Service personnel are being encouraged to take advantage of financial support to study with the Open University.
The Ministry of Defence’s Enhanced Learning Credits scheme promotes lifelong learning for members of the forces adding to their qualifications in service as well as preparing them for life on ‘civvy street’.
More than 4,000 service personnel and dependents study with the OU and the flexibility and distance learning element of OU courses means service personnel can study around postings and duties.
The MoD ELC scheme provides financial support for higher education learning over three separate financial years.
Eligibility is based on length of service with the Lower Tier, after four years’ service, providing 80 per cent of fees up to a maximum of £1,000 per claim instalment and the Higher Tier after eight years eligible service attracting 80 per cent of fees to a maximum of £2,000 per claim instalment.
Three claims can be made in total from the Lower and Higher Tiers. The OU is an approved HE supplier.
Writing in the Navy News Paul Drake OU Business Development Manager said: “There is a huge range of courses suitable for Service personnel enabling preparation for resettlement and the ensuing competition for jobs.”
