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Mature study and retraining

Talk to other Mumsnetters who are considering a career change or are mature students.

Original poster

Anyone self funded a degree or HND?

28 replies

Gingernaut · 04/03/2022 06:23

How bad was it?

Looks like the OU is the only option and I can't get loans due to a previous qualification.

Has anyone self funded either a full time or part time course?

OP posts:
TottersBlankly · 04/03/2022 11:03

Do you have a previous postgraduate degree?

Original poster
Gingernaut · 04/03/2022 12:29

I have a 27 year old HND in a near obsolete industry (print journalism) which I never used.

As I used student loans to get it, I can't access student loans again for another higher ed. qualification/HND/HNC or degree.

The HND is too old for any university or college to count it as a part qualification (not even the OU will accept it)

I've been told that I would have to self fund.

Has anyone done this? How bad was it?

OP posts:
Original poster
Gingernaut · 04/03/2022 12:32

Sorry, posted too soon.

If accepted for a loan by the OUSBA, I could pay back the loans in 12 monthly instalments.

This would mean paying the better part of £300 a month for 6 years.

Can it be done? Has anyone done this? How hard is it?

OP posts:
TottersBlankly · 04/03/2022 12:52

Sorry - just to clarify - does the HND make you ineligible for a Government Postgraduate Loan?

Because if not it might be better to find an MA / MSc you could take, rather than an undergraduate degree.

Apologies if I’ve misunderstood.

(It seems strange when universities dismiss old qualifications. I began my MA nearly 30 years after graduating from my first degree in an unrelated subject. The MA was at a specialist institution - but my earlier degree was fully accepted.)

However, before the Gov. Postgrad loans existed people used Career Development Loans from banks - is that what you’re considering? I’ve known countless people who borrowed against their house for Law Conversion, or Bar School. In some cases it meant they had to find a more lucrative job when their legal careers didn’t take off immediately.

TottersBlankly · 04/03/2022 12:53

(Sorry. Missed your reply.)

AwkwardPaws27 · 04/03/2022 12:55

What degree do you want to do?

Original poster
Gingernaut · 04/03/2022 13:39

Access to Science and then HND Biochemistry.

I have paid off all the loans I took out and have 13 years of employment ahead of me.

OP posts:
Original poster
Gingernaut · 04/03/2022 13:43

If one possesses a higher qualification (HND/HND or first degree), then one becomes ineligible for student loans to study another higher qualification, regardless if one used student loans or self funded one's studies.

Effectively, one can only go up.

OP posts:
Original poster
Gingernaut · 04/03/2022 13:44

Sorry, old phone and I'm fighting with a keyboard that keeps hiding.

One can only go up, not sideways.

OP posts:
wizzywig · 04/03/2022 13:44

Yes, funded it through my own wages

Original poster
Gingernaut · 04/03/2022 13:52

@wizzywig how did you do it?

Were you sponsored by your employers?

Were you part time or full time?

Was it evening classes? Part time study or distance learning?

OP posts:
Original poster
Gingernaut · 04/03/2022 13:53

Off to sleep for a night shift now.

Will be back about 0100 tomorrow, if it's not too busy.

OP posts:
AwkwardPaws27 · 04/03/2022 13:57

I did this rather than an access course & as I got distinctions in all modules they let me go straight into the second year of their biomedicine degree. Might be worth checking if you could do similar with a biochem course, as it would reduce the number of years tuition?

www.bbk.ac.uk/study/2022/undergraduate/programmes/UCHLIFSC_C/0/life-sciences-for-subjects-allied-to-medicine-certificate-in-higher-education

What do you plan on doing afterwards?

If you want something science-related but with funding, there are a number of NHS allied health courses that you can get secondary funding for.

FunnysInLaJardin · 04/03/2022 13:59

I funded a distance learning LPC.

Two year part time course, one weekend every month in the UK (I am not in the UK) and so the cost included monthly flights and car hire.

I worked full time throughout. I took a loan to pay for it all, but it was worth it in the long run.

PomPomChatton · 04/03/2022 18:06

I have self-funded a postgraduate degree. Amongst other things, I applied for bursaries and grants. It's quite time consuming but totally worth it. I just googled [Subject matter] and [grant] and started from there. You can get funding from some surprising sources if you put the work in.

titchy · 04/03/2022 18:08

@Gingernaut

If one possesses a higher qualification (HND/HND or first degree), then one becomes ineligible for student loans to study another higher qualification, regardless if one used student loans or self funded one's studies.

Effectively, one can only go up.

Not if you do a part time STEM (science) degree - which is exactly what you want to do. So you'll get a fee loan Smile
Charliesgotachocolatefactory · 05/03/2022 09:04

I funded my OU degree myself. For this years modules it was £1056 for one 60 point module and then £528x2 for two 30 point modules. That’s full time - if you do it part time it would be just 60 points so £1056 for the year.

If you are going down the full time route and you pay full council tax at the moment, you can get a student discount - that helps a bit.

Original poster
Gingernaut · 06/03/2022 16:59

@titchy, where are you getting this from?

Only those studying for approved Allied Health Professionals courses are eligible for student loans

One can't just study for any random science course.

Anyone self funded a degree or HND?
OP posts:
Original poster
Gingernaut · 06/03/2022 17:00

@Charliesgotachocolatefactory

I funded my OU degree myself. For this years modules it was £1056 for one 60 point module and then £528x2 for two 30 point modules. That’s full time - if you do it part time it would be just 60 points so £1056 for the year.

If you are going down the full time route and you pay full council tax at the moment, you can get a student discount - that helps a bit.

A 60 point OU course is currently £3,168.

Where are you getting these figures?

OP posts:
Charliesgotachocolatefactory · 06/03/2022 17:03

Where am I getting these figures? From my visa bill from last August when I signed up for this years courses. Hope this helps.

titchy · 06/03/2022 17:07

[quote Gingernaut]@titchy, where are you getting this from?

Only those studying for approved Allied Health Professionals courses are eligible for student loans

One can't just study for any random science course.[/quote]
Yes you can - this is my job (I'm assuming you're in England or Wales...). See this: https://www.open.ac.uk/courses/fees-and-funding/equivalent-qualifications

titchy · 06/03/2022 17:09

@Charliesgotachocolatefactory

Where am I getting these figures? From my visa bill from last August when I signed up for this years courses. Hope this helps.
The fees change depending on what UK nation you're in.
Charliesgotachocolatefactory · 06/03/2022 17:11

I’m in Scotland by the way. Perhaps there are different fee structures as per ‘physical’ unis.

Charliesgotachocolatefactory · 06/03/2022 17:12

@titchy I just realised that. Blimey, I’m getting a bargain!

Taylorsversion · 06/03/2022 17:19

Have you looked at this option? It's only for fees not a maintenance loan etc. but might be helpful. And it's up to level 6.

www.gov.uk/advanced-learner-loan

You can use it for an Access Course, & even if you've had funding for undergraduate /postgraduate before.
You just can't use this scheme for same level funding (so couldn't get an ALL for two Access Courses). It's only

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