MIC Mature students pursue their academic and personal aspirations

MIC Mature students applicants wishing to be considered must apply through the CAO by 1 May 2019. Picture: Brain Arthur

 MIC Mature students pursue their academic and personal aspirations

 Mary Immaculate College (MIC) is delighted to announce that late applications from MIC mature students are now being accepted for a number of its Level 8 undergraduate degree programmes. At present 10% of MIC’s student population is made up of mature student enrolments. Opening up its programme provision to as many mature students as possible is among one of MIC’s key strategic goals for the next number of years. Indeed, the MIC Strategic Plan 2023 entitled ‘A Flourishing Learning Community’ incorporates several initiatives and strategies to ensure an increase of relative participation rates by people at all stages along the life-cycle.

According to Dr Geraldine Brosnan, Director of Student Life at MIC, Mary Immaculate College has been hugely successful in attracting mature or ‘second chance’ learners from all walks of life and diverse backgrounds whose educational experiences and opportunities in their earlier years may have been limited. “We, at MIC, are committed to improving access to higher education for adult learners as we believe that mature students hugely enrich the learning experience of a community and bring a range of life skills to the entire class”.

Continuing she outlined the advantages to returning to education as a mature student saying “Firstly the entry criteria is different as your application considers how well prepared you are to take on the course as opposed to how many CAO points you achieved; the drop-out rate among mature students is much lower than among school-leavers, and many adults returning to third level may be eligible for a back-to-education allowance.’

Importantly MIC is also one of the participating institutions in the UVERSITY Higher Education Scholarship Scheme. By providing meaningful, multi-annual financial support, Uversity’s scholarships aim to remove the financial barriers for adult learners to pursue a Bachelor’s degree for the first time. Scholarships are not limited to particular subject areas and will enable recipients to complete a degree in one of the participating institutions. Critically this financial support gives the learner the chance to unlock their potential and pursue their academic and personal aspirations.  

 The Scholarship covers some or all of the following costs:

• Registration & tuition fees
• Pre-enrolment education assessments if required
• Laptop, books and other materials
• Wifi and telephone access
• Transportation
• Childcare/Family support
• Living expenses, e.g. accommodation/maintenance etc.

To be eligible applicants must:

• Be 23 years and older by 1st January 2019
• Be a citizen of an EEA member state or Switzerland AND resident in Ireland or Northern Ireland for 3 years or more by 1st January 2019
• Be returning to higher education in 2019/20 after a break from education of 3 years or more or have recently completed a higher education progression/preparation course
• Be admitted to a Bachelor’s degree or have a deferred offer for the 2019/20 academic year.
• Be able to demonstrate:
  • Academic potential
  • A clear motivation and ambition for returning to education
  • A drive to succeed and a strong work ethic
  • An ability to be transformed and transform others as a result of this scholarship and educational experience

Further details on the scheme and eligibility criteria are available at www.u-versity.eu

Scholarships are not limited to particular subject areas and will enable recipients to complete a bachelor’s degree in one of the participating institutions, including Mary Immaculate College where applications from mature students are currently being accepted to the following programmes:

MIC Limerick:

• BA in Contemporary & Applied Theatre Studies MI001
• Bachelor of Arts Degree MI002
• BA in Early Childhood Care and Education MI007

MIC Thurles:

• BA in Education, Business Studies and Accounting MI009
• BA in Education, Business Studies and Religious Studies MI010
• BA in Education, Irish and Religious Studies MI011
• BA in Education, Irish and Business Studies MI012
• BA in Education, Mathematics & Gaeilge (**New for 2019)

 

Please note: Applicants wishing to be considered must apply through the CAO by 1 May 2019. Mature applicants who have applied initially through CAO by 1 February and wish to change their mind can do so now from Monday 6 May from 12 noon, when the change of mind facility opens, until 13 May only.

 

For more information on programmes for Mature Students, click here.

For more stories about Mature Student education, click here