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Hi I'm looking to start a open university degree in Febuary 2017 then the next module Oct 2017 what year do I put on aplplication form and then do I have to reapply for finance again in October had that many different answers just need correct information
Original post by Suzie 5
Hi I'm looking to start a open university degree in Febuary 2017 then the next module Oct 2017 what year do I put on aplplication form and then do I have to reapply for finance again in October had that many different answers just need correct information


February 2017 is academic year 2016 - 2017. October 2017 is academic year 2017-2018.

You can apply for the first now. You'll be able to apply for the next sometime around mid-May most likely.
Student at the Open University
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Milton Keynes
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Reply 2
Original post by JollyCynic
February 2017 is academic year 2016 - 2017. October 2017 is academic year 2017-2018.

You can apply for the first now. You'll be able to apply for the next sometime around mid-May most likely.


Thanks for information
Reply 3
Original post by Suzie 5
Hi I'm looking to start a open university degree in Febuary 2017 then the next module Oct 2017 what year do I put on aplplication form and then do I have to reapply for finance again in October had that many different answers just need correct information


Hey! What information have you recieved so far? I'm currently having a nightmare with this! I started studying 60 credits in Feburary this year, 2016, which was funded by academic year 15/16

I registered to study 120 credits this Oct as I found the 60 credits more than managable. I applied to Student Finance for this to be funded from Academic year 2016/17, as my understanding is that we had just entered a new year in Sept.

The OU will not accept the loan for academic year 16/17
Student Finance do not understand why, it has all been approved and they are ready to pay but the OU with not confirm my attendance with them.

Apparently they have 'seasonal academic years', and because I Started in Feb my academic year doesn't end until Feb 2017! Also meaning that one of the modules I started this month that goes into 2017 needs to be funded by Academic year 2015/16 and I have to drop the other 60 credits as Student finance will only fund 120 a year (which is fair enough)

has anyone else found themselves in this situation? I keep getting different information from the OU and Student Finance - HELP!
Wow. Yeah, that's insane. Ignore everything I said, Suzie.

Apparently the OU's Seasonal Academic Years repeat year-on-year, and you'll always have that SAY unless you take a study gap.

As ljdxx says, Student Finance will view the academic year as either September to August, or August to July, I forget which. But the OU will view it as January to December, or April to March, or July to June, or August to July, depending on your first module start date.

It looks like the OU is steadfastly sticking to a system that they put into place before student finance was available to part time studies, and nobody's tapped them on the shoulder to ask them if it makes any sense anymore.

I have no idea what the solution for ljdxx will be, short of sitting out of study an entire year. I'd be on the phone shouting at them to change my SAY until either they agreed or I lost the ability to shout.

The OU rules are listed here, the relevant parts starting on page four:
http://www.open.ac.uk/students/charter/sites/www.open.ac.uk.students.charter/files/files/ecms/web-content/fee-rules-ug-study-2016.pdf
Reply 5
Original post by ljdxx
Hey! What information have you recieved so far? I'm currently having a nightmare with this! I started studying 60 credits in Feburary this year, 2016, which was funded by academic year 15/16

I registered to study 120 credits this Oct as I found the 60 credits more than managable. I applied to Student Finance for this to be funded from Academic year 2016/17, as my understanding is that we had just entered a new year in Sept.

The OU will not accept the loan for academic year 16/17
Student Finance do not understand why, it has all been approved and they are ready to pay but the OU with not confirm my attendance with them.

Apparently they have 'seasonal academic years', and because I Started in Feb my academic year doesn't end until Feb 2017! Also meaning that one of the modules I started this month that goes into 2017 needs to be funded by Academic year 2015/16 and I have to drop the other 60 credits as Student finance will only fund 120 a year (which is fair enough)

has anyone else found themselves in this situation? I keep getting different information from the OU and Student Finance - HELP!
When I ring ou I have had different information one sad if I study from Feb-October the October to June its 1 application for student finance then someone lose from there says I would have to apply twice I just keep getting different information I think I'm just going to start Oct 17 because hopefully it's more straight forward

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