Mature Student (advice needed!)

[daisychicken]

Hi, I did my first degree in my late teens and now my children are at school... I really don't want to go back into that field of work but am keen to take my knowledge and my experience and start a second degree in possibly Health and Social care with the OU and fitting it round my family.

However, dh was made redundant last year, he is now working for himself with extremely unpredictable hours and current income is less than 15K (hopefully it will improve!), we are managing on what he earns but am unable to afford the fees for a course. I am hunting for a part-time job but currently not having much look finding one that will fit in with the hours I can do.

I have recieved slightly conflicting advice from the OU as to whether I am eligible for support due to low income AND disabled student allowance due to my first degree. Has anyone been in a similar position - I just wondered if anyone had been awarded finance for fees and if not, how people have managed to pay?

thanks

private funding or career development loan. not much help to you, sorry.

if your first degree was funded and this is at the same level, i think you'll struggle to get funding.

i left one degree course after 20 weeks, and later applied for another 'first' degree as a mature student after working for 6 years. i had to go to the ombudsman to prove that i left the first course early enough to get funding for the second course - the deadline was 20 weeks study. so at that point if you have studied at the same level for more than 20 weeks (which obviously you have if you finished your first course) then you wouldn't be eligible... but i have no idea if the rules have changed tbh...

thanks for your reply

will have to think somewhat further on what I can do!

I'd give the OU a call to ask about this. The rules on ELQs mean that you shouldn't qualify for funding to do a second bachelor's degree, but I don't know if this has actually been implemented by the OU yet. It's definitely worth speaking to them to find out! Good luck

I think the OU have a hardship fund thing
here

But seems you already have to be a student with them.

Have you looked at the OUSBA payment options?
here
If you pay it off bit by bit its only slightly more expensive than full course fee up front.

I worked in a supermarket then a chain bookshop while doing my OU courses, they tend to have longer opening hours so easier to fit with your availability. Pretty boring work but the discounts on food or books will cut down on your expenses!