open university information/funding

dinkie_2

Hi

I was just wanting to ask more details about the funding that's available for OU. I understand that with being on IB and trying the online test about eligibility, that I could well be eligible, but there is a note at the bottom about there may be other conditions necessary to fulfil.

I've emailed the OU with an initial enquiry, but don't know if it will take a week or so to hear back, and am just wanting to ask here as I don't want to build my hopes up if the facts are that there would still be a significant amount to pay! OU looks really ideal, even down to providing exams at home if it isn't possible to attend an exam centre, which would be a brilliant solution for my circumstances over the next 2 or 3 years.

Basically, I can't afford to pay anything much at all, trying really hard to clear overdraft of years, which is very hard to do on IB! But having to wait for operations, trying to use time as best I can and have been teaching myself spanish for about 18 months on and off, which I love, but I feel that if it is at all possible to have the luck to be able to study spanish with the OU, that this could really help with employment after surgeries, or even near the end of studies/surgeries, so I could contribute something job-wise even in a small way working online from home, and hopefully earn a little too!

Would much appreciate any advice.
Thanks, Cat

equine_induced_poverty

ok, the conditions include being a uk citizen and not having arrears on a Student Loan from the Student Loans Co. I get my courses paid for, got a £250 grant for PC, a £250 grant for study expenditure, a Disabled student allowance to travel to tutorials. This is my first OU course and it is brilliant. The courses lead you in nice and gently and the standard of instruction is brilliant. I LOVE IT! It is very supportive of sick and disabled people and will bend over backwards to help you. The other students are as supportive as the folks on MSE too. Please go for it, it is the best thing I have ever done.

dinkie_2

Hi equine_induced_poverty

Many thanks for post. Great that you enjoy the OU so much and find it and the other students so supportive. The funding sounds great, and to be able to study with such a highly regarded place is such a good opportunity.

Can I just ask ... I studied in 2000/1 and got a Fine Art HND (had to leave before the 3rd year due to health), but with having to be on IB, haven't yet started to pay back Student Loan. Regarding arrears, do you mean if I had started to make the payments, and missed some, or is it that having a Student Loan that's waiting to be paid off once I earn enough would be a problem?

Many thanks, Cat

CIS

Financial support help is available here

http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/about/p6_1.shtml

dinkie_2

CIS wrote:

Financial support help is available here

http://www3.open.ac.uk/courses/about/p6_1.shtml

Hi CIS

I should have said which pages I was looking at regarding the paragraph at the bottom that says about needing to fulfil other conditions too (not very awake today!) ... I'd read all the pages I could find, including the one you've posted the link for, but many thanks for posting the link.

Thanks, Cat

dinkie_2

Hi, just bumping it up. Can I ask (still waiting to hear from the OU) if having a Student Loan previously (haven't started paying it back yet, and surgeries due over next 2-3 years) is going to block OU study. Realise if this is the case, nobody's going to be keen to post that! but I'd rather know. If it is the case that previous Student Loan blocks OU, I've just read that OU is putting a lot of courses online for free in October, so that'll be something positive to work with. Great that OU's doing that; really impressive. Thanks, Cat

Dora_the_Explorer_5

dinkie wrote:

Hi, just bumping it up. Can I ask (still waiting to hear from the OU) if having a Student Loan previously (haven't started paying it back yet, and surgeries due over next 2-3 years) is going to block OU study. Realise if this is the case, nobody's going to be keen to post that! but I'd rather know. If it is the case that previous Student Loan blocks OU, I've just read that OU is putting a lot of courses online for free in October, so that'll be something positive to work with. Great that OU's doing that; really impressive. Thanks, Cat

Sorry I can't add anything useful which would help you on the money front, but wanted to say thank you very much for posting about the free online stuff which I hadn't heard about. I have an OU degree and have wanted to do another one but I've been time poor ever since. Now I'm a bit richer timewise and a bit poorer moneywise this is terrific moneysaving information.

dinkie_2

Dora_the_Explorer wrote:

Sorry I can't add anything useful which would help you on the money front, but wanted to say thank you very much for posting about the free online stuff which I hadn't heard about. I have an OU degree and have wanted to do another one but I've been time poor ever since. Now I'm a bit richer timewise and a bit poorer moneywise this is terrific moneysaving information.

Hi Dora

Thanks for your message. Nice of you to post. I'd found out about the OU posting courses online when surfing for more information in just about every corner of Google! Just managed to find the link again ... http://www.publictechnology.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=4618

The Open University has unveiled a £5.65 million project to make a selection of its learning materials available free of charge to educators and learners around the world.

Supported by a grant of US $4.45 million from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation the University will launch the website in October 2006.

The provision on the internet of ‘Open Educational Resources’, free at point of use and available to everyone, reflects The Open University’s mission of promoting fair access for all. During the initial phase of this initiative, the University will select and make available educational resources from all study levels from access to postgraduate and from a full range of subject themes: arts and history, business and management, health and lifestyle, languages, science and nature, society and technology. Learners will also be able to benefit from a range of study skills development material.

Definitely sounds good, doesn't it! Was relieved to find the information, especially if I don't qualify for funding. Glad you'll be able to enjoy studying further.

(Also http://education.guardian.co.uk/elearning/story/0,,1728283,00.html)

Thanks, Cat

equine_induced_poverty

just discovered if you are disabled you can defer for a longer time period. If you are permanently disabled you dont have to pay it back at all. The arrears in the student loan only mean what you are behind with payments wise, I was three years evading capture and had to cough up to get my funding (!!!!!!!!!!). However if you add up the cost of the courses, the grants, the DSA travel expenses I come out on top, just! Not sure if you owe the SLC or you have had a loan that is up to date and deferred.

dinkie_2

equine_induced_poverty wrote:

just discovered if you are disabled you can defer for a longer time period. If you are permanently disabled you dont have to pay it back at all. The arrears in the student loan only mean what you are behind with payments wise, I was three years evading capture and had to cough up to get my funding (!!!!!!!!!!). However if you add up the cost of the courses, the grants, the DSA travel expenses I come out on top, just! Not sure if you owe the SLC or you have had a loan that is up to date and deferred.

Hi equine_induced_poverty

You did well to last 3 years .. quite a feat! I'm not permanently disabled at this point, and I have an SL that is outstanding but not liable to begin payments until I'm earning enough to start paying anything off, which will be at least another 2-3 years, longer if surgeries don't go well or more health issues come up. So at the earliest it will be at least 6-7 years after first getting that SL that I start paying it back. I'm easily muxed ip this week, so am probably not catching on properly! ... is it that OU funding isn't possible if there is any previous SL outstanding at all? Would it be a case of me having had my allocated amount, whether DLA or OU, so would need to fund myself at some point if I wanted to study further?

Don't know if the free courses going online in October would be certificated, or if it's simply that the study materials are going online ... that's great in itself, but it would be really great to be able to get the qualifications too.

Thanks, Cat

Savvy_Sue

dinkie wrote:

Don't know if the free courses going online in October would be certificated, or if it's simply that the study materials are going online ... that's great in itself, but it would be really great to be able to get the qualifications too.

I can't imagine that you could get certificated for free ... I imagine it's just course materials (and probably not all of a whole course, either). It may sound mean, but there are costs involved in assessing and certifying students, especially to maintain high standards. Plus the student support, tutorials etc.