Help for students with disabilities or educational disadvantage when filling out CAO forms

It's getting to that time of year when students are  putting their minds to filling out CAO forms for college entry in 2014. For students with a disability or educational disadvantage there is the opportunity to apply for two schemes which could make a big difference to  them. These are the DARE or the HEAR schemes.

 

1) DARE Scheme

 DARE stands for Disability Access Route to Education and it is a scheme that allows students with disabilities or significant illnesses to apply for college places on reduced points. Students use their CAO form, either online or paper, to indicate their intention to apply.

 

Applicants will first be asked to indicate that they have a disability. By doing this, they are giving the institutions an indication that they may need extra support on enrolment. This will in no way prejudice the applicants. Next, students will be asked to indicate if they wish to apply for the DARE scheme. This needs to be done by February 1. DARE is aimed at school-leavers who have the ability to succeed in third-level education but who may not achieve the points for their desired course because of their disability. However, access to support in third-level for students with disabilities is not confined to those who enter via the DARE scheme.

 

The applicant will be asked to give information about their disability or illness and how it has impacted on their learning. This information will be filled out on-line and must be completed by March 1. Finally, applicants will be asked to send evidence of their disability from their consultant, psychologist or relevant professional. This may take some time.

This evidence, along with an academic reference completed by the school, must be with the CAO by April 1. For more information see www.accesscollege.ie.

 

 

2) HEAR scheme

 HEAR stands for Higher Education Access Route and this scheme allows students who are considered educationally disadvantaged to enter third level on reduced points.

It is not intended for students or families who may be experiencing shortterm financial difficulty and the grant may be more appropriate for these families.

There is a bit of work involved in this application so it is important to begin the process as early as possible.

Applicants who are in the care of the state will automatically qualify but still must complete the online form.

To be eligible for HEAR you must meet certain indicators or criteria related to your financial, social and economic circumstances.

You must also be under 23 years of age on 1 January of the year the course starts.

Indicators

• Financial (for entry autumn 2014):

• 1. Income: Your total family income for the year 2012    was within the HEAR income limits (see table below)
• 2. Medical card: You, your parent(s) or guardian(s) hold a medical card or GP visit card on 31 December 2012
• 3. Social welfare: Your parent(s) or guardian(s) were getting a means-tested social assistance payment for at least 26 weeks in 2012

• Social and cultural:

• 4. Group: You come from a socio-economic group that is under-represented in higher education, for example: non-manual workers; semi-skilled and unskilled manual workers; agricultural workers
• 5. School: You have completed 5 years of second-level education at a school in the DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) programme
• 6. Area: You are living in an area of concentrated disadvantage and social exclusion with, for example, high unemployment and poverty and few community facilities

HEAR income limits 2013

Number of dependent children* in your family	Family income in 2011
Fewer than 4	€48,811
4-7	€53,637
More than 8	€58,230

Add €4,980 to the total income for every sibling/parent enrolled in a full-time college, university or Post-Leaving Certificate further education course.

Fulfilling the indicator requirement

Of the 6 indicators above you must meet the low income indicator 1 and a combination of 2 other indicators.

What HEAR is not?
HEAR is not a maintenance grant, it is an admissions scheme to help students who may not traditionally go on to third level.
The maintenance grant, or Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) as it is now known, is the main source of financial help available from the Irish State for students in full time post leaving certificate cources (PLC's) and full time education undergraduate and post graduate courses.
If you apply to HEAR you should also apply to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) for the higher education maintenance grant if you think you may be eligible. For more information on this you can log onto: http://www.studentfinance.ie/mp7232/maintenance-grant/index.html.

Applicants must indicate their intention to apply for the HEAR scheme though the CAO by February 1. The online application form must be completed by March 1.

Once this section is completed, applicants will receive a personalised list of supporting documents which must be sent to the CAO by April 1. Application advice clinics will be held nationwide on January 11, 2014.

Applicants who intend to apply to the HEAR or DARE schemes may bring their information to these clinics where they can receive advice.

Further information available at www.accesscollege.ie

Students should consult with their school guidance counsellors for advice and assistance on applying to the CAO.