currently getting a reduced rate of payment on your existing social welfare payment you will be entitled to a higher standard weekly rate on BTEA
• If you are getting Jobseeker's Benefit, Jobseeker's Allowance or Farm Assist you will be paid BTEA equal to the highest standard rate of Jobseeker's Benefit, i.e. ?188.00 for a single person. You will not have to 'sign on' while on the BTEA
• If you are getting the One-Parent Family Payment, Deserted Wife's Allowance, Deserted Wife's Benefit, Widows/Widowers Contributory/non-Contributory pension, Prisoners Wife Allowance, Illness Benefit, Blind Pension or Carer's Allowance (after your caring responsibilities have finished), you will be paid BTEA at a rate equal to the highest rate of your current social welfare payment. You will not receive two payments
• If you are a Qualified Adult Dependant of a person who is eligible for BTEA you can qualify for BTEA in your own right. You will receive an allowance equal to the highest standard personal rate your spouse/civil partner/cohabitant would receive
• In addition to your weekly payment, you will receive an annual €500 cost of education allowance
• If you work part-time or casually, this will not affect your BTEA payment as long as you maintain your full-time student status. However, income from part-time or casual employement could affect your entitlement to Rent or Mortgage Interest Supplement.
• You will keep any entitlement to any secondary benefits you have - Fuel Allowance, Diet Supplement, under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) Scheme (subject to the conditions above)

How to apply for a place

• Contact the colleges directly to get information about courses. The Area Based Partnerships (see Chapter 7), the local VEC and your LES will be willing to help you do this and can help with general information. In addition, they may help you with financial assistance towards the application fees
• Contact the student officer at the colleges Students Union Office for information and suggestions
• Most applications are made through the Central Applications Office (CAO). Some colleges may also ask you to make a separate application to them directly. Ask if this is necessary
• The college may ask you to attend an interview to assess your knowledge of the subjects you wish to study. During this interview they might ask about your motivation and commitment to staying in college for the duration of the course
• When you receive a letter offering you a place at college, fill out Form BTE1 available at your local Social Welfare Office

How to apply for a maintenance grant

• You should apply for a student grant to the local authority or Vocational Education Committee (VEC) in your home area, not the area where the college is located. These grants are means tested. 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
• There are two rates of maintenance grant. The adjacent rate (if you live less than 45 kilometres from the college) and the non-adjacent rate (if you live more than 45 kilometres from the college). Detailed information on financial supports for students can be found on the website www.studentfinance.ie
• From January 2010 student grants and scholarships were reduced by 5%. This applies to all existing and new grant holders
• Support under the Millennium Partnership Scheme has been withdrawn with effect from the 2010/2011 academic year
• From September 2010, all new applicants who are in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance and the VTOS Allowance for those pursuing PLC courses will be ineligible for student maintenance grants. The cost of the student services charge and any fees payable to colleges will continue to be met for eligible students by the Exchequer on their behalf. This does not occur automatically, you must apply.
• A number of social welfare payments, which have been excluded in the means-testing process, will now be included as reckonable income in assessing eligibility for student grants i.e. Back to Education Allowance (this is in addition to the measure where students cannot hold the BTEA and student maintenance grant simultaneously) and the One Parent Family Payment (OPFP) except where it is payable to the student
• The income tax adjustment for farm stock relief will be disregarded in calculating reckonable income for the means test
• For grant elegibility the student must be resident in the State for 3 of the past 5 years
• For re-entry as an independently assessed mature student the duration of the break in studies has increased to 3 years
• Introduction of an administrative deadline for the submission of grant appeals

Last Updated: 02/09/2011 ^ back to top