One of the biggest concerns that school leavers have with university is the rather sizeable issue of debt. With the introduction of tuition fees – which now stand at £3,225 per year – one survey suggests the average debt faced by new students will be around £23,000!
That’s enough of a sum to make many would-be students reconsider, or contemplate extreme measures like living at home. In fact, more than a third of students now choose their uni on financial grounds. It’s not all bad news though, there are other ways of getting a degree for less money, for free and even degrees that can see you earning serious money.
- What is distance learning?
- Why study a degree through distance learning?
- Distance learning degree case study
- What about a debt free degree?
- Who offers debt free degrees?
What is distance learning?
Distance learning simply means studying for a qualification away from schools, colleges or universities. Most often this means that you study at home or work and the course comes to you in the form of books, DVDs, online resources and virtual communities. Distance learning is often thought of as a path more suited to mature students, but it can also provide a cheap and flexible solution for young people too.
Studying for a degree without being at university might sound strange, especially for some subjects like chemistry where complex experiments are required but often the courses combine a programme of essays and lectures with residential courses that take care of practical work and bring the social element that students enjoy about university. Although the Open University is the big name in distance learning, there are other more specialised providers like ICS Learn who offer a whole range of qualifications from GCSEs, A-Levels, right up to degrees.
Why study a degree through distance learning?
Studying a degree through distance learning allows you to be more flexible in your learning. You can study where & when you want and in your own time. Rather than being tied down by timetables and the pressure to complete your degree within 3 years, you can take as long (or little) time as you want. People who study a degree through distance learning come from all different backgrounds & get up to all sorts during the course of their study. They may want out of full-time education, may not have the confidence to study on a busy campus or may just want the flexibility studying a degree via distance learning offers.
Distance learning degree case study
Sobeen Akhtar, studying LLB (Hons) Law with ICS Graduate
I have always had an interest in Law since studying it as an A-Level at college. Towards the end of my A-Levels I had applied to university and had been accepted to study Law as a degree. However, at the last minute I changed my mind and chose to study science, which I later realised was the biggest mistake I could have made. I left things to the last minute again and did not secure a place to study Law for the following year, which is when I came across ICS.
I read through the degree programme and I was impressed about the flexibility and support provided through distance learning. I loved the idea of not going to university, but that instead I could do all the work from home at my own pace with no stress. I could enjoy my social life more. There was plenty of support available when I needed it the most and things such as assessments could be submitted online and research resources were accessed easily online. With notes and books sent home, you had all the information you could refer to and so on. I have enjoyed my first year and I hope to continue and complete Law as a degree.
What about a debt-free degree?
Getting a degree without any of the debt sounds like a fantasy, but it’s perfectly possible. The Open University offer an incredible deal where if you live at home and earn less than £16,500 per year then you won’t have to pay anything towards the cost of your course. They don’t even take into account your parents’ income, which means you don’t get punished for your mum and dads’ earnings.
The flexibility of studying when you can means that, like 70% of OU students, you can work and study for a degree at the same time. With 580 courses in 14 subject areas ranging from English, Business Management, languages or Chemistry, it’s an offer worth considering if the thought of debt is putting you off a degree. We’ve got some more info about The Open University if it’s something you’re considering.
Who offers debt free degrees?
We’ve got a whole section listing distance learning degree courses over in our opportunities section, all brought to you by the following lovely organisations…
The Open University
Studying for a degree at most universities is likely to leave you with a debt of at least £20,000. Pretty scary stuff when you consider how long it will take to pay back. The good news is that most of The Open University’s degrees will set you back just £4,000, and better still, if you’re living with your parents and earning less than £16,510 a year you won’t have to pay a penny towards the cost of your study. Find out more about debt free degrees with the Open Uni.
RDI
Resource Development International (RDI) is the world’s largest independent provider of distance learning education, offering students a choice of over 40 qualifications in 13 different subjects from nine different universities. By studying through RDI & via distance learning over a campus-based university, you could save up to £42,791.
