OU degree funding

[Notthesoap]

I'm looking at studying for a degree with the OU. I looked up the fees and I think I would potentially qualify for funding.

I do work 4 days a week with a long commute and have two kids, one at primary school and the other is just two.

Would it be doable? I don't really get a lot of spare time (hardly ever) and usually once the kids are in bed I'm too knackered to do anything. OU expects around 16-18 hours study per week for a p/t course.

Can it be be done? My commute is in the car so I can't read materials in my journey to/from work. I'm out of the house for 8am.

Also I have a mortgage. What funding would I receive if I worked around my job? If this isn't doable now, I'll have to look into it when the youngest goes to school.

TIA

[Notthesoap]

Bump

[Notthesoap]

Found the answers vaguely on another thread.

Thanks to all those who took the time to reply 😂😂😂

[FarFrom]

I dont know about funding these days - but please consider it. The OU opens doors. The degrees are excellent (really high level) and open doors to people who otherwise might not be able to find opportunity. Good luck!

[Notthesoap]

Thanks far from. I've read on here that people manage it with young kids and full time jobs. So I guess I'd manage. I've enquired about a particular course on the website for Geography and Environmental Science so I will see what they say.

Thanks

[WaitrosePigeon]

Have you done a degree before?

If not you will be entitled to Student Finance. You won’t pay a penny.

[WaitrosePigeon]

Well you pay a proportion back once you earn over 21k I think. It’s exactly the same student finance that an 18yr old would get at the start of their Uni course. Everyone is entitled to it.

[laurzj82]

I'm a first year OU student. It's totally doable while working/kids. I would suggest having a look at your timetable and working out when you can study. Many of the OU books are available as audio so you could listen on your commute.

If you don't already have a degree you will probably qualify for student finance.

Good luck

[CappuccinoCake]

You could try a level 1 course or one of the introductory ones. It wouldnt comit you for the whole degree and you would get a feel for how the ou works.

I think the OU is amazing.

[CappuccinoCake]

You would obviously need to work out how to find time. If knackered once kids are in bed you could curl up in bed with a textbook or watch or read something online.

You may not need the 18 hours every week as you pace yourself to the assessments but you need to work out how you would make chunks of time to study.

[wowbutter]

You would probably only receive student finance to cover your course fees, with nothin left over.
I doubt you'd need that long to study, I do in average two hours a week.
I've done a BA with the ou, and am doing my MA now.
But, I spot study, and skip a lot of the material that isn't relevant to assignments or interesting to me personally. I just don't have the time for it all.
You can read articles while the tv is on, some courses have it on videos so you can cook etc while watching. It's worth a shot as it does open a lot of doors.

[Notthesoap]

Erm I forgot to mention, I did a degree years ago in a completely unrelated subject. So I don't think I'd qualify for the student finance thing but I have asked anyway on the off chance.

[Smellylittleorange]

STEM courses ypu can get funding for again through student loans. There is no maintenance funding with OU but you get the course fees covered..the one you want to do is on the list
www.open.ac.uk/courses/fees-and-funding/equivalent-qualifications

Things to consider....do modules have compulsory residential schools ?
How long do you want to take.?
(Usually students do 60 /120 credits per year doing 120/120 is v tough with work etc)
If on facebook you can join student set up module groups to get more of an idea of assessment/workload etc

I do History modules after i did some credits undergrad in unrelated subject...is so interesting in some ways it is like an escape ftom my everyday stresses. There is lots of reading and some online activities to do. Library resources are great .

If you are looking to get qualified for a particular reason e.g secondary teaching make sure the course is right for this and has the right amount of modules in the subject you need recognition for

Get yourself some gorgeous stationery, protect your study time and your away!

[Notthesoap]

That is very helpful Smelly and it looks like I can use my first UG degree to transfer credits.

[HSMMaCM]

I did OU. I decided not to transfer credits, because the first couple of courses really ease you into the subject and the way they work.

I worked full time and I did need to set aside time to work (mostly in the car outside my DD's dance school).

[Smellylittleorange]

Just thought I'd pop back and say how much OU study is doing for my confidence levels. I have a stressful job in an Academic environment...in some waya it reduces my levels of anxiety I get to switch off whilst studying. Sounds weird but I get engrossed in it and the work niggles are gone. I'm not so anxious about writing reports etc (especially if the audience are Academic) which helps me in workplace no end

[PersianCatLady]

I did an OU degree from 2011 - 2017 (BSc (Hons) Computing & IT).

On Wednesday I went to an interview for a place on a teacher training scheme and all three of the panel members commented on how they admire applicants with OU degrees.

Every now and again you will hear people refer to "proper degrees and OU degrees".

The sort of people who say things like this aren't people who understand the system properly.

In terms of employers and education, the people who matter. They just think of the dedication that getting an OU degree takes and also the complicated circumstances in which people study for them.

[Notthesoap]

Thanks for taking the time to reply, I am definitely going to look into this and probably apply. It may not be this year as my youngest is still quite needy but I now know roughly how much my fees will be and I also think I'd stand a better chance of getting my head into studying when youngest is a bit older.

Thanks all, you've been most helpful x