I've decided to start an OU course this year and I have a couple of questions regarding funding it. As background the course starts in June, so what I'd like to know is can I use this FY's SLC even though the course doesn't start till the next FY? This would then free up 08-09's to pay for another module, if you see what I mean. Also can I claim travelling money to tutor groups or summer schools? When I was doing my NEBOSH I claimed travelling money to college every week, but that was pre-JPA. Any advice appreciated.
-
Welcome to the E-Goat :: The Totally Unofficial RAF Rumour Network.
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today!
If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.
OU funding?
- Thread starter Downsizer
- Start date
- 4,519
- 4
- 38
Mate, I found out the hard way that your SLC is claimed in the FY the course finishes, not when it starts (even though you may register the previous FY!).
I'm not sure about travelling to tutorials but summer school should count as duty and as such you should be able to claim mileage and incidentals through JPA (one of my oppos claimed this a couple of years back but it was pre-JPA!).
Hope this helps.
MP
- 6,949
- 572
- 113
Money Money Money
Money Money Money
As before your SLC comes off the year you get it paid, but you'll be able to claim one for each year, unless you do a short course one year, always found the payment handy for buying xmas pressies. You can set up a OU fees account that lets you pay monthly over the period of the course which makes things a little easier.
You should get mileage to any tutor groups and summer schools and your boss, or whoever signed the form, is committed to allow you to attend these.
At the end of 6 years you'll be out of pocket but hopefully have a degree in your back pocket which should pay for it's self once you start looking for a proper job.
Money Money Money
As before your SLC comes off the year you get it paid, but you'll be able to claim one for each year, unless you do a short course one year, always found the payment handy for buying xmas pressies. You can set up a OU fees account that lets you pay monthly over the period of the course which makes things a little easier.
You should get mileage to any tutor groups and summer schools and your boss, or whoever signed the form, is committed to allow you to attend these.
At the end of 6 years you'll be out of pocket but hopefully have a degree in your back pocket which should pay for it's self once you start looking for a proper job.
trotterdave
LAC
- 86
- 0
- 0
Being an OU student as well make sure that you claim for everything via them too. You can claim £250 towards course fee's, £250 for IT equipment and financial assistance towards your course itself. I only found out all of this after completing my 2nd year and it really does help!!
I'm sure though regarding the original question that the SLC claim is for that FY only, so you cant get one in now in time for your next course
I'm sure though regarding the original question that the SLC claim is for that FY only, so you cant get one in now in time for your next course
Hi mate,
As long as I haven`t claimed in the Financial year I claim as soon as i`ve paid for my module and that has worked fine - just give them the learning credit form with the OU invoice. They have never even asked if I`ve completed them.
Tutorials are claimable on JPA for mileage.
The best tip I`ve got mate is collect Tesco clubcard points like there`s no tomorrow. Get a club card credit card and put everything through it. You can then use your points towards OU and they are worth four times the value i.e £25 of clubcard points equates to £100 of clubcard deals off your OU.
As long as I haven`t claimed in the Financial year I claim as soon as i`ve paid for my module and that has worked fine - just give them the learning credit form with the OU invoice. They have never even asked if I`ve completed them.
Tutorials are claimable on JPA for mileage.
The best tip I`ve got mate is collect Tesco clubcard points like there`s no tomorrow. Get a club card credit card and put everything through it. You can then use your points towards OU and they are worth four times the value i.e £25 of clubcard points equates to £100 of clubcard deals off your OU.
P
PD TC
Guest
Only if you are claiming back through SLC/ELC etc and/or getting the Service to pay any other costs.
- 19
- 0
- 0
One for TrotterDave
One for TrotterDave
Hiya, In days of old there was a JSP on claiming for Open University, and i cannot find it anywhere now JPA has been introduced, but what finicial assistance are you on about?? any info would be grately recieved
One for TrotterDave
Hiya, In days of old there was a JSP on claiming for Open University, and i cannot find it anywhere now JPA has been introduced, but what finicial assistance are you on about?? any info would be grately recieved
- 12,273
- 460
- 83
You go to your education clerk and ask him/her for a form to apply to use your SLC this year...take this form into work with you and fill out all the boxes incl. making something up about the reasons what you are doing could be useful in your primary roll...
Next get your boss to sign the form and walk it back to the education centre and physically shove it in their 'to do' pile so they can't say they haven't received in the post after actually losing it through dullness...
Do your course and make sure you pass it and get a bit of paper saying that from whoever runs the course...If you're doing OU then it's simple as you can print off the fact you've passed and if you're using your OUSBA account to pay for it you can print off the statements to prove how much the course cost...
Sometime during the year you would have received a photocopy of your SLC application form stamped as processed by the Ed centre...put this somewhere safe and take it with you, your proof of cost and proof of passing to your ed clerk and he'll fill out the paperwork there and then for your £175...It should be in your account within the month depending on what date you processed it as it's not a JPA payment...
I wouldn't use my ELC on something so small as those quoted courses...as of 1st April this year they are worth £2000...Personally if I wanted to add a cast iron string to me bow that would almost certainly offer me work and income if I was to bail I would look at using it on something like a NEBOSH Diploma...as boring as it seems it's all about paying the bills when you pull the yellow and black...
A more fun option here at the secret Lincs airbase is signing your 2k over to the station flying club and then embarking on your PPL...The club knock off the money as you fly and spend it...find another 1.5k or so (guess!) on top of that and you're on your way to finding another career...
Hope this helps...
Next get your boss to sign the form and walk it back to the education centre and physically shove it in their 'to do' pile so they can't say they haven't received in the post after actually losing it through dullness...
Do your course and make sure you pass it and get a bit of paper saying that from whoever runs the course...If you're doing OU then it's simple as you can print off the fact you've passed and if you're using your OUSBA account to pay for it you can print off the statements to prove how much the course cost...
Sometime during the year you would have received a photocopy of your SLC application form stamped as processed by the Ed centre...put this somewhere safe and take it with you, your proof of cost and proof of passing to your ed clerk and he'll fill out the paperwork there and then for your £175...It should be in your account within the month depending on what date you processed it as it's not a JPA payment...
I wouldn't use my ELC on something so small as those quoted courses...as of 1st April this year they are worth £2000...Personally if I wanted to add a cast iron string to me bow that would almost certainly offer me work and income if I was to bail I would look at using it on something like a NEBOSH Diploma...as boring as it seems it's all about paying the bills when you pull the yellow and black...
A more fun option here at the secret Lincs airbase is signing your 2k over to the station flying club and then embarking on your PPL...The club knock off the money as you fly and spend it...find another 1.5k or so (guess!) on top of that and you're on your way to finding another career...
Hope this helps...
Last edited:
Already got one of those
So the SLC only pays on completion of the course?
I only asked about ELC as I'm looking towards a grand in course fees to the OU this time.
3wheeledtechie
Sergeant
- 703
- 0
- 0
Dunno if this is what you on about, but for summer schools you can claim up to £800 from the Defence Exam centre at Halton for costs towards education fees, accommodation and subsistence, via your unit learning centre, also some travel claims using JPA under QR2470. Works for Blackburn VET programme also.
That's really interesting, just been to the Education Centre and all I got was blank stares about this. Have you got any more gen about it?
- 19
- 0
- 0
OU Funding
OU Funding
Hiya.. I'm glad i'm not the only one to recieve blank stares.. Been to our Education centre to ask about vehicle claims to tutor session and was met with the same response. Then one of the ladies stated that, because of JPA taken over nobody has taken ownership of this subject.... and they need guidance... Anybody out there who can help???
OU Funding
Hiya.. I'm glad i'm not the only one to recieve blank stares.. Been to our Education centre to ask about vehicle claims to tutor session and was met with the same response. Then one of the ladies stated that, because of JPA taken over nobody has taken ownership of this subject.... and they need guidance... Anybody out there who can help???
Right, been doing a lot of digging today and this is what I've found out:
The Defence Exam Centre at Halton (cheers 3WT) confirmed that they will pay the full costs of any summer school/residential course you have to take for your degree up to the value of £800. You can do 2 summer schools/residential courses per year, the first of which is classed as duty, so you don't have to use your own leave, and the 2nd you use annual leave. The payment is upon completion of the course. You can also claim travelling costs to and fro the the course.
Additionally you can claim travelling expenses to and fro any tutor groups you choose to attend. This was located inside a brochure entitled Open University RAF Scheme User Guide.
Hopefully this will help some others.
The Defence Exam Centre at Halton (cheers 3WT) confirmed that they will pay the full costs of any summer school/residential course you have to take for your degree up to the value of £800. You can do 2 summer schools/residential courses per year, the first of which is classed as duty, so you don't have to use your own leave, and the 2nd you use annual leave. The payment is upon completion of the course. You can also claim travelling costs to and fro the the course.
Additionally you can claim travelling expenses to and fro any tutor groups you choose to attend. This was located inside a brochure entitled Open University RAF Scheme User Guide.
Hopefully this will help some others.
Just finished BSc and now doing Honours, RAF has payed for most of the courses in different ways. First 10 point module through SLC claim for up to 80% on completion. Other modules via ELC's and some modules through the defence medical postgraduate deanery (only available to Med Services for trade related courses). With ELC you must apply prior to course start through the PLA (Personal Learning Advisor) through your Force Development Centre. Be aware and take a look at the ELC website as you can use one claim to pay for a number of modules over more than one FY as long as they lead towards one qualification, i.e. two or more modules towards the same degree or diploma. The basic form to fill in for each module is also I think the FED1011, this form is where your line manager approves your study, and should be available in your FDC. When lodged with FDC this becomes your authority for attendance at tutorials etc and is quoted on the JPA claim submitted for mileage allowance.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
- 4,519
- 4
- 38
The best way I've found to claim ELC for multiple degree modules I to ask your university very nicely to send you and official letter detailing the modules (and costs) for the modules you want to claim ELC for. Using this method I managed to claim for four 15 point modules in one go - very handy! DT_Xtremez_27:
Even with all the financial help, anyone considering starting a degree whilst serving be aware it's still going to cost - quite a bit. However, chose the right degree and you're only going to benefit yourself when you leave - sweet deal!
3WT, good gen about the residential course payments, never heard about that might have to look into it!DT_Xtremez_14:
Airman studying for degrees - Trenchard would be turning in his grave!DT_Xtremez_30:
DT_Xtremez_27:Even with all the financial help, anyone considering starting a degree whilst serving be aware it's still going to cost - quite a bit. However, chose the right degree and you're only going to benefit yourself when you leave - sweet deal!
3WT, good gen about the residential course payments, never heard about that might have to look into it!
DT_Xtremez_14:Airman studying for degrees - Trenchard would be turning in his grave!
DT_Xtremez_30:Have you got this chapter and verse? I've been told 1 course/module per ELC. I was looking at 2 modules at about £1000 and told that ELC would only cover 1 not both.
8:15fromOdium
Sergeant
- 490
- 0
- 0
In response to the blank stares that some of you have been getting from the Education Centres I got this from the Learning Forces Website (http://www.learning-forces.org.uk/drop_down-html/ou.htm):
As for getting invoiced for more than one module and not taking those modules in the 12 month period - not allowed I'm afraid (http://www.learning-forces.org.uk/drop_down-html/elc.htm ):
Finally as regards Trenchard spinning in his grave over Airmen getting degrees, the guy positively encouraged training & education, recommending that those who finished top of their (apprentice) training courses get commissioned. It should also be noted that he failed his Army entrance exams a couple of times, I take that as an example never to give up!
Don't be fobbed off, get them to help you, it's their job after all.
As for getting invoiced for more than one module and not taking those modules in the 12 month period - not allowed I'm afraid (http://www.learning-forces.org.uk/drop_down-html/elc.htm ):
Finally as regards Trenchard spinning in his grave over Airmen getting degrees, the guy positively encouraged training & education, recommending that those who finished top of their (apprentice) training courses get commissioned. It should also be noted that he failed his Army entrance exams a couple of times, I take that as an example never to give up!
3wheeledtechie
Sergeant
- 703
- 0
- 0
Yeah don't put up with this crap from your Education Centres, its their job to know not yours to find out. If they've never heard of the scheme they are in the wrong.
As far as the OU/Blackburn courses go ensure you have an application signed by your boss authorising you to do this study. One for the HNC/D or degree as a whole should suffice. Normally this is done on an SLC or ELC form.
If you go SLC route, work out how many residentials you intend doing in that FY, claim accom and subsistance first from Halton, then claim fees to make this up to £800. Any outstanding fees over and above claim on your SLC.
Top tip: even if paying in a oner get separate receipts for each module.
As far as the OU/Blackburn courses go ensure you have an application signed by your boss authorising you to do this study. One for the HNC/D or degree as a whole should suffice. Normally this is done on an SLC or ELC form.
If you go SLC route, work out how many residentials you intend doing in that FY, claim accom and subsistance first from Halton, then claim fees to make this up to £800. Any outstanding fees over and above claim on your SLC.
Top tip: even if paying in a oner get separate receipts for each module.