Funding is the major problem which confronts mature students, according to Jane McKeon, information officer of AONTAS, the National Association of Adult Education. If you're planning to give up a job for full-time study, you're going to lose a considerable amount of income.

Means-tested maintenance grants are available to mature students (see pages 6 and 7) . The Department of Education and Science operates three major full-time third-level grant schemes. These include the higher education grant which is available to mature students following full-time undergraduate courses in EU member states, which is administered by the local authorities. The VEC scholarship scheme is administered by the local VECs and mainly covers degree and non-ESF funded courses in the ITs.

Meanwhile, the ESF-aided third-level courses maintenance grants scheme for trainees covers a number of national certificate and diploma programmes and is administered by the VECs. Social welfare recipients or people in receipt of lone parents, blind persons or disability allowances for six months or more, may be eligible for the back to education allowance.

Undergraduate fees have been abolished for students taking first full-time undergraduate qualifications in publicly-funded and other designated institutions, but all third-level students not getting grants must pay registration charges (£260 in 1998-99) to cover the costs of student services, registration and exams. These charges are paid on acceptance in the case of universities and on registration in the case of the ITs. Some universities may add on local charges.

Contact: Student Support Unit of the Department of Education and Science - phone (01) 873 4700