Confused by Open university Financial support!

astonsmummy

Hi,
I was wondering if anyone can help, I have been looking on the open universtiy website and applied for the level 1 health and social care, The ready reckoner says i'm entitled to full course funding, it also says i may be entitled to £250 towards a pc, up to £2000 allowance for DS, plus £250 towards study expenses - is this correct??
Has any lone parents had any experience of this as to me i cant see how they would give away so much money

TIA xx

CIS

You only get the PC grant if the use of a PC is specfically noted for the course, but if the course is level 1 (less than 30 points) the funding criteria is different, its funbded by the OU itself, not government funding and I dont think you get the £250 grant which is made by the Students Loan Company.

The £2000 figure i sjust the extra income they allow you to have when they means test awards.

You can however use the government funding (course 30points +) and the OU's funding for short coeurses in full each year (they are mutually exclusive).

The short course funding info is conspicously absent from the website and the financial help calculator. I did have it explained in an email I got from them , but unfortunately I cant find that email now (OU delete older messgaes from your inbox).

Your quickest way of checking is to ring the local OU office and ask them (regional offices are shown on the wesbite).

astonsmummy

The course i'm doing is 60 points.

CIS

In that case you'll get the course grant of £250 + full funding if your on a low income.
Are you doing K100 ?, thats the same one as my wife's starting in sept.

I should have asked as its weird that some level 1 courses are 60points and get a certificate , but Ive got to do two level 2, 30point courses to get my cert.

iwanttosave_2

I have just finished k100, or at least I have done KZX100 which is the online version, I finished it 2 months early and I am waiting for everyone to catch up, it was really easy so don't be fased when you see how many books there are.

You get the full course paid for, £250 grant for study costs (I am not sure why you get this because there isnt anything that you need for it) and if you are doing the online version then you can recive the computer grant, where you buy a computer and you have to send them the recipt to prove you bought it. You only get this graant if the computer is essential to the course, where as if you just do K100 then you don't need it.

Good luck.

astonsmummy

Thnx wanty, was just about to pm you to ask u to read this thread! lol

iwanttosave_2

astonsmummy wrote:

Thnx wanty, was just about to pm you to ask u to read this thread! lol

Always watching I am

Arch-Angel

For what I know of this funding (studyed with the OU for a number of years now) - it is as good as it sounds! Part of the OU's mandate - if memory serves - is to enable everyone to benefit from study with the OU, not just those who can afford it.

Studying with the OU can be hard work, but the support facilities are excellent and the tutors are very supportive. Having completed my OU degree I've never looked back and consider it one of my best acheivements.

Best of luck!

Arch-Angel

CIS wrote:

I should have asked as its weird that some level 1 courses are 60points and get a certificate , but Ive got to do two level 2, 30point courses to get my cert.

It just depends on what certificate you're referring to - some have been acredited by the relevant professional bodies due to the requirements to study at Level 2. I wouldn't worry about it - however, unless you've already got existing knowledge to build on, I would recommend you take the related Level 1 course(s) first.

For those that are interested, Certificates generally need 60 points, Diplomas need 120 points (some of which may need to be at Level 3).

HTH

saintstreaky

As Iwant says, I don't think you get the PC grant for K100 - think it's only for courses where a computer is compulsory. Even if you're entitled to it you have to sign an agreement to say that you haven't already got a suitable computer.

Even if you don't get it this year, you might get it in a subsequent year if you do another course (you can only claim it once, btw, not every year!)

The £250 grant and course fees you would get every year, assuming they don't move the goalposts again.

I believe this funding is government policy for all part-time HE courses, not just the OU's (although to be fair they do have an extra fund for special circumstances). Whatever criticisms can be levelled at their HE policy, this is one thing they've got right IMO.