Studying on the DPB/WINZ questions?

I'm hoping someone on here will be able to shed some light on how the whole thing works. I have a course I'm interested in, and currently looking into another course too. Both will be distance learning/correspondence and can be done part-time/full time (2-4 years to complete).

I'm wondering how does the whole process work, do I apply for the courses first THEN tell WINZ/Studylink ...or do I discuss it with them first? I know I'm due for a 6monthly review soon so I will bring it up then ...but for anyone that has been in a similar situation to us and has studied could you tell me what I should be entitled to?

Ie. to what extent do they cover study costs, is there a limit to how much a course has to be ...how studylink works blah blah

Sounds cheeky asking, but I do find that if you don't know your entitlements WINZ don't seem to tell you ...you only manage to find out through word of mouth and by asking them about specific things directly.

lol
my cousin is sitting here babbling stuff off, she works at winz

she said make a apointment with your casemanager and discuss it with them as sometimes you can get more than $3k a year.
and as your studying you also get more $$ childcare subsidy.
on the application for your course it will ask how your going to pay she said just to tick the TIA box.
theyll also pay for all your books etc if you take the invoice into them.

what course are you going to do? if ya dont mind me asking

Oh yeah, btw I'm greedy and want to study 2 courses lol.

ohhh wow cool.

good luck hun i know h its hard but you can do it lol i,ll be joining you next yer

james wrote: good luck hun i know h its hard but you can do it lol i,ll be joining you next yer

Awesome we can be study buddies

Been such a long time, I hope I can cope! But i feel I really need to do something for myself and it will pay off in the long run because I'll be able to support my child YAY!

Good point Becks about checking its NZQA approved. Will look into that.

Damn I want my voice back (properly) already ...I'm not prepared to make a phone call yet because I'm still talking funny

Yeah Recovery (I was told by surgeon) is 10 days to a fortnight. But if you read things online all the horror stories pop up saying it can take near a month to be able to eat normally ....I thought that was a load of bull until I started eating rough foods & now my throat has reverted back to being really painful and burning/tight.

Got a new prescription for painkillers though so no more complaining from me

wrote: What is the Training incentive allowance and what is it for? Do you get that as well as dpb or is that instead?

It is a grant to encourage people to upskill to get back in the workforce and is only available for undergrad stuff - as in, I didn't get my honours year(s) covered but I did get the last year of my degree paid for. (Well... $3000)

I think you possibly have to be studying full time as well though... so if through uni, a 3 paper minimum.

It's available for you to put toward fees and/or study costs. My advice is to work out how much extra you need to study per week eg petrol/childcare and then multiply that by 52 and then get the rest put on fees.

wrote: And with the actual costs of the course, do i just apply etc etc then go to winz and they pay it or what?[

Hrmmm... I can't exactly remember. I think you should check with your case manager or the helpline first. Though I don't think it'd hurt to apply for the course as you wouldn't be liable for payment straight away anyway.

So yeah, because the training incentive allowance isn't enough to cover course costs, you usually need to get a student loan as well. But just for the fees as you won't be eligible for the living costs loan cos of DPB.


Sorry I cheated this and copied it from a message I had already replied to.

Basically you need to apply for the course. You will only get one of them covered by the TIA if you apply for that too. And you need to have not completed a qualification in the last 5 years I think.


Edited by nikkiwhyte