Hundreds of students losing fee discount as Open University makes cuts

Published on Tuesday 9 February 2010 19:05

HUNDREDS of Open University (OU) students in Scotland are set to lose access to a fee discount scheme.

Of the 14,600 students north of the Border enrolled with the distance learner, 490 pay fees in full or part using Tesco points.

Every 5 of loyalty points accumulated with the store, can be exchanged for 20 of learning with the OU.

However, in future they will only be able to use points for the entry level courses, level one.

A spokeswoman for the Open University, where degrees can cost thousands of pounds, said the scheme had been intended to encourage new people to the OU. However, she conceded those new recruits were given no indication they wouldn't be able to use the vouchers throughout their whole degree.

Of those using the points for payment in Scotland 203 are studying level one courses, with the majority of 287 at levels two and three.

Students wishing to use Tesco points can still use them for level two and three courses, which start by next February, but only if they book before the end of May.

Will Swann, OU director of students said: "The Open University joined the Tesco Clubcard Reward programme in February 2007 to get people to try OU courses for the first time.

"The scheme has been very successful but in the current economic climate, the university has to re-evaluate its budgets and 80 per cent of students paying for courses with reward tokens are existing OU students – not new students to the OU."

One 41-year-old student from Galashiels, Selkirkshire, said: "There was no hint this was a temporary measure when they started the scheme in February 2007.

"They have sucked the students in and don't care if they can't finish their studies. To those like me who have started, the only way to finish now is to go into debt. "

Around 50 per cent of new student to the OU in Scotland receive means-tested financial support from the Scottish Government.