Open University

Laurasourus
Laurasourus Online Community Member Posts: 2 Listener
in Education and skills

Hi all I've been browsing the forum for a while and can't seem to find a defintive answer. I am currently on Universal Credit and deemed LCWRA, however I would like to do a university course via the open uni but the information regarding loans has me all jumbled. I'm aware that I can apply for a tution loan to cover the tution fees but do I have to apply for a maintanence loan also if I'm on UC?

If someone could spell this out for me I'd be really grateful.

Comments

  • Jimm_Scope
    Jimm_Scope Posts: 5,409 Scope Online Community Specialist
    edited August 2024

    Hi @Laurasourus, welcome to the community 😊 If your course is part-time then you are right, tuition loans do not count towards your income at all. Maintenance loans however will count as income when it comes to assessing Universal Credit. The maximum maintenance loan you are eligible for will count as the income even if you do not apply for it. So I would apply for it as they will apply that to your Universal Credit income anyway!

    I hope this clears things up a bit for you? Let us know if you still have any questions 🙂 What are you thinking of studying if you don't mind me asking? I always like to hear what other's interests are.

  • Laurasourus
    Laurasourus Online Community Member Posts: 2 Listener
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/899939#Comment_899939

    Thank you so much for this! Information online is sooo hard to follow when theres like hundreds of people saying different things! So the bottom line is 'apply for the maintanence loan anyway because UC will be affected regardless?'

    I'm considering studying english and history!

  • Jimm_Scope
    Jimm_Scope Posts: 5,409 Scope Online Community Specialist

    Yeah, apply for the max student loan you can get, because Universal Credit will consider you getting it even if you don't apply for it!

    English and history are interesting! I especially like history. I guess if you put the two together it's like, historic linguistics, which I find fascinating. The way language has evolved etc. Sounds like it'll be an interesting course 😁

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 63,179 Championing
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/899985#Comment_899985

    It's Open University and maintenance loans are not available for this.

  • autisticboy
    autisticboy Online Community Member Posts: 55 Contributor
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/900077#Comment_900077

    I got a part time maintenance loan at the OU. Students who are distance learning and have a disability are eligible.

    Disability evidence will be required to prove you are unable to attend a traditional University due to your disability.

  • Jimm_Scope
    Jimm_Scope Posts: 5,409 Scope Online Community Specialist
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/900077#Comment_900077

    Thank you Poppy for correcting me. When I answered this originally my brain either skipped past or did not retain 'the open uni' part of their post. 😓

  • autisticboy
    autisticboy Online Community Member Posts: 55 Contributor
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/905157#Comment_905157

    You can get a maintenance loan if you fulfill the requirements I mentioned above, I got one at the OU.

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