Anyone doing a degree from home?

[estuaryfairy]

I'm a lone parent with a 16 mo dd and getting tax credits. I want to do a degree from home and then train as a teacher, but obviously would need financial help to pay course fees. Anyone have any advice please, as I really don't know where to start looking.

[Ivegotaheadache]

Best place to look at is the Open University. It has loads of different degree courses and it's all geared towards people in your situation.

If you're on benefits or low income you can get it paid for. You say you're getting tax credits but if you're getting IS as a lone parent you will get all your courses totally paid for.

I think a lot of the courses start in February so there's still time to enrol, so go for it!!

[estuaryfairy]

Thanks, I get working tax and child tax credits, not income support, so will have to look into what financial help I'm entitled to. Won't be able to afford it otherwise, no spare money to pay for a course. Will look into OU tomorrow. Have really set my heart on doing this, so I hope I'm able to.

[Ivegotaheadache]

I think it should work on a sliding scale of income which will determine how much support you would get. The OU website has a calculator thing I think to work it all out.

And I don't think your TC's are taken into account just your wage.

[allgonebellyup]

yes, your TCs are not taken into account.

You will get the full grant to pay your course fees, im sure of that.

[ChopsTheDuck]

agree you will get it fully paid for and you can also apply for a £250 grant for other costs. Housing benefit is another of the qualifying benefits. There is a calculator somewhere, will see if I can find it.

[ChopsTheDuck]

here you go. I'm assuming you live in England. The rules are slightly different in Wales or Scotland, but all the info is on there.

I'll finish mine next year, started as a single parent.

[estuaryfairy]

Thanks everyone, have had a quick look at the OU site and I can do an english lit degree in three levels (will get my head around that more when dd is with her dad tomorrow and I've got some time to really read through it all). Think I will get it paid for as I am v poor . ChopsTheDuck, how long has it taken you to get your degree?

[ChopsTheDuck]

mine will have taken me 6 years. But i had personal problems in my third year and messed it up. So I then took a year out and now repeating that course then do the last course next year.
The level one courses are fairly easy and it is possible to do two around kids. There is a noticeable jump each year though.
Good luck with it!

[allgonebellyup]

mine has taken 8yrs cos i had 2 yrs off in the middle to have a baby, then a nervous breakdown

[estuaryfairy]

Am starting an english lit degree in October!