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Financial help for Open University degree

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  • sahararose
    sahararose Posts: 116 Forumite
    I'm also doing a degree in Geosciences, having started it last September on S104. It's fascinating, and I've paid for it all so far with Tesco points. Good luck to anyone who enrols on one.

    One thing that really helped me - joining a Facebook group for that particular course. There was always someone there to support you, or just to scream with at the hard parts !! x
  • KC10
    KC10 Posts: 12 Forumite
    I had no idea about the Tesco Clubcard Points for Open University courses either. I am starting my first course in November and will be self-funding my studies, I am due about £20 in reward vouchers in my next statement so the £80 will help by knocking a wee bit off the fee. I keep seeing offers posted on here to get bonus points but I never seem to find them on time to take up the offers, will be scouring more often for Tesco deals now! Can any of you who have used these vouchers before advise roughly how long they take to come once you order them from Tesco, as I think the next Tesco reward statement is due the last week in August/first week in September, and I need to have payment sorted before the end of September to secure my place on my course? It would be nice if I could get the vouchers back in time.

    As an aside to your original post, are you aware of OUSBA? I didn't find it originally when I went through the finance section of the Open University's website, but a friend who has studied with them in the past pointed it out to me. They offer a low interest loan to pay your fees off in installments if it might help, but it does obviously add to the cost of the course once the interest is factored in. open.ac.uk/ousba

    Good luck with your studies!
  • mum2one
    mum2one Posts: 16,279 Forumite
    Xmas Saver!
    KC10 wrote: »
    I had no idea about the Tesco Clubcard Points for Open University courses either. I am starting my first course in November and will be self-funding my studies, I am due about £20 in reward vouchers in my next statement so the £80 will help by knocking a wee bit off the fee. I keep seeing offers posted on here to get bonus points but I never seem to find them on time to take up the offers, will be scouring more often for Tesco deals now! Can any of you who have used these vouchers before advise roughly how long they take to come once you order them from Tesco, as I think the next Tesco reward statement is due the last week in August/first week in September, and I need to have payment sorted before the end of September to secure my place on my course? It would be nice if I could get the vouchers back in time.

    If you exchange your vouchers via the online link they come quicker, we did it last year for haven vouchers, and it was about 3 days to come through.

    The quadruple makes a big dent in theOU fees. x
    xx rip dad... we had our ups and downs but we’re always be family xx
  • KC10
    KC10 Posts: 12 Forumite
    mum2one wrote: »
    If you exchange your vouchers via the online link they come quicker, we did it last year for haven vouchers, and it was about 3 days to come through.

    The quadruple makes a big dent in theOU fees. x

    I only had a small amount left in my Clubcard account from last statement but I cashed out £20 worth of deal vouchers last week and they came in 3 working days. Now I just have to hope that when the August/September statement comes I can transact it all as quickly, as registration for my course closes in 19 September. Fingers crossed it will all go to plan, you're quite right, quadruple really is a big dent out of the fees!
  • mum2one
    mum2one Posts: 16,279 Forumite
    Xmas Saver!
    Hi KC, forgot to ask what are you studying?

    Another thought have you applied for financial help,my post on the other page has the link to the financial are u entitled.

    Cant believe I start my next course in Oct, just as other finishes... hopefully get a break in nxt yr!! xx
    xx rip dad... we had our ups and downs but we’re always be family xx
  • mum2one wrote: »
    Hi KC, forgot to ask what are you studying?

    Another thought have you applied for financial help,my post on the other page has the link to the financial are u entitled.

    Cant believe I start my next course in Oct, just as other finishes... hopefully get a break in nxt yr!! xx

    Most of my courses have started as one finishes, which for me I find quite good as I like the momentum of it all.

    However, I finish my L2 in October after the exam and start 2 x L3 courses next year, one in January and the other in February. No exams with either just ECAs which I must not leave until the last minute to complete. Far too stressful :rotfl:

    I love the OU, I don't know what I'm going to do when I graduate in 2010 cos I am going for bit promotion in work when I graduated (have been given the nod, all being well, that I'm going to get it as well) :j
    Be happy, it's the greatest wealth :)
  • mum2one
    mum2one Posts: 16,279 Forumite
    Xmas Saver!
    Most of my courses have started as one finishes, which for me I find quite good as I like the momentum of it all.

    However, I finish my L2 in October after the exam and start 2 x L3 courses next year, one in January and the other in February. No exams with either just ECAs which I must not leave until the last minute to complete. Far too stressful :rotfl:

    I love the OU, I don't know what I'm going to do when I graduate in 2010 cos I am going for bit promotion in work when I graduated (have been given the nod, all being well, that I'm going to get it as well) :j

    I'm changing my mind, can I have ur courses, this will be 1st exam...... help.......
    xx rip dad... we had our ups and downs but we’re always be family xx
  • angel316_2
    angel316_2 Posts: 114 Forumite
    I started my degree with in 2005 (October) and finished in June 2009, so took almost 4 years to complete it. My aim was to teach and I have been working in a school for about 13 years. My advice, if you want to teach, is make sure at least half of your degree is in a national curriculum subject and you need to be able to provide knowledge of core subjects (English, Maths and Science) for primary, as well as foundation subjects (Geography, ICT, History, PE, Music, Art, etc...) A knowledge of French can also be helpful as many schools take this as their foreign language option, although some so Spanish and others opt for sign language. I start a GTP (which is similar to a PGCE but is employment based training and you are paid a salary funded by the TDA while you train). All the people who gained places all had at least a years experience working in a variety of schools - most of us had more.

    But back to the longer term and OU. In terms of your job situation, why not a change in careers? A post as a teaching assistant or school support staff would give you the experience you need and might enable you take a drop in hours or change you hours to term time only whilst still earning a salary. I found I was comfortably able to do my degree in 4 years this way. I started slowly with a 30 point course to get a feel for stuying again, then another 30, then a 60 and a couple of 10 pointers including a residential school. In 2007 I started a 60 pointed in September and then overlapped with a 60 pointer beginning in Feb (finish in September) and then followed it with 20 60 point literature courses side by side from Oct 2008 to this May/June. I have just finished my degree and I am waiting for my results (I should pass it is all a matter of what grade I get now).

    My partner and I both work but we both decided that me studying was a sacrifice work making. This year I moved from full time hours to 20 a week to allow me to study both 60 point courses together and finish this year. I will be employed from September this year as a full time teacher at the same school as they supported and applied with me for GTP.

    I used Tesco vouchers and saved them all year and on one ocassion had £500 vouchers towards my study. I paid the rest each month with a budgeting account. The account is brilliant. They dvide the total between ten months and you know exactly what day you payments are going out. I think you need to talk to you OH before doing this though as it sounds like he may have to make a few cutbacks and OHs also need to be as supportive as possible, especially if you are taking on more than the usual 60 point (OU recommend this for part timers) in a year.

    Good luck. It is very rewarding but is extremely hard work. An Ou degree is NOT an easy option and should be conidered carefully. Some students find themselves struggling and perhaps more careful consideration might have prevented this. That said, most students love their time with OU and I know I am going to miss not studying with OU but I will be busy on my GTP :-)

    All the best!

    Chris
  • KC10
    KC10 Posts: 12 Forumite
    mum2one wrote: »
    Hi KC, forgot to ask what are you studying?

    Another thought have you applied for financial help,my post on the other page has the link to the financial are u entitled.

    Cant believe I start my next course in Oct, just as other finishes... hopefully get a break in nxt yr!! xx

    Sorry for slow reply!

    I'm going to be studying B121 Managing in the workplace for 30 credits and also A176 Start writing plays for 10 credits - both at the same time, hope I've not bitten off more than I can chew. I used credit transfer to bring my previous college studies over and was awarded 85 credits, so after these I'll have all the L1 study I need. I'm working towards the Open honours degree for now, as I've not quite made my mind up what exactly I want to do and didn't want to put off studying any longer - I've been trying to decide for 10 years and figured this year was the time to do something about it!!

    I don't qualify for any financial support so will be funding my studies myself from my meager monthly budget, hopefully with a little help from my employer in the second year depending on what I study. I'm struggling a little financially after separating from my partner at the start of the year, but I'm determined to make something good happen and not be held back so if it means I have to become a true student and eat toast and beans for year to manage, so be it!

    The Tesco thing has been great news, I've used 3 special points codes they had sent out that I wouldn't have been in the habbit of using and managed to get 1100 bonus points last month so far, that combined with my shopping should take me to another £80 worth of deal vouchers plus a bit more as I'm not sure what I've earned so far using my new Tesco Credit Card for everyday spending. My target is to pay the full £155 for the play writing course using vouchers if I can. Fingers crossed I get there. I will keeping my eyes peeled for more codes in July and August before the statements are due.
  • mum2one
    mum2one Posts: 16,279 Forumite
    Xmas Saver!
    KC10 - ur doing brilliantly, I never thought of credit transfer, I did a HNC Business and aiming for a BA HONS in business. I'm lucky get my courses paid for,thou the 1st yr I had to top up as I'd done Law and Business. Love to do Law, but found it heavy going.

    Did well got my TMA in last ngt with 24hrs spare, normally with extensions.

    Good luck with the course.

    Def gd idea with Tesco vouchers xx
    xx rip dad... we had our ups and downs but we’re always be family xx
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