National College of Ireland is offering free places for the unemployed on part-time courses starting this September.

Students who are unemployed or have been made redundant will be able to do a part-time certificate or degree and their fees will be fully covered by the scheme for the full duration of the course.

The scheme is open to all those who have been in receipt of Job Seeker’s Allowance or Benefit for the six months or more prior to the commencement of the course. The scheme is also open to those who have been awarded statutory redundancy.

According to NCI president Dr. Paul Mooney: “Many people who have lost their jobs see the need to come back and do a course but are worried about the cost. This scheme means they can do a degree without having to worry about fees. We have already had lots of interest.”

The courses normally cost up to €3,800 per year. The scheme, a joint initiative by the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment, the Department of Education and Science and the Higher Education Authority, will allow people to return to college part-time free of charge for two years to do a Certificate or four years for a degree course.

There are over free 100 places available at NCI and the courses covered under the scheme are:

• Business Higher Certificate in Business – 2 years – two evenings a week and Saturday
• BA (Honours) in Financial Services – 4 year Degree
• Higher Certificate in Science in Computing in Applications and Support – 2 years, 2 evenings a week and a Saturday
• BSc (Honors) in Business Information Systems – 4 years

Should you obtain a job you will no longer be entitled to government funding under this scheme and you will have to pay your own fees in respect of the remaining years on the course. In the event that you get a job midway through an academic year for which your fees have already been paid for under the scheme you would not have to repay any fees previously paid. NCI also run Direct debit schemes for all their courses…

Numbers are limited and all courses are offered on a first come first served basis for eligible applicants. For more details students should contact 1850 221 721 or see www.ncirl.ie. (22/07/09) or click here for further information http://www.ncirl.ie/News/Free_Fees_Places_on_Part-Time_Courses

Debbie O’Halloran