FAQ’s

Grants and Funding

Am I entitled to any financial help?

Sligocfe will not adjudicate on whether any learner is entitled to financial help or not.  It is the learners responsibility to contact the Department of Social Protection if they are in receipt of benefits or SUSI (universal grant awarding body) for grant information.

Where can I seek financial help?

Student Maintenance Grants:                                       http://www.studentfinance.ie./

VTOS (Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme)     Contact MSL ETB

BTEA (Back to Education Allowance Scheme)             Contact local Social Welfare Office

Other funding                                                                 www.studentfinance.ie

What types of grants are available?

Grants are available to learner’s at Sligocfe on the same basis as they are to other third level learners subject to means test.  Details of the Grant Scheme are available from http://www.studentfinance.ie/

Am I eligible for Back to Education Allowance (BTEA)?

Refer to your Social Welfare Officer.

If I am entitled to a grant or allowance how much will they be?

• The maintenance grant is means tested and the award of a grant amount is the responsibility of http://www.susi.ie/.
• In order to qualify for a VTOS allowance, certain criteria must be met. Please refer to your local ETB for further information or click here to find out more.
• The BTEA allowance is limited and you are asked to refer to your social welfare office for full details.

Do any fee exemptions apply?

Refer to www.sligocfe.ie

How much does my course cost?

Full course details are listed under Admissions Information on http://www.sligocfe.ie/courses__fees

When do the fees have to be paid?

Registration fees have to be paid prior to course commencement. Balance of fees to be paid in full by September 30^th.

Childcare – Cets Scheme

Please note that the Cets Childcare Scheme run by the Department of Social Protection does not apply to learners on PLC courses.

Application Procedures

When can I apply for a course at Sligocfe?

You can apply for a course at Sligocfe from early February to the first Monday in October each year. Just click on the "Apply Now" button on our homepage.

Does Sligocfe accept International Students?

This college welcomes applications from qualified international applicants. International (non-EU) students must comply with Irish Immigration requirements and must present an Immigration Certificate of Registration / GNIB Card and Labour Market Access permission Letter, where appropriate. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that they meet Immigration and Visa requirements prior to applying for a place on a course.

To qualify for free tuition fees, applicants must meet criteria with regard to nationality and immigration
status as follows:
• Be a citizen of an EEA member state or Switzerland or
• Have official refugee / International Protection status or
• Be a family member of a refugee and have been granted permission to live in the State or
• Be a family member of an EU national and have permission to live in the State, with a stamp
“4EUFAM” on your residence card or
• Have been granted humanitarian leave to remain in the State or
• Have been granted permission to remain in the State by the Minister for Justice and Equality, following
a determination by the Minister not to make a deportation order under Section 3 of the Immigration
Act 1999.
All other eligible* international applications are subject to tuition fees of €3,653. This fee must be paid in
advance of a student starting the course.

I have applied for a course at Sligocfe.  What happens next?

When you first apply for a course you will receive an email response from the College with details of how to login to track your application status on the College's Enrol system.  In due course, the College will issue you with an invitation to attend interview by way of email and SMS text.

When will I be called for Interview?

You will be called for interview in May or August depending on which course you have applied for. Following your interview you will be offered a place, placed on a waiting list or advised of other course options.

I have been offered a place on a course.  What happens next?

When you have subsequently been offered a place your status will be amended in your Enrol account with the College. While we endeavour to communicate with you via email and SMS text, on occasion an email may be blocked by your provider's SPAM filter.  Please remember you can always check any communication from the College by logging on to the Enrol system.

How do I accept an offer of a place?

Course offers will be made upon completion of a suitability interview. When you have been offered a place on a course you will see the relevant correspondence appear on your Enrol account, and a new section to make payments will become visible.  To accept an offer of a place on the course, you must login to your Enrol account via www.sligocfe.ie .  

How can I check the status of my application?

While changes to the status of your application are communicated to you via SMS and email, you can also check your status at any time by logging into the College Enrol system.  At application stage, you will have received an email with your username (login-id) and password.  You can go to the login page to input these credentials to view a history of our correspondence with you and make payment of any fees.   Alternatively, you can enter the email address you included in your original application in the "Forgotten Your Password" section and click Submit to be sent a reminder.

I can't see any emails coming from the College.  Is there something wrong?

If you do not receive an email from the College it is likely that your provider's SPAM filter has blocked our emails.  You can check if this is the case by examining your "Spam" or "Filtered" folder. Most email providers provide tools to unblock legitimate emails. Please refer to your email providers help pages for instructions to unblock our emails to you.

When must I make the balance of payment?

Due dates for fees are outlined on www.sligocfe.ie.  It is expected that all fees will have been paid in full by September, 30th.

When does College start?

Induction commences in early September with timetabled classes commencing in mid-September.

I wish to change my first preference course to another course.  What do I do? 

Please contact the College to request a change of course.

Can I apply for a Level 5 or Level 6 course if I have already completed another course?

Under the Back To Education Enhancements announced recently by the Minister, applicants who already hold a Level 5 or 6 qualification under the National Framework of Qualifications will now be allowed to undertake further courses of study at either of these levels to further their professional/career development and their overall job prospects.  

Timetables

How long will my college day be?

The length of the day depends on the course of study.  Classes commence at 9am.  Sligocfe has a common break from 11.40-12.00pm. Classes finish at 4pm.

Will I be in the college five days per week?

This depends on your course of study. All of our Level 6 courses are timetabled for three days (Mon to Wed)

When will my timetable be available?

Timetables are available at induction usually the first week in September. 

How late are my days likely to finish?

Classes are timetabled up to an including 4pm from Monday to Thursday. Classes finish at 1:20 on Friday.

What time does the college close/open?

Sligocfe opens at 8.00am and closes at 6pm.

What way are the breaks structured throughout the day?

There is a morning break at 11.40am for 20 minutes.  There is no designated time for lunch. Students can avail of lunch when they have a break in their classes.

Higher Links

Can I continue to a university after I finish my course?

Yes.  Sligocfe awards are certified at QQI Level 5 or Level 6.  A learner can use this award to progress to further or higher education through the links scheme.  This scheme links QQI Level 5 Certificates and Level 6 Advanced Certificate to reserved places on a variety of higher education programmes. 

Sligocfe also has advanced entry links with a number of IOT’s and Universities such as IT Sligo and a number of nursing colleges in the UK. 

How do I apply for a third level place using the award I gained at Sligocfe?

Each applicant applies through the CAO system by the set application date (www.cao.ie).  In July QQI results are issued to the CAO and the participating institutions (Universities, Institutes of Technology and private 3^rd Level Colleges)

Are there minimum requirements to avail of the higher links?

Each CAO course will identify if there are any special entry requirements. However learners should note that CAO course offers will be made based on the number of distinctions a learner achieves.

How many places are held kept for Sligocfe graduates in third level institutes?

Each third level institution sets aside a certain number of places for QQI applicants.  No college of Further Education is entitled to reserve places. 

Does every course have a higher links option?

Yes.  However QQI awards are undergoing change to a Common Awards System (CAS).  As a result links to the new awards are still being finalised.  Learners are advised to check the websites of the IOT’s or Universities that they are interested in for further information. 

Facilities

Are there canteen facilities on site?

Yes.  Sligocfe has a large canteen facility that is serviced by an outside catering company.  Learners can purchase fresh sandwiches, wraps, dinners, tea/coffee, minerals and snacks. .

Is there a car park for learners?

Yes.  Learners have access to parking facilities across the road from the campus for a minimal daily fee. There is also on-site parking for a number of pupils. Details of availability are issued at registration.   

Is Sligocfe always a busy place?

Yes.  Sligocfe is a vibrant creative institute where learners are actively engaged in creative learning.  Due to the nature of the courses on offer at Sligocfe many learners events are held throughout the year along with a large number of field trips.