Help me out please re fund help.

Former Member

Ok i want to do a part time college course or study from home. We can't afford loads as we are on a low income. What i wanna know is, after looking online some fees can be waivered if you are on a low income but how do i find out what i would have to pay? Theres no point signing up for it if i can afford it.

Any help appreciated.

Former Member

Ask them.

It sounds a smug answrer, but its not. Different courses attract different rates of subsidy for those on low incomes.

Former Member

The Open University helps students with a low income.

Course fees
You can apply for a grant towards your fees for undergraduate courses (Levels 1 to 3) and, depending on certain eligibility criteria, you could get an award if you are:

receiving certain benefits; unemployed; orhave a gross household income of below £14,970 for a full award and up to £22,000 for a partial award. Allowances are given for a partner and dependent children. These are £2,000 for a partner, £2,000 for your first child and £1,000 for each further child.

At current rates (which the Government will review) a full award would give you a grant of £590 towards your course fees, if you are studying 30 to 60 credit points worth of courses, and £885, if you are studying 90 or more credit points worth of courses, with course start dates from September to the following August.

Course expenditure grant
The course expenditure grant is for books, equipment and so on. It replaces the student loan for part-time study. You may be eligible for up to £250 and the criteria for an award are the same as for the course fee award.

Former Member

its one of the reasons I chose Nursing. They pay me to study it.

Former Member

You need good grades from gcses though for OU yeah?

Former Member

Tweety wrote:

Ok i want to do a part time college course or study from home. We can't afford loads as we are on a low income. What i wanna know is, after looking online some fees can be waivered if you are on a low income but how do i find out what i would have to pay? Theres no point signing up for it if i can afford it.

Any help appreciated.

Have you tried conacting them to ask?

Former Member

Is it definitely OU you are thinking of doing?? I've gone back to Higher Education part time and I'm really enjoying it. Because I get working tax credit I get all my course & exam fees paid for, and I'm eligible to apply to the Access fund for any extra help I need towards travel expenses etc. They even have a creche (not that I need it now the sprog is at school) which is subsidised. I did have a look online for courses I could do from home but didn't have any luck, to be honest part of the reason I like going to college so much is the fact I get out and meet some new people!!

Former Member

No i didnt really wanna do OU. I am looking to repeat two of my gcses before anything else.

Eta: We get working tax credit too along with Child tax credit. So maybe we will get help too.
In answer to the other person no i havent asked them yet, i am just tryingto find out what i can first before i waste my time & thiers.

Former Member

you might want to get in touch with your local adult education college. i just finished an evening course in crafty things, but the same centre did part-time courses for GCSEs, A levels and vocational qualifications. if you have one near, either give them a ring, or pop in, and they should be able to tell you everything you need to know, plus they will be able to tell you if you will be financially supported.

the receptionist at the place i went was an absolute mine of information :thumb:

Former Member

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Former Member

its one of the reasons I chose Nursing. They pay me to study it.

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Former Member

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Former Member

OK thanks everyone.

Former Member

If you're re-taking GCSEs normally they pay for it if you're on a low income, in an effort to get people into work.

Former Member

Panthro wrote:

its one of the reasons I chose Nursing. They pay me to study it.

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

It IS ONE of the reasons.
I could never afford to go to college otherwise.
Id actually rather be a social worker than a nurse but i cant afford to fund myself. I can barely afford to do this course, but at least I get £4k a year for doing it. it pays some of my childcare costs at least.
Is that so terrible?????

Former Member

Tweety wrote:

No i didnt really wanna do OU. I am looking to repeat two of my gcses before anything else.

Eta: We get working tax credit too along with Child tax credit. So maybe we will get help too.
In answer to the other person no i havent asked them yet, i am just tryingto find out what i can first before i waste my time & thiers.

Hiya - All I had to do when I enrolled for my course was show them my housing benefit award. Do you get housing benefit / council tax benefit too?? If you get any housing benefit then your course & exam fees will be paid for.

Former Member

We do get housing benefit but we won't when we move in a few months.