Bangor student explains why The Open University is such an affordable option for young people in Northern Ireland

Jordan Rosborough is studying part-time while working as a classroom assistant, and hopes to become a maths teacher.

When Bangor student Jordan Rosborough was studying for her A-levels in 2017/18, she applied for university without much real idea of why, or what she wanted to study.

She picked physiotherapy on a whim, but when she didn’t get the grades for Ulster University, and having rejected an unconditional offer from the University of East London because of the costs involved in living and studying there, she started a sports science course at Belfast Met.

But when that didn’t work out and she dropped out at the end of the first term, she was at a loss over what to do. “You have this real fear and questioning of what you're going to do with your life,” she tells Belfast Live. “And it's so hard because you're so young.”

More than three years later, Jordan – now 22 – is in a very different place. She works full-time as a classroom assistant at St. Kevin’s Primary School in west Belfast, while studying for a BSc in Mathematics and its Learning on a part-time basis through The Open University.

Jordan is one of over 8,000 Open University students in Northern Ireland - and over 200,000 worldwide - each studying for one of more than 200 undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications, both part-time and full-time.

It’s all based on supported distance learning, which means you can work at home, in your local library, in the park – anywhere you like – while your tutors are on the end of a phone or an email for help, support and guidance as well as tuition.

Jordan didn’t expect to go down this route – she was only vaguely aware of The Open University until a couple of years ago, when a friend who was studying Primary Education suggested that she look into it.

Initially, it sounded too good to be true: “I was really questioning her because I was like, ‘That can't be right, university is meant to be nine-to-five, in a hall with all these other kids, with no money’.

“But she explained it and it did pique my interest, because I had been thinking, ‘Do I want to study again?’. And I really loved having my own income.”

That last point is a huge incentive for people of all ages to choose The Open University over traditional universities, especially during the current cost of living crisis.

You can study around a full-time job, which means you don’t have to take on a mountain of student debt just to get your degree. Plus there’s no need to relocate, and financial support is available.

There are loans for help with paying your fees, while some courses offer employer sponsorship. In Jordan's case, she is lightening the load by paying for one module at a time in instalments (£1,074 per 60 credit module), and she applied for a means-tested grant too.

“The Open University is the most affordable thing you can ask for, for just as good a uni experience,” says Jordan.

“The first two years, the price depends on how big the module is. I just completed all my first-year modules, and they were a good enough price that I had enough savings to pay for those.

“This year, because I'm completing a slightly bigger module, I've applied for student finance and I've got a grant that covers about 80% of the fee.

“Then I'm happy enough to cover that last little part because it is so affordable. You can ask for that help.”

It’s all about investing in your future, which is why The Open University is so popular with students of all ages and from all walks of life. In Jordan’s case, she plans to go on and do a PGCE once she has finished her degree, with the ultimate aim of becoming a secondary-level maths teacher.

“If you've been like me, stuck in a rut, and you finally realise what you want, there's no end to what you can do,” she says. “I follow [The Open University] on Instagram and there are people who are 70 years old getting degrees.

“It's maybe their fifth degree, so it's an endless goal that you can achieve. And it's just the click of a button away.”