Part-time > full-time previous study rule

Penguin90

Greetings

I've wanted to go to university to study a particularly niche degree for many years but unfortunately, I'm still too ill. I'm running out of things to do to pass the time, so I thought about the Open University - but I don't want to do anything that might make me ineligible for a future student loan.

Someone recently told me that you can study part-time with the Open University, and as long as you don't receive a qualification, it will not be counted as previous study if you later apply for a full-time student loan (and the full-time student loan application form appears to bear this out, it says "do not mention any course that you studied part-time where you did not achieve a qualification" in the 'previous study' section). I was sceptical because that is not what SFE told me when I first contacted them in 2013, so I phoned them up and to my surprise, they confirmed that this is indeed the case. I even wrote to my MP to ask him to contact SFE on my behalf and get an answer in writing, and they also confirmed this to be the case.

Has anybody heard of this before? It seems to contradict every bit of student finance advice I've ever read or been given, but I can't find any reason not to believe it.

Penguin90

Nobody? There must be some student finance buffs out there!

Taiko

The advice received is correct.

http://www.practitioners.slc.co.uk/media/1511/sfe-17-18-assessing-eligibility-guidance-chapter.pdf

Section 5.1 is the relevant part.

Penguin90

Taiko wrote: »

The advice received is correct.

http://www.practitioners.slc.co.uk/media/1511/sfe-17-18-assessing-eligibility-guidance-chapter.pdf

Section 5.1 is the relevant part.

So theoretically, I could study 300 credits (almost an entire degree) with the OU, but as long as I don't do the final module to get a qualification, it doesn't count as previous study? That is mad. Good news, but mad.

Penguin90

Can someone confirm?

GothicStirling

Penguin90 wrote: »

So theoretically, I could study 300 credits (almost an entire degree) with the OU, but as long as I don't do the final module to get a qualification, it doesn't count as previous study? That is mad. Good news, but mad.

300 OU points would still get you a 'general degree', its the last 60 points that gets you the 'honours' part. I don't understand why you would study part-time for five years, then one year short of having a degree, go and study for another 3/4? If you want to go to a 'traditional' university, then why not find one with an access/foundation programme, which adds only another year?

agrinnall

Penguin90 wrote: »

Can someone confirm?

See post #3. There are few people on here with better knowledge than Taiko. Thanking the post might be the polite thing to do.

Penguin90

GothicStirling wrote: »

300 OU points would still get you a 'general degree', its the last 60 points that gets you the 'honours' part. I don't understand why you would study part-time for five years, then one year short of having a degree, go and study for another 3/4? If you want to go to a 'traditional' university, then why not find one with an access/foundation programme, which adds only another year?

Because I have nothing to do at the moment, and I'm looking at a fairly long recovery. The degree I want to do is not offered at the OU, otherwise, I would do it.

agrinnall wrote: »

See post #3. There are few people on here with better knowledge than Taiko. Thanking the post might be the polite thing to do.

Indeed, but Taiko did not respond to the follow-up question.

Taiko

I interpreted your "follow up" as a rhetorical question, hence the lack of response. That is correct though.

Penguin90

Taiko wrote: »

I interpreted your "follow up" as a rhetorical question, hence the lack of response. That is correct though.

Ah, okay, no problem.

But Section 5.15 says:

"Where a student withdraws from their course after successfully completing enough credit for their HEP to award them an exit qualification, the student holds previous study and a lower level qualification.

When the student returns to study, their remaining entitlement to tuition loan is calculated in accordance with either regulation 21 or 22 dependent on the course that was initially commenced."

So if I took 300 credits (or indeed, 120) then I would qualify for an exit qualification, whether or not I claim it. This section seems to contradict the one you quoted above?

Penguin90

I hesitate to bump this thread again, but could someone read the above quote and tell me what it means?