Open University Grant

michthedolphin

Hi there, I've recently started M150.

In a letter it says 'Your entire course fee has been paid for by your approved fee grant of £415.00. Your total grant entitlement for this academic year is £650.00, and you have £235.00 remaining to count towards future 30 or 60 credit point courses starting before 01-Sep-2011.

According to a website, people living in wales cannot get a pc grant. So will they pay the £235 into my bank in a few weeks? As I was hoping to get a laptop to do the work on. Thanks for help

Tigsteroonie

No.

Simply put, you have £235 credit to put towards another OU module before 1st September next year.

It is not cash that you can put your hands on to spend on what you choose, whether or not such purchase (PC) will help you with your course.

I'm sorry, I'm not up to speed with what other grants may be available to help you, but I have always found the OU course useful in clarifying entitlement.

michthedolphin

Thanks!

But on the Open University Financial Support eligibility checker... It states:

• Your fees paid up to a value of £650 for courses of at least 30 points totalling up to 60 credit points.
• A course grant of £1095 to help with study expenses.

Can I use the 'Course Grant' to get a laptop?
Cheers

Tigsteroonie

If you are eligible, I'm guessing so! Why not call your OU Regional Centre tomorrow and ask?

I can see why you are confused now, their letter would have been better phrased as "your fees entitlement is £650 ....".

There is a big long thread somewhere around here with OU students past & present, somebody there might have experience of the grant application system. TBH I'm surprised that I'm the only response you've had!

michthedolphin

Yes it is confusing Thanks for the help

According to the Open University FAQ:
When will I receive my Course Grant?

Your non-repayable Course Grant will be paid directly into your bank account by the Student Loans Company. If you are a continuing student you should receive the payment within four weeks of your course or module start date. If the Course Grant is for your first OU course or module, the payment may take up to 6 weeks.

Course Grant:
Household income below £24,925 for a full award, and £27,615 for a partial award, plus allowances for dependants*. A full Course Grant is worth £1,075, partial Course Grant will be a minimum of £50.

I only earn £8000 pa, so I'm in the threshold. I'm only doing a 30 point course so I'm unsure if i will be entitled to the full or partial course grant.

Thanks for helping

amiehall

My word!! Your lack of a pc grant is more than made up for by your course grant! £1095!! I'm so jealous. Students in England get a measly £265...

Jealousy aside :P Anything you've been awarded for fees you use or lose. None of the spare fees money can be taken as cash. Set it towards another course in the same academic year or just ignore it.

Your course grant should be paid directly into your bank account some time after the start of your course. You can use it for whatever you like, food, beer, travel to tutorials, a holiday, whatever! If you earn under the threshold for the full award, you will receive all the money. If you earn between the two salaries you get a partial award and over that you get nothing. So you should get the full amount.

If you need a new computer, you can use your course grant to pay for it. Just to clarify as well, the grant is to last the full academic year, if you do another course starting later in the year, you won't be given another grant it's one per year.

Hope that clears things up? Any more questions, just shout

michthedolphin

Hi Amiehall, thank you for the post and info! :beer:

Would be great if I do get it, I'm still not convinced that i will get it though :doh:

Thanks again

popadom

Ive had it twice in two years...it is normally 3 weeks after the course start
you get 650 for courses and £1095 for a grant- anything you want to spend on-you dont pay back!

michthedolphin

Thanks guys, got it a few days ago, well chuffed

Already spent 500 on pc components, putting it together myself, should be a beast when up and running.

Struggling to get my head around the binary introduction in course work though :mad:

OUStudent

michthedolphin wrote: »

Thanks guys, got it a few days ago, well chuffed

Already spent 500 on pc components, putting it together myself, should be a beast when up and running.

Struggling to get my head around the binary introduction in course work though :mad:

Hello

I am looking at starting this course myself next February along with the discovering maths one, I too am from Wales (Cardiff) and am looking at figuring out the funding side of things.

How are you enjoying the course? ANy tips or suggestions? You have been on it since September? Is it what you expected?

qurious

In Northern Ireland you where allowed £250 towards the cost of a computer, this was last year, as most course work these days are submitted online, I was given aGrant of £750 for the course which cost £610 to study. The OU allowed me the £250 for the computer and the £140 to buy a PC. I had to get proof from Curry's to show that I bought the computer and how much was paid so I would think that they would allow you to use the balance of the grant to by a PC.