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Open University and ESA
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DomRavioli wrote: »You need to sort your MH issues first. You won't be able to study and achieve anywhere near your potential, and tutorials are very very helpful.
And apologies for the incorrect link, I'm on a different funding stream so I have no clue on it.
I can see where you are coming from, but you can study and have mental health problems. I've done an Access Course to get a place in university whilst extremely unwell. Then completed one year of university before dropping out because of mental health issues. During my two years of therapy I also re-took some GCSE's at my local college, ok not on par with a degree but still some form of studying. I found it helped take my mind of those therapy sessions.0 -
BlueEyedGirl wrote: »Do you know how hard it is to undergo weekly therapy sessions and the added toll this can have to someone with a diagnosed mental health condition? As someone who has undergone TWO years of therapy twice weekly on the NHS I was in no position to work because therapy in fact made me a whole lot worst before any improvement was seen in my mental health. Or perhaps someone like you would have liked me to have attended a job during the inpatient stays and suicide attempts?
I managed to do voluntary work during my therapy but this was incredibly flexible so if I was too unwell I could skip my work. I cannot see a paid employer being as generous!
I'm sure that coping with MH is extremely difficult.
OU assignment deadlines are slightly flexible if you need a small extension, but basically if you don't submit work on time or shortly after then you fail, it's as simple as that.
I'm not saying that life should end if you have MH. I'm saying it would be a shame to throw away a small fortune in tuition fees if you bite off more than you can chew and struggle to keep up with the course due to other circumstances.
There are plenty of other courses available that don't have set timelines - you get the books, study at a pace that suits you and book the exam when you feel ready. With OU, if you don't stick to the timeline you fail, and pay another small fortune if you decide to try again next year.0 -
A good friend of mine has studied with the OU for many years. Got her degree and MA whilst working full time in a management position, she also suffered with anxiety and depression on and off. She's now looking to study for her PHD in London.0
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I'm sure that coping with MH is extremely difficult.
OU assignment deadlines are slightly flexible if you need a small extension, but basically if you don't submit work on time or shortly after then you fail, it's as simple as that.
I'm not saying that life should end if you have MH. I'm saying it would be a shame to throw away a small fortune in tuition fees if you bite off more than you can chew and struggle to keep up with the course due to other circumstances.
There are plenty of other courses available that don't have set timelines - you get the books, study at a pace that suits you and book the exam when you feel ready. With OU, if you don't stick to the timeline you fail, and pay another small fortune if you decide to try again next year.
I agree, but the beauty of the OU is that you can study small chunks at your own pace which is ideal for someone starting out. Although I do advise doing some smaller credit courses before jumping in and trying for a degree.
Another plus is that for someone on sickness benefit or who is not working they do not have to pay back a student loan until they are earning £21,000 (That figure might have changed!)0 -
BlueEyedGirl wrote: »I can see where you are coming from, but you can study and have mental health problems. I've done an Access Course to get a place in university whilst extremely unwell. Then completed one year of university before dropping out because of mental health issues. During my two years of therapy I also re-took some GCSE's at my local college, ok not on par with a degree but still some form of studying. I found it helped take my mind of those therapy sessions.
Did you have a full time job while you were doing these course?0 -
Who said anyone should give up on life? You seem a bit quick to class people as judgmental. It's only Tea-Bag's post which seems judgmental to me.
Other posters are just pointing out how OU can be stressful (even more so than a job) and often ideally involves leaving the house to interact with others on the course, although I understand they'll probably accommodate home exams etc for people with disabilities.
It's unclear whether the OP wants to study with the OU due to being interested in a specific line of work which requires a degree, or if they just believe doing a course will make them more employable at the end of the course, when hopefully they are able to work. If it's the latter, wouldn't voluntary work possibly be a better alternative? The OU course probably wouldn't offer much in the way of building/rebuilding everything that involves leaving the house and holding down a job, whereas a voluntary role which is understanding of the OPs situation may be more helpful with eventually becoming employed, if that is the end goal.0 -
Thomas_The_Tank_Top wrote: »Did you have a full time job while you were doing these course?
No, I was claiming Incapacity Benefit back then.0 -
BlueEyedGirl wrote: »I agree, but the beauty of the OU is that you can study small chunks at your own pace which is ideal for someone starting out. Although I do advise doing some smaller credit courses before jumping in and trying for a degree.
You can study small chunks at your own pace to an extent, but only within the strict timeline set by the OU.
You have at least 4 assignments per module due throughout the year (my current module has 7) with set deadlines. The assignment scores make up around 50% of your final result, so missing them is not an option. Small extensions can be offered if you are struggling, but not normally by more than a week or so as this will leave you struggling to get back on track in time for the next assignment. End of year assignment deadlines and exam dates are non-negotiable.0 -
If it's the latter, wouldn't voluntary work possibly be a better alternative? The OU course probably wouldn't offer much in the way of building/rebuilding everything that involves leaving the house and holding down a job, whereas a voluntary role which is understanding of the OPs situation may be more helpful with eventually becoming employed, if that is the end goal.
First off, the quote button is a handy tool to use on the forum when replying to a specific post.
I've done voluntary work for three organisations whilst I have been mentally unwell, but now when I want to go back into paid work I still cannot find a job, this is despite gaining a lot of valuable experience in my job roles. I've also studied, because I felt it was better than 'doing nothing' because I had hoped one day when I was well enough to work it would help me find a job. Sadly that has not been the case, and 8 months on from job hunting I've not had one interview, this alone has affected my mental health again and I am almost back to where I was before I started therapy, i.e trying my hardest not to self harm or overdose.0 -
Hi,
I am a fellow "!!!!less scrounger" currently claiming JSA and studying with the OU-all study at the OU and other distance learning institutions is counted as part time but if they ask how many hours you do it's 15 hours a week. You are entitled to claim ESA and JSA (not both at once obviously .) as a part time student.You can get a tuition fee loan to pay the full fees from student finance England and you pay it back gradually when you are earning so much a year-I think it's 20,000 or something like that.Be warned though it can get really stressful-you don't get as much help as if you were at a brick uni and they do expect you to do quite a lot of work in a short time-I've had 14 hour study sessions trying to finish the assignments on time sometimes and I only work very part time hence the JSA.However the flexibility of being able to study at 1am in my bed or on the bus on my phone is brilliant and it will fit nicely around any job you take as long as you're good at managing your time.
Don't be upset by the idiots who read too much Daily mail either.0
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