Correspondence Courses

Seeing as Studylink are taking forever to answer... And keep getting me more confused, do studylink cover the costs of a correspondence courses?

Can you get course related costs for it? I'm looking at doing a computing and admin one, and this computer runs on Ubuntu and can't handle Windows, so we'd need to get a new laptop... Any $$ towards that sure helps!

Can I get student allowance? Or just loan? (allowance depending on if my parents don't earn too much, which is stupid as I haven't lived at home for over 2 years lol)

Do I apply for the loan or the course first? (seems silly, but I'd hate to be accepted into the course, then not get the loan as I don't think we could afford the unit costs!)

Um, think thats all haha. I can't seem to get straight answers off the studylink website for correspondence courses, only part time...

I have done a distance course through otago and I have put all my fees on student loan plus got the course related costs and I'm even gonna claim for childcare as well now (subsidy, they don't pay it all). I think as long as it's a properly accredited course you should be fine, but rather than talk to studylink as your aren't getting anywhere with them, talk to the people doing the course. Mine had in all the info that you could apply for a student loan and then the loan was approved before it started.

Extra costs, will you need to attend block courses or do work experience? are there any materials or books you need to buy for the course, will you need internet, printer, digital camera, scanner, usb stick thing, will you need to pay to post in your assignments. They should give you estimates of these costs and a list or all the things required for your course. You can claim up to $1000 for all your costs (not sure if you can claim accommodation separately)

I am looking at doing it through the Open Polytechnic...
National Certificate in Business and Admin
Not sure if thats a properly accredited course? I'm not sure what you mean by that sorry lol.
I already have a student loan so will be adding onto that, does it matter that I'm not working so not paying it off? But adding to it?

It says I will need to do work experience, could possibly do this through my Dad's work, just not sure what it means or where I'd need to do (eg if theres certain places I can go to or not go to..)

Only thing I can think of that we would need is a new laptop, to have windows xp or vista and then buy the Windows things for Word/Excell etc

I might try ringing the Open Polytechnic... Hopefully I can do the course!

Yes you can add to your student loan even if you aren't paying it off. What do you think most students are doing for the 3 or so years they are at uni?

The course does have to be one that is recognised by studylink. It probably is, but the polytech will be able to tell you.

There may well be extra costs beyond the cost of the unit - text books would be one. Cuppatea is right though, best idea is to ring them and ask. They probably have a studylink person on staff who can deal with all of those questions too.

I have no idea about the course/loan question but just an aside about your possibly new laptop etc ... when I was at uni places like Dick Smith did great deals on Windows and Microsoft Office for students, so make sure - once you are approved on the course - that you tell people you're a student so that you get all the discounts and things you might be entitled too