Will she be a student or not???

robindunne1

My wife is currently a stay at home mum and is contemplating doing a course at the Open University. Is there a minimum amount of hours that someone has to study to be classed as a student?

Just wandering if this will make us eligible for the 25% discount for council tax.

black-saturn

Good point. I'm doing a correspondence course from the OU and I have enquired about getting discounts and about joining the Student Union which gives you the right to other discounts too. I have been told I dont qualify as being a real student as I dont go to an establishment to study.

robindunne1

Heck - when I was a student there weren't many of us that went to the establishment to study either!

Andy_L

black-saturn wrote:

Good point. I'm doing a correspondence course from the OU and I have enquired about getting discounts and about joining the Student Union which gives you the right to other discounts too. I have been told I dont qualify as being a real student as I dont go to an establishment to study.

you can get an NUS Associate card
http://www2.open.ac.uk/ousa/p4_3.shtml

Andy

skylight

Home study courses dont count! (typical!).

You can get a NUS Asscociate card being with the OU - still £10, but the available discounts are naff http://www.nusonline.co.uk/about/nusassociatecard/ousa/270996.aspx - you cant get a "real" NUS card with the OU - its new for 05/06!

Council Tax and other stuff, houseing benefit etc do not apply as youare not going to and studying at an establishment!

Andy_L

robindunne1 wrote:

My wife is currently a stay at home mum and is contemplating doing a course at the Open University. Is there a minimum amount of hours that someone has to study to be classed as a student?

Just wandering if this will make us eligible for the 25% discount for council tax.

It's varied between councils as to whether it counts or not. 120 points of courses/year is the same as a full time student. Worth asking your council what there stance is

Andy