Scholarships to help disabled veterans reskill have been welcomed by Stuart Anderson, South Shropshire’s Conservatives Parliamentary Candidate. Applications to The Open University’s Disabled Veterans’ Scholarships Fund (DVSF) for 2024/25 are open, providing access to free courses as well as tailored careers and disability support to those injured in, or due to, military service.
To date, 312 scholarships have been awarded. This year, 50 more disabled veterans can build on their unique military skills and experiences with a qualification from the The Open University - with all undergraduate and postgraduate modules and qualifications eligible. Applications for this year close at midday on 10 July 2024.
The scholarships are the latest addition to Stuart’s Veterans Support Navigator which signposts a range of assistance available from the Government and other relevant bodies. It includes three schemes: Standard Learning Credit, Enhanced Learning Credit, and the Service Leavers Scheme (or Publicly Funded Further Education/Higher Education Scheme).
This scheme provides service leavers access to a first full level 3 (GCE A Level or vocational equivalent), or a first HE qualification (a foundation degree or first undergraduate degree or equivalent) with tuition fees funded to a maximum of £9,250 per year of study. The schemes are available both during service and, for two of the schemes, for between five and ten years after discharge, based on the circumstances of departure.
Stuart Anderson said:
“As a veteran myself, I want to ensure South Shropshire becomes the best place to be a veteran - with more than 3,620 veterans already calling the local area their home. Our veterans are immensely talented and have valuable skills which uniquely place them to enrich society and drive economic growth. So, I want to ensure veterans have access to the right training opportunities to unlock their full potential and excel in civilian life in Shropshire and beyond.
That’s why I am delighted that more disabled veterans now have the opportunity to upskill and learn more skills with a qualification from the Open University. I would urge all veterans looking for their next opportunity to explore this excellent scheme and the others promoted via the Veterans Help Portal easily accessible on my website.”
For more information, please visit www.open.ac.uk/courses/fees-and-funding/disabled-veterans-scholarship-fund.
