Changes to policy and curriculum

Fee Rules 2017/18 (Postgraduate Study)

Warning: the content within this page reflects the information available to students in the 2017/18 academic year. As such, this information may no longer be factually accurate.

An amended version of the Fee Rules (Postgraduate Study) was published in March 2017. Further minor amendments were made in July 2017.

The Fee Rules (Postgraduate Study) set out the rules for the fee scheme which applies to all students at The Open University. It determines the fees that students may have to pay to study with us, the rules about payment of fees, and the fee refunds or fee credits which they may be eligible for if there is a change in their study plans.

These changes affect all students registered to study a postgraduate module in the 2017/18 academic year.

March 2017

The changes made

Introduction

1. A reference to the Conditions of Registration has been added
2. Errata amended to correctly reflect policy on fee increases
3. Additional minor updates to clarify meaning

Section I

1. Reference to where fees are quoted amended from registration agreement to registration confirmation correspondence
2. Where payments received are subsequently withdrawn amended to state this may result in module cancellation
3. Amendment about registering whilst in debt to the University: the debt must be discharged or an arrangement to discharge the debt must be in place before module registration can commence
4. Removal of ‘Local Education Centre may quote fees in local currency and have the right to change fees without notice’

Section III

1. ‘If you defer or withdraw more than 14 days after the date you register for a qualification or module you will be entitled to a full refund of any fees paid for the qualification or module’, amended to: ‘If you defer or withdraw more than 14 days after the date of confirmation of your registration for a qualification or module you will be entitled to a full refund of any fees paid for the qualification or module’
2. ‘If you defer or withdraw more than 14 days after the date you register for a qualification or module you will be entitled to a full refund of any fees paid for the qualification or module’, amended to: ‘If you defer or withdraw more than 14 days after the date of confirmation of your registration for a qualification or module you will be entitled to a full refund of any fees paid for the qualification or module’
3. Fee liability tables for students in Northern Ireland amended to reflect the introduction of Postgraduate Tuition Fee Loans
4. Paragraphs added to provide students information on the discretionary fee credit and refund process

Appendix II

1. Postgraduate loans eligibility and procedural information updated to include students applying for a Welsh Postgraduate loan
2. Students starting a Postgraduate qualification in 2017/18 and applying for a Postgraduate loan will be paid their loan across three years of study
3. A student’s registration will be confirmed to SLC on the 14th day of the first module has been amended to confirmation of registration will be completed no earlier than the first day of a student's module

Appendix III

1. Postgraduate loans eligibility and procedural information updated to include students applying for a Northern Ireland Postgraduate Tuition Fee Loan

General

1. Miscellaneous drafting changes to improve clarity and correct errors and omissions.

July 2017

The changes made

• Section III, D; Table 9 added to confirm cut-off dates for postgraduate tuition fee loan applications for students in Scotland Published March 2017, revised July 2017 for qualifications and modules starting from 1 August 2017 Page 24 of 24
• Definition of ‘temporarily absent’ added to Appendix 1, and wording in paragraph B5 amended for clarification of terminology

Please talk to your Student Support Team if you need any further information. You can find out how to contact them on Contact the OU.