Grad School and unemployment

[importdistributors]

So I have been collecting unemployment in the state of Illinois for 4 weeks now, and when I wanted to know if any knows if I can still continue grad school? I was doing grad school before I got fired. Anybody have any ideas or experiences in this matter?

 

[sactoking]

You should be able to continue grad school so long as you also actively seek employment as well. If you decide to go to school full time and put the job search on hold you likely disqualify yourself from unemployment benefits since at that point you aren't unemployed, you are not a member of the workforce.

 

[importdistributors]

You should be able to continue grad school so long as you also actively seek employment as well. If you decide to go to school full time and put the job search on hold you likely disqualify yourself from unemployment benefits since at that point you aren't unemployed, you are not a member of the workforce.

Can I still fill out a FAFSA form and get loans from the gov?

 

[Engineer]

You should be able to continue grad school so long as you also actively seek employment as well. If you decide to go to school full time and put the job search on hold you likely disqualify yourself from unemployment benefits since at that point you aren't unemployed, you are not a member of the workforce.

That depends. There is a little known part of an outsourcing bill that states that if you lose your job to a low wage country (Mexico, China, etc), that you can qualify for retraining for up to 2 years (paid tuition), 80% of your Cobra paid for 18 months and 2 years of unemployment. I know this as I was offered it from my last position being lost (I didn't use it as I found a job 2 week later - but I wish I would have taken a look now).

I don't know all the details though but it is possible...maybe not likely but possible.

 

[dfuze]

was your company paying for your tuition or was it out of pocket?

 

[NL5]

That depends. There is a little known part of an outsourcing bill that states that if you lose your job to a low wage country (Mexico, China, etc), that you can qualify for retraining for up to 2 years (paid tuition), 80% of your Cobra paid for 18 months and 2 years of unemployment. I know this as I was offered it from my last position being lost (I didn't use it as I found a job 2 week later - but I wish I would have taken a look now).

I don't know all the details though but it is possible...maybe not likely but possible.

Yep, but to get that your company has to be qualified first. It's a PITA, but well worth it in the end. BTW - it's the employees that have to get the qualification generally.

 

[the DRIZZLE]

Yep, but to get that your company has to be qualified first. It's a PITA, but well worth it in the end. BTW - it's the employees that have to get the qualification generally.

I'm in the same position as the OP. I was going to grad school part time before I got laid off, and have been continuing while collecting unemployment. Do you know the name of this program? I'd like to check it out.

Edit: Found it. Its called the trade adjustment assistance program.

 

[NL5]

I'm in the same position as the OP. I was going to grad school part time before I got laid off, and have been continuing while collecting unemployment. Do you know the name of this program? I'd like to check it out.

Edit: Found it. Its called the trade adjustment assistance program.

Yeah, I think that's it. There are several different programs. I don't think any of them will just "pay for college" though. You have to get your company qualified, then you have to get your career choice qualified. And, it has to be a "demand" job. Not a lot of those right now. I started in Fall of '08, and by Summer of 09, my career choice was no longer in demand.

As far as straight unemployment goes though, it probably is state dependent. Here, we can't collect if we are a student.

 

[the DRIZZLE]

Yeah, I think that's it. There are several different programs. I don't think any of them will just "pay for college" though. You have to get your company qualified, then you have to get your career choice qualified. And, it has to be a "demand" job. Not a lot of those right now. I started in Fall of '08, and by Summer of 09, my career choice was no longer in demand.

As far as straight unemployment goes though, it probably is state dependent. Here, we can't collect if we are a student.

Where I am you are generally OK if you're part time. If you are taking any classes at all you have to have an interview. They ask you how many credits you're taking etc.