open university

Jamie1984_2

I'm about to start a 3 year full time degree in social sciences through the open university, because I have a 2.5 year old daughter and I wanted to stay at home. I've had trouble finding a student account that don't want a ucas letter, and I wouldn't get a current account since I don't work at the moment. Does anyone know of a bank that doesn't require a ucas letter? I have letters from the OU and the bank could phone them to determine student status. Had anyone else had this problem?

Thanks for your help

mbamick

Hi Jamie,

I'm afraid I can't help with any specific bank, but it might be worth contacting The Open University Student Association (OUSA) via http://www2.open.ac.uk/ousa/p4_2.shtml.

They issue OUSA cards for members, which will help you get formally recognised as a student for discounts, etc.

Moreover, if you contact them with your bank account question, they may the answer you are looking for. Good luck.

Mick

Voyager2002

The special student accounts are generally only available to people with funding, ie student loans. I don't think you can get a student loan for Open University study, because the OU is mainly for part-time students (I think that you are, in effect, doing two part-time courses at once to make up a full-time load).

You should be able to get a "basic" bank account, and after six months upgrade it to an ordinary current account.

Zziggi

Voyager2002 wrote:

The special student accounts are generally only available to people with funding, ie student loans. I don't think you can get a student loan for Open University study, because the OU is mainly for part-time students (I think that you are, in effect, doing two part-time courses at once to make up a full-time load).

You should be able to get a "basic" bank account, and after six months upgrade it to an ordinary current account.

You can get student loans for p/t OU courses now. Just look at the OU applications forms. Explain you are a FULL TIME higher education student, who happens to be studying with the OU. Banks are more interested in the "full time" element rather than the choice of institution when offering student accounts.

Voyager2002, are you an ex-OU student of a few years standing? Don't take this the wrong way, but i've read a couple of your replies to OP's who have asked questions regarding the OU(finance, funding, regulations) and your advice has been outdated.