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Open University

Milton Keynes

Open University Chat Thread

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Reply 9540

Lambert87

Original post by Don John

I'm happy to report that I got accepted onto the MSc in Mathematics! Whoopee!

I'm seriously considering it, although I'm a bit concerned about the financial hit. I have enough money but it's still a bit of a dent. I keep thinking what else that money could go towards...

Still, I feel thrilled at being accepted, and I feel like the OU has given me a second chance after my rather disappointing bachelor's degree grade.

Don't they have postgraduate student loans these days? I'm sure I read about it

Well done

Open University

Milton Keynes

Reply 9541

Don John

Original post by Lambert87

Don't they have postgraduate student loans these days? I'm sure I read about it

Well done

Thank you.

Yeah I read into it - if you're doing it for more then twice the length of the equivalent full-time course, SFE won't give you the money.

And I'm doing the MSc over three years, and normal full-time MSc courses are just one year.

I currently have a job and I have the money for the first year, it's just painful to part with that much money.

I might try crowdfunding. I'm not female so I don't know how effective it might be, but it might be worth a shot.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 9542

sputum

Original post by Don John

Congratulations :smile:

thinking about starting it in October also. Decided on your first course yet? (assuming you end up going for it.)

fwiw I haven't entirely given up on postgrad loans yet.

Reply 9543

Persipan

Original post by Don John

Thank you.

Yeah I read into it - if you're doing it for more then twice the length of the equivalent full-time course, SFE won't give you the money.

Might be worth whacking in an application, or at least enquiring specifically, because they seem to be figuring it out as they go along with the new loans. Also, it seems to indicate that the minimum time to complete the course is 2 years, so possibly you'd have an argument that doing it in 3 is less than twice this...

Reply 9544

sputum

I don't think applications are open yet but yes there is no chance of doing it in 1 year. For those who can get to it there is a discussion here and no way can you get straight on with the dissertation for starters.

Can't see the OU making students ineligible for these if they can avoid it.

Reply 9545

Michelle-

I'm after S345, 346 & 347 - as starting S315 in October and it's online only. Thanks

Reply 9546

Coffeeneeded

Postgrad loans do apply to most OU degrees -
(From ou page)

You must be studying a qualification which can be completed in no more than 3 years, although study breaks may be allowed.

So the overall duration of study must not exceed 3 years ( OU masters are 2-3) but it's suggesting you could stop in between the masters modules for a year and then pick it up again.

Reply 9547

sputum

I read that. It sucks for maths if it is true because they like you to do one intro level before the intermediates and say you should do at least 4 modules before starting the dissertation. That's a hell of a year 2. Not to mention many of the inters only run every other year, including the followup to the one I would start with this year, which won't run in 2017. There are only two intros, one pure one applied. It's not set up for 3-year pace at all. Four years would be OK but I think that breaks the 50% intensity rule.

but at least they didn't treble the prices this time.

Reply 9548

..Amy...

Hi

I'm just wondering what the process is of applying for open university, I want to apply but not sure if I will get student finance funding. Can I apply for the course online and if I don't get the funding cancel the course application?. I am wanting to do a three year course but will also be working full time, do you think it's possible to finish in three years while working full time?

Thanks

Reply 9549

claireestelle

Original post by ..Amy...

You just fill in the registration and enrolment online, i applied then found out i couldnt get sfe funding sorted and switching to self funding was pretty easy. I believe you can cancel it up to a certain point.
I'm just doing level 3 modules to finish my degree off from october and have had some negative and some positive opinions as to whether 120 credits study whilst working 16 hours is possible, so it seems to vary between people whether it's possible to cope or not.

Reply 9550

sputum

How long until my final exam?
[video="youtube;9SqM1VX2qlc"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SqM1VX2qlc[/video]

Reply 9551

Balor

Original post by claireestelle

It is certainly possible in general, as is doing 120 credits alongside a 60 hour work week. It depends on aptitude and motivation, which is why opinions will be so split. A person who struggles with X will often assume that most other people must also struggle with X.

Out of interest, why couldn't you arrange funding? If you didn't complete your previous degree you should be entitled to part-time funding even if you've used your full-time funding allowance....

Reply 9552

claireestelle

Original post by Balor

I think you hit the nail on the head; some people made the assumption i might struggle even though each person will vary. Apart from 3 days a week of work, i'll have no other commitments and if i have to give up a social life for a year i m perfectly happy doing it.

That's a long story, basically as I count as residing in England now, but got my previous funding from SFW (as I was full time and dependent on a welsh parent), SFE weren't willing to give me funding for the year i'd need. I could have been given the wrong information by the person i spoke to but ou student support were sure i wouldnt get it either.

Either way if by some miracle they would give me the loan, since I can afford to self fund after some deep thought i want to do it now, as it's a distinct possibility over 30 years my student debt is low enough i could end up paying it back anyway, but with quite a bit of interest of course.

Reply 9553

Balor

Original post by claireestelle

Indeed. Equally useless would be someone who is quite sure that working full-time while completing a degree in one of any number of subjects they have a good grounding in would be easily doable telling people they will find those same subjects equally accessible. People start from different points in the race - this is especially true at the OU where 40 year olds with 25 years of reading history recreationally will find themselves very well placed to complete the degree. You strike me as able so I doubt that 16 hours of work is going to prove to insurmountable obstacle for you!

What I will say is that we are all aware of how much motivation we have in general, and need to be rather on top of how much our studies will take up. It is likely that, for example, people might struggle to train for a marathon in addition to work and studies, or to learn carpentry or advanced Latin.

Reply 9554

Persipan

If anyone's got a minute today and can give some last-minute feedback on my EMA project, it would be much appreciated - basically, I'm trying to design an alternative to the restricted windows commonly used in student accommodation (1). My proposed design is (2). Both windows are shown opened to their maximum extent. If anyone has any thoughts, feedback, comments etc from a user perspective, then I'd appreciate them!

Two windows.jpg

And as of tomorrow, I'll be done with my Open Degree...

Reply 9555

1203

I requested to join the Facebook groups for my next two modules. One has rejected me and I can't find the other on search anymore so I'm assuming I've been blocked. It's my final year so I've been in five years worth of unofficial OU Facebook groups and never had a problem :s-smilie:

Have I missed some new 'you must prove you're an OU student before joining Facebook groups' rule or something?

Reply 9556

laalNick

Original post by 1203

Have I missed some new 'you must prove you're an OU student before joining Facebook groups' rule or something?

Try asking on the OU forums for those modules that you are going to try join the FB and don't want to be rejected and explain what has happened

I think a lot of groups have gotten stricter with who they accept as there have been posts on the OU forums about so many spammers and random people joining groups and threatening the privacy. It is probably just be a mistake you've been rejected, one wrong click or name similar to one that has been known to spam etc.

Reply 9557

Snufkin

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by 1203

Have I missed some new 'you must prove you're an OU student before joining Facebook groups' rule or something?

More likely whoever made the group is a control freak. Unfortunately a lot of groups turn into cliques, I've known people to be chucked out / not let in just because they were the wrong gender, too young or because they didn't know anyone in the group.

Reply 9558

Leanney

Had my first OU exam yesterday and I must admit it was a bit weird. The majority of students were taking health and social care and so they all knew each other, whereas there was supposed to be three of us taking the psychology exam but the other two just didn't show up :s-smilie:

the sign was pointing to the wrong room as well so there was a hell of a lot of fuss over that! Glad it's over tbh

Reply 9559

Kyussabs

Think I ballsed up on my exam.

It asked me to "write in continuous prose." Me, not knowing what they meant, just wrote one long paragraph until I ran out of things to say. So my question is, how much do we get marked down for not using paragraphs? Everything else was correct, the sentence structure, spelling, punctuation, grammar etc.

It's annoying, since had they not thrown me off with that bit, I'd have written in paragraphs anyway!