Advice on OU

[amd4578]

Evening all,

Just looking for a bit of advice on the Open University in particular the funding for it. I am at the stage in my life [early 30s] where i would really like to be progressing in my career. In every job i do i seem to go a couple of steps up the ladder and then that is as far as i can go. At this point most companies will then only hire people for higher positions with a degree.

I have been thinking of doing a degree in business management with the Open University. The only thing i am concerned about is financing it. I actually went to university after college 15 years ago but realized half way through the year that i was really only there for the social side of it so decided to leave. At the time i had a only done one and a bit terms of the course. From what i am reading it seems i should be able to get funding for a full time course plus one year. Does this mean that as i left during my first year i should be able to apply for student finance for the OU 3 year course even tho the other course i studied was over 10 years ago?

Just dont really want to get excited if its likely i wont even get the finance for it. I Hope this has made sense.

thanks

I've been doing open university courses now for years. I'm currently doing a degree in engineering with them and I funded this with a student loan. Get in touch with the open university and find out which course you want to do and enrol yourself on it and then get in touch with the student loans company who will be able to advise you further on the actual student loan that you will need. My 84 year old mother is also doing an open university course and she has a student loan. Good luck it is extremely good fun.

Thank you for that, from looking it would be about 18k for the tuition fee loan, my big concern would be if i enrolled [ it says i cant do that until march for the course that starts in October?] then the tuition fee loan was rejected then i would not know what to do. WE have about 20k debt as a family [part of the reason i need to start progressing to get this down] and am worried this will effect the chances of being approved for the student finance.

Your existing debt won’t impact your chance of a Student Finance loan

Everyone is entitled to the length of their course and a gift year. So you would have been entitled to four assuming your first course was 3 years. You’ve used one year which leaves you three. Enough for your degree with OU.

Thats great thanks for your help guys.

Exciting times ahead for me if i pull my finger out of my arse now.

Thats great thanks for your help guys.

Exciting times ahead for me if i pull my finger out of my arse now.

Thats great thanks for your help guys.

Exciting times ahead for me if i pull my finger out of my arse now.

The other one to check with the OU is whether they can award you any credit for your half a year of study. If they can, it would reduce how long it takes you to get a degree. Look at the information on their website on credit transfer.