Can I study full time at open university if i am claiming lcwra

pepsiabi

Hi! I’m New!
I’m classed as unfit for work and do not need to actively search for work due to having a condition called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome and Mental Health difficulties. 

I really want to study to give me something to do and to help towards when I am allowed to go back to work. I know Open University offer Full Time Courses but are still classed as Part Time as the only Student Loan you get is to pay your tuition fees, you aren’t given any extra funding for yourself, I know the full time study is full on but it is what I feel I need to help me bring my confidence levels back up and I love studying and learning.

So do you think i’ll be able to apply and it not affect my current benefits of Limited Capability Work Related Activity and Universal Credit? Or am I going to have to inform the DWP and find out. I don’t want to get in trouble if it is something i’m not allowed to do.

All advice is much appreciated
Thank you
Abi  

poppy12345

Fuill time students can only claim UC in certain circumstances. See link. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/universal-credit-and-students

Spoonie_Turtle

pepsiabi said:

Hi! I’m New!
I’m classed as unfit for work and do not need to actively search for work due to having a condition called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome and Mental Health difficulties. 

I really want to study to give me something to do and to help towards when I am allowed to go back to work. I know Open University offer Full Time Courses but are still classed as Part Time as the only Student Loan you get is to pay your tuition fees, you aren’t given any extra funding for yourself, I know the full time study is full on but it is what I feel I need to help me bring my confidence levels back up and I love studying and learning.

So do you think i’ll be able to apply and it not affect my current benefits of Limited Capability Work Related Activity and Universal Credit? Or am I going to have to inform the DWP and find out. I don’t want to get in trouble if it is something i’m not allowed to do.

All advice is much appreciated
Thank you
Abi  

Who is it that says the course is Part-Time?

From http://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2019-0465/Students_Eligibility_conditionality_and_student_income_v14.0.pdf

"Full Time course
The term full time applies to the course itself and not to the student’s attendance. It is usually decided by the educational establishment or based on the usual time spent studying by a student. A person who attends a full time course on a part time basis is still a full time student."

However if you meet one of the exception criteria it doesn't matter too much, though it would be best to give UC accurate info if you do go ahead with it anyway.

pepsiabi

Thanks for getting back to me, because open university is distance learning you never go to a campus, it also says on their website you apply for a part time loan even if you choose to do a full time study

it also says somewhere on their website if you choose to do a full time course your still classed as a part time student so this usually means your benefits are unaffected. 

Hence why i’m getting so confused haha!  

pepsiabi

This is what it says under fees and funding and why i’m getting confused lol.
“All OU (Open University) students are considered part-time students. That means, even if you choose to study at full-time equivalent intensity, you’ll be a part-time student and your eligibility to claim government benefits and/or to fund your studies with a Part-time Tuition Fee loan will usually be unaffected.”

pepsiabi

And here is the part about even if you do a full time study you apply for a part time loan.

“First, register with us for the qualification you'd like to study. Choose your modules and tell us you'll be applying for a loan. Then, apply for a Part-Time Tuition Fee Loan starting in the 2020/21 academic year online via Student Finance England (you’ll apply for a Part-Time Tuition Fee Loan even if you plan to study at a full-time rate of 120 credits or more)”

Mrs_Ryan

I’m a current OU student and it is quite correct in that OU is always classed as part time, even when studying 120 credits (which I’m currently doing) I work p/t though and claim PIP so it doesn’t affect benefits in my case. 

calcotti

pepsiabi said:

This is what it says under fees and funding and why i’m getting confused lol.
“All OU (Open University) students are considered part-time students. That means, even if you choose to study at full-time equivalent intensity, you’ll be a part-time student and your eligibility to claim government benefits and/or to fund your studies with a Part-time Tuition Fee loan will usually be unaffected.”

So you have answered your own question. The OU course is classified as part time and does not affect your benefit entitlement.

If you get PIP as well as having LCWRA you would be able to claim benefits while attending a full time course too.

pepsiabi

Yeah I have answered my own question really lol, currently I don’t claim pip only UC and LCWRA so i’m assuming thats still ok?

pepsiabi

Then it says on the UC website this:
“ If you attend a full-time course on a part-time basis, you will be treated as studying full-time.”

But i’m guessing thats only if you are attending a university in person and receiving more than just a tuition fee loan? 

calcotti

pepsiabi said:

Then it says on the UC website this:
“ If you attend a full-time course on a part-time basis, you will be treated as studying full-time.”

But i’m guessing thats only if you are attending a university in person and receiving more than just a tuition fee loan? 

I think it's reasonable to assume that the advice given on the Open University website which you quoted earlier is correct.