OU new fees £5,000 full time study ! ?

Zziggi

GothicStirling wrote: »

£9000 at a brick and mortar or £5000 at the OU, the OU is still a bargain. I'm taking a second degree in Classics starting in October, I didn't even blink. It was obvious they would raise the fees, lest they get left behind.

Next up, postgraduate fees.

But you won't be paying the increased fees. You'll get transitional funding.

MargB

And as well as transitional arrangements for those already working towards a degree, it looks like there will be different payments depending where in the UK you live.

The £5000 only applies to students in England. They are not sure about he rest of the UK yet and haven't mentioned students from outside the UK either.

At the moment it looks like postgrad courses will be cheaper than undergrad ones !!!

M

GothicStirling

MargB wrote: »

At the moment it looks like postgrad courses will be cheaper than undergrad ones !!!

M

I don't think that will last long! Same for International fees.

I already have a BA (Hons) in Scottish Literature, the Classics [at the OU] will be a second BA, before I go on to an MA in Classics - hopefully at Durham or Newcastle.

I'm also returning to Newcastle in the autumn because of the lack of opportunity in Scotland.

Acc72

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Is this really a good use of public funds?

People study (at the OU or other institutions) for a variety of reasons.

The OU makes education more accessable, particularly to people who may have not followed the traditional path of GCSE's at 16, "A" levels at 18, degree at 21.

I also prefer to live in a society where education is available to all, and where people are encouraged to pursue their interests and to improve their knowledge, and I believe that by promoting self improvement that society as a whole benefits.

So, in a nutshell - yes, I think that the OU is a good use of public funds

pearl123

Acc72 wrote: »

People study (at the OU or other institutions) for a variety of reasons.

The OU makes education more accessable, particularly to people who may have not followed the traditional path of GCSE's at 16, "A" levels at 18, degree at 21.

I also prefer to live in a society where education is available to all, and where people are encouraged to pursue their interests and to improve their knowledge, and I believe that by promoting self improvement that society as a whole benefits.

So, in a nutshell - yes, I think that the OU is a good use of public funds

Well said. I completely agree.

rp1982

I think the £5k for 120 credits is excellent value (£15k for a degree with the ou compared to £27k for a lot of the conventional Universities).

The loan is not repayable until you earn £21k - and after 30 years it is wiped off. If you are about to retire, then you would be eligible for the loan and potentially not need to pay it back.

I appreciate it is more expensive than before, but at the end of the day, its a lot cheaper and the OU is flexible for those who want a higher qualification and are unable to study full-time or in attendance.

Oldernotwiser

Acc72 wrote: »

So, in a nutshell - yes, I think that the OU is a good use of public funds

I also think that the OU is a good use of public funds; it was the "home hobby OU degree takers." mentioned by another poster that I was commenting on.
.

pearl123

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

I also think that the OU is a good use of public funds; it was the "home hobby OU degree takers." mentioned by another poster that I was commenting on.
.

Oldernotwiser -I'm an at home carer and have been since childhood. I'm glad the the OU supports "home hobby OU degree takers" ! For me the OU has given me hope. It would be very difficult for me to otherwise study with the demands of my caring role. I also pay my own fees.
Unfortunately, the new fee rules means I will have to study almost back-to-back to complete my studies with the given time period.
It's also worth mentioning there are huge number of people with health issues who are studying with the OU. Many of whom would not be able to otherwise.

What the OU offers is remarkable.

The are better examples of waste of public funds. Education is not one of them.
£185m on the Popes visit anyone ?

andyjohnbiker

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Oldernotwiser

pearl123 wrote: »

Oldernotwiser -I'm an at home carer and have been since childhood. I'm glad the the OU supports "home hobby OU degree takers" ! For me the OU has given me hope. It would be very difficult for me to otherwise study with the demands of my caring role. I also pay my own fees.
Unfortunately, the new fee rules means I will have to study almost back-to-back to complete my studies with the given time period.
It's also worth mentioning there are huge number of people with health issues who are studying with the OU. Many of whom would not be able to otherwise.

What the OU offers is remarkable.

The are better examples of waste of public funds. Education is not one of them.
£185m on the Popes visit anyone ?

Under the new rules, someone in your situation would still be able to study, even if taking out loans. In fact, in your situation (where you pay your own fees) you'd actually be better off taking out loans which you may never repay.