Distance learning

Now that you are on your own again in your post divorce life you may want to spread your education wings a little. If you have set your heart on doing a degree but cannot afford the full time commitment of returning to university then the Open University may be the answer.

Born, idealogically speaking, in the 1960s the OU accepted its first applications to study in 1970. There are currently around 150,000 undergraduates and more than 30,000 post graduate students.

Nearly all members of the OU study part-time and around 70% are in full-time employment with more than 50,000 students being sponsored by their employers for their studies.

No previous qualifications are required before entering to study at the Open University and there is no upper age limit although you must be aged 18 when your course starts. Subjects covered include business and management, law and criminology and information technology and computing.

Costs vary depending on subjects studied and can be from less than £400 for a nine month course in Beginner’s Spanish to as much as £11,000 for a two year course leading to an MBA (Master of Business Administration).

Financial help may be available to you if you can fulfil certain criteria and you may also be able to get help with costs such as childcare or buying a new computer. If your course relates to your current job your employer may sponsor you for some or all of your fees. 

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Getting educated

School days; we’ve all had them, loved them or loathed them. However, the best education should not just be a means to an end but an end in itself. Learning for its own sake, as something to be enjoyed and appreciated is as good a reason as any for picking up a book or enrolling for a college course or a degree and let no-one tell you otherwise.

At its most basic, education is an essential element for finding a job and it is becoming more difficult to get any kind of work, apart from the most menial, without the requisite piece of paper declaring your qualifications.

If, in your post divorce life your desire to extend your education is focussed upon a particular job or career then it should be quite straightforward finding something suitable. Learndirect has lots of advice to help you look for, and find, the best options even if you are not sure what you want to do but just know that you want to do something new.

Be practical
Before launching yourself headlong into a huge new commitment it is wise to address the practical issues of finance, childcare and other costs such as travel, books, computers etc. Funding for adult, further and higher education is complicated and will depend upon the type of course you choose and on personal circumstances.

The QCA
The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority accredits and monitors qualifications in the workplace and in colleges. It is also responsible for the development of the national curriculum in schools and associated assessments.

The QCA collaborates with other regulators in the UK and also works closely with organisations such as the Department for Education and the Teacher Training Agency.

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