Has anybody transferred to the Open University from another university? If so, could you please help?

[GrandmasCat]

I have a student who due to personal circumstances needs to leave his current university and study the last year of his degree at the Open University.

He has managed to transfer 210 credits from his previous university but it is struggling to apply for a loan as the application process appears to be so different to the one he followed when applying for his previous loans. For starters, online form only allows to choose nursing if you choose the Open University.

How can he indicate his degree? He signed up for a module but it doesn’t say anywhere in his OU record which degree he is selected, he tries to “claim a degree” it says he only has 30 credits which I suspect it is the stage 3 module he registered for but, as his transferred credits are not showing in his record (but do somewhere else in the website) he is only allowed to choose stage 1 Courses but not the stage 3 he needs.

@GrandmasCat Does the OU work as a standard uni year offering the same credits? Isn’t it part time? As a result does it not have a different structure? Not sure if it qualifies for loans in the same way either as it’s not standard uni provision.

I think he's going to have to call them to sort it out. Best of luck to him.

Thank you 🙏🏼

According to the OU website, most of their students finance their studies with student loans but I assume they use a different application as the normal application form doesn’t allow for it.

He has “booked a call” several times but they have not been in touch yet.

He needs to phone them. Their academic years work differently to the main universities and if he is looking to claim credits he needs to ensure that these are acceptable on the course he now wishes to pursue with them and also timing of commencing studies. They may find there is a gap in studies as not all courses run Sept through to May. I obtained a student loan to cover my OU course fees when studying for my Masters with the OU so it is possible . Not sure if you can claim any maintenance loans etc. as I didn’t need them. Your student needs to speak to the OU they are very helpful, details are on their website.

Hello @GrandmasCat. I’ve sent you a message.

Yes, I think there won't be a maintenance loan. I assume he's emailed detailing his credits as well as booking a call?

No worries about the maintenance loan as he will be living at home but would like to get a loan to help cover the tuition fees.

The OU has already processed his credit transfer, he needs to complete 4 stage three modules to graduate.

OK, so they are ok with his credits. They will have a lot of experience with dealing with transfer students who need the fee loan, so he does need to speak to them. He'll just have to keep trying.

OU is classed as part time study even if doing it technically part time and student loans for this aren't open to apply for yet - think it's in a couple of weeks.

Oh, that is good to know, thank you @ClashCityRocker . I found a 54 pages long paper form for it but not the one of this year. I thought they had changed the process.