Studying at The Open University
Fit study around your life
Accessible study resources and expert instruction mean you’ll have the flexibility to study when and where you want. Whatever your circumstances, our courses are open to everyone. Achieve your goals with The Open University.
The OU’s mission
We’re experts in distance learning and online courses, having already helped over 2 million people reach their potential. Our flexible learning is respected by employers and is easy to fit around your other commitments.
The Open University’s mission – open to people, places, methods and ideas – sets us apart from other universities around the world. The OU alumni and current student community is a movement of millions. We are enormously proud to promote educational opportunity and social justice.
Getting started
Where you start in life shouldn’t limit where you go. If you’re determined to succeed and prepared to work hard, then we can help you get started.
The main reason we are called The Open University is that we are open to everyone. There are no formal academic requirements; we are open to all. Our students are diverse: 30% of our new students are under 25, yet our oldest are still studying into their 90s. Every year we help thousands of people achieve extraordinary things.
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Please don’t register on the OU website.
Upskill with a microcredential
Microcredentials are professional development short courses designed to help you build in-demand career skills. They focus on building knowledge in fast-moving sectors such as sustainability or IT.
This is a new emerging area of higher education. These are not degree programmes but do carry formal academic credit as well as workplace relevance. Created by world-class OU academics, often in collaboration with leading industry partners, these 10–12 week courses are designed to provide specialist skills in a specific area of work. They are an ideal route to your next job promotion or career move into a new growth sector.
Our microcredentials take 10–13 hours of weekly study and reflection. As learners work through the course, they can share ideas and experiences with their co-learners. On passing a final assessment, the learner is awarded 10 or 15 academic credits which could be used in the future towards an OU qualification.
Business management: project management
Business management: financial accounting for non-financial roles
Business management: fundamentals of management accounting
Business management: people management and leadership
Climate change: transforming your organisation for sustainability
Cisco: Python programming (OpenEDG)
Study a short course
If you only have a few hours a week but still want to learn something new, consider taking a short course with The Open University. On offer is a variety of courses in business, management, marketing, languages, film, media, and more.
So if you want to learn Spanish, improve your creative writing, or enhance your business skills, these courses are a great starting point.
You can learn at your own pace, whether you’re a beginner or have some experience. These courses are designed with online bite-sized learning and practical exercises to help you apply your new knowledge. Most courses require 10-50 hours of study, and they’re flexible – you can easily catch up if you miss a week due to work or go on holiday.
On successful completion of the course, you’ll receive a certificate of completion to go alongside your new skill or understanding.
Managing a budget
Analytical thinking for problem solving
Start your own business
Introduction to digital marketing
An introduction to artificial intelligence
Foundations of UK immigration law (OISC Level 1)
Couriers or an eligible family member now have access to flexible education with 100% course fees covered by Uber.
Access modules
Boost your confidence with an Access Module. If you have tried a few OpenLearn courses and feel you may want to study something a little more substantial, but are not sure what, then maybe an Access Module is the next step.
Designed specifically for OU students, an Access module allows you to study a range of broadly related subjects, giving you the time and space to build your learning confidence, and discover where your natural interests lie, before settling on your ultimate qualification goal.
These courses are designed for a gentle introduction to online learning, with courses structured over a 30-week period, but requiring less time, about 9 hours per week of study time, than many other programmes. This gives you more flexibility to fit your studies around the other commitments of daily life such as work, family and friends.
The courses have no formal entry requirements… rather we are interested in your potential not your past experience.
Arts and languages
Business and law
Psychology, social science and wellbeing
Science, technology and maths
Your questions answered
What is a microcredential?
A microcredential is a flexible online course with academic credit, designed to help you quickly build in-demand career skills and knowledge. These courses take around 10-12 weeks, with 10-13 hours of study a week, around 100-150 hours in total. Undergraduate microcredentials are 10 credits and postgraduate microcredentials are 15 credits.
Microcredentials are studied entirely online via the OU’s platform or FutureLearn. You’ll use a combination of learning materials, videos, and quizzes to develop skills that you can immediately apply. You’ll share ideas and experiences with other learners, building skills, confidence, and knowledge. You’ll also be supported by a Mentor who has an excellent understanding of the course subject; their role is to guide discussions and answer question.
How do I apply for a microcredential?
To register for a fully funded place on an Open University microcredential, you will need to:
- Choose an OU microcredential that you would like to study on The Open University website: https://www.open.ac.uk/courses/microcredentials
- Check your eligibility and register your details with the OU via the Uber Pro app: https://skillshub.uk/check-eligibility-launch/
- Complete and return the Registration Agreement and HESA form that the OU will email to you.
- If the microcredential you have chosen is on FutureLearn, you will need to accept your place when FutureLearn emails you to ask to confirm your place.
Can microcredentials be used towards university qualifications?
Potentially, yes. Microcredentials are stand-alone courses designed to meet specific learner and employer needs. Those awarded by The Open University have academic credit value at either undergraduate or postgraduate level, and, if appropriate, this may be used towards selected OU qualifications. For more details, including eligible qualifications, visit Counting microcredentials towards OU qualifications.
The credit awarded may potentially be used at another university, subject to the agreement of the receiving institution.
Will I need access to the OU StudentHome if I am studying a microcredential?
For microcredentials on the OU platform, you will need to access your learning on the course website using The Open University’s StudentHome portal.
For microcredentials on FutureLearn, all learning and course content will be on the FutureLearn platform; however, you will need to submit your final assessment on The Open University’s StudentHome portal.
What is a short course?
Our OU short courses are a great opportunity to develop new skills through flexible bite-sized learning. You can learn at your own pace, whether you’re a beginner or have some experience. Most courses typically require 10-50 hours of study.
Most of our short courses offer flexible start dates, allowing you to begin studying as soon as your registration documents are processed. However, some courses have fixed start dates, requiring the completion of your registration documentation by a specified date in order to enrol.
How do I apply for a short course?
To register for a fully funded place on an Open University short course, you will need to:
- Choose an OU short course that you would like to study on The Open University website: https://www.open.ac.uk/courses/short-courses
- Check your eligibility and register your details with the OU via the Uber Pro app: https://skillshub.uk/check-eligibility-launch/
- Complete and return the Registration Agreement and HESA form that the OU will email to you.
What is the difference between a Registration Agreement and HESA form?
The Registration Agreement includes personal details, module/qualification and fee payment information that we need to enrol a student. The HESA form is required by law for universities to provide statistics about its students to HESA (Higher Education Statistics Agency).
How do I fill out the Registration documentation for a short course?
You will receive documents in a PDF format, which we suggest completing electronically. You can do this by downloading Adobe Acrobat Reader DC; this is a free software app that allows you to edit PDF documents. You will then need to save and send the documents back to: UberEats@open.ac.uk
What is an Access module?
An Access module is a great place to start if you want a gentle introduction to Open University study. Designed specifically for OU students, an Access module can help you to find out more about your interests and where you want your learning to take you. It is a great opportunity that eases you back into studying and prepares you for undergraduate modules and qualifications.
How do I apply for an Access module course?
To register for a fully funded place on an Open University Access module, you will need to:
- Choose an OU Access module that you would like to study on The Open University website: https://www.open.ac.uk/courses/do-it/access
- Check your eligibility and register your details with the OU via the Uber Pro app: https://skillshub.uk/check-eligibility-launch/
- Complete and return the Registration Agreement and HESA form that the OU will email to you.
Couriers or an eligible family member now have access to flexible education with 100% course fees covered by Uber.
Couriers or an eligible family member now have access to flexible education with 100% course fee coverage
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