Q1. I live in England and am a union member – am I entitled to any discount?
No, not as a new student. In the new higher education environment where the vast majority of OU undergraduate students in England are expected to pay for their study with Part-Time Tuition Fee Loans, the discount scheme is incompatible.
Q2. I am a continuing student and union member in England – am I still entitled to a discount for my module?
Current OU students in England studying towards a qualification who have transitional arrangements agreed by the University will still be allowed a discount as the University is committed to ensuring students can complete their studies at a price and pace consistent with their expectations when they started.
Students in England who meet the transitional eligibility criteria will retain their union discount where applicable, dependant on the terms and conditions of the union’s discount arrangements with the OU.
Please note, to continue to meet the eligibility criteria for your transitional arrangements you must study a module that counts towards your transitional qualification every year.
Q3. I am a union member in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland – am I still entitled to the union discount?
For Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, where the funding arrangements for part-time higher education study remains unchanged, the fee discount will remain in place but reviewed on an annual basis.
Q4. What happens if I relocate from England to, for example, Wales – would I then be eligible for the discount?
Your fee eligibility is determined by where you are ordinarily resident at the start of the academic year of your first module/qualification with The Open University. Fees may be affected by a move to another nation during your study depending on individual circumstances. The Open University will validate students’ residency information and will take appropriate action to prevent fraudulent activity. It is the responsibility of the student to inform the University if their residence status or home address changes after they have registered on a module as this may affect their fees.
Q5. As a union member in England, what financial support options are available to me?
In England, we are already committed to keeping our fees as low as possible under the new regime – this in itself will benefit union members. Government changes mean that eligible part-time students in England can now access fee loans. Students accessing the fee loans will only begin to repay the loan after four years and only if they’re earning more than £21,000. Those on low incomes will be able to access loans with the knowledge that they will not have to pay anything back until they earn above this threshold.
This also means there are now no upfront costs involved with studying with the OU as long as the union member is studying at least 25 per cent of a full-time student, for example an OU module worth 30 credits and studying for an undergraduate qualification that’s higher than any they already have.
If union members do not qualify for a student loan, or choose not to apply, there may be the option to pay fees by monthly instalments through the Open University Student Budget Account (OUSBA).
The new ‘Access to Success’ programme will also provide access for those with a household income of less than £25,000, who are new to higher education and do not have the qualifications required for traditional university entry. The programme offers a heavily subsidised route for eligible learners and offers an attractive pathway into higher education for eligible union members.
More information on the financial support arrangements that may be available to you.
