Help why are Open University students not allowed to claim maintenance loans?

saucyb86

I am currently studying 90 credits but increasing to 120 credits in February at the Open Uni, however i also work full time or am at least trying to, but finding it increasingly difficult so decided to cut my work hours, thinking i was entitled to more student loans and financial help. But it turns out that even though i am the equivalent of a full time student expecting to do around 35 hours study a week i am not entitled to the same help as a full time on campus student purely because i am studying with the OU.

How can i get more financial help. I filled the criteria except for the OU fact and am starting to stress how i can afford to live, work and study. I am not entitled to any benefits from the local council and we don't earn enough if i only do 30 hours a week working.

Has anyone been in this situation and found a solution? I already scrimp on everything as it is. I am a money-saver and this is killing me.

Thanks in advance

DCFC79

Can you take on a lodger ?

purcel

Open uni is supposed to be done around work or other commitments, so i suggest to increase back your work hours and study less( only in your spare time if poss). It will take you longer to finish it but it will prob cut down the stress levels as well. Sorry, but I don't think there are any grants or benefits for this

sniggings

you can still claim housing benefit if on a low income, and also working tax credits, to say you are not entitled to any benefits is wrong, far more benefits are payed to those working than those not.

If you are not entitled to any benefits then you must be earning too much, in which case you don't need a uni grant anyway.

I agree tho, it's unfair you are not allowed then same loans as other students, but they would have been means tested anyway, so you may have failed to get a loan even if a "proper" student.

jaybeetoo

Have you phoned the OU? They are very helpful if you talk to them.

jaybeetoo

purcel wrote: »

Open uni is supposed to be done around work or other commitments

Not true. It can be done as part-time or full-time study.

jacques_chirac

jaybeetoo wrote: »

Not true. It can be done as part-time or full-time study.

purcel is correct, the reason OU does not attract full time finding is because it is intended to be fitted in around work. There is nothing to stop you studying full time, but you will not be funded to do so.

Dunroamin

jaybeetoo wrote: »

Not true. It can be done as part-time or full-time study.

However many credits you choose to study at one time, OU study is by definition part time which is why there isn't any maintenance funding available. The OU doesn't offer full time courses.

GothicStirling

Its not just the OU. The reason that tuition fees were introduced for part-time students was to encourage a higher uptake of mature learners who didn't want to leave their jobs (up until then we were self financing anyway.) If you take a part-time course BA at a regular university or Distance Learning from a university like Birkbeck, Leicester or UCL you still only receive tuition fees, so its not like they are singling out the OU.

I'm currently studying at Leicester DL (self-financing as I already have a degree) and I'm going to take this semester out and start year 2 in June, as I just can't afford the £900 at the moment.

emsywoo123

It also depends where you are. I'm an OU student (120 credits a year) in England and we get tuition fee loan if eligible.

I have friends studying in Wales who get parent allowance and all sorts as well.

We are eligible to apply for certain hardship or special example funds, but by no means guarenteed and they are for specific one off payments.

DomRavioli

emsywoo123 wrote: »

It also depends where you are. I'm an OU student (120 credits a year) in England and we get tuition fee loan if eligible.

I have friends studying in Wales who get parent allowance and all sorts as well.

We are eligible to apply for certain hardship or special example funds, but by no means guarenteed and they are for specific one off payments.

That depends on when you started and if you are on transitional arrangements - I'm at OU and get financial assistance, not tuition loans.