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Studying with the OU

At the OU we blend online learning and small group tutorials to create unique courses that work for our students. We’ve taken distance learning to a whole new incredibly supportive level.

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How it works

  • Qualifications at the OU are made up of modules, some will be compulsory, and others will be optional. If you’re transferring credit from your college qualification, then you’ll likely have fewer modules to complete to finish your qualification.
  • The OU allows you to fit your studies around your life in a way that suits you, so you don’t have to put your life on hold to get the qualification you want.
  • Each module has its own website on our virtual learning environment. The module website contains everything you need to study.

Find out what it's like to study with the OU  

Benefits of studying with the OU

  • Flexible study – OU study is flexible in so many ways. It’s not just about being able to fit study around your life and commitments, it’s about taking control of what you study and how you study it. Speaking to one of our advisors is a great place to start to get a feeling for how OU study might work with your life, commitments and goals.

Find out more about how you can fit study around you  

  • We’ll support you to succeed - we provide a supportive open learning community, and our students tell us that the experience is engaging, immersive and interactive. Over the last decade, we have consistently performed in the top three Scottish universities for student satisfaction.

Discover more about the support we offer and the OU community  

  • OU study is affordable -  Over half of all new students in Scotland qualify for financial support - with most of those using a Part-Time Fee Grant to cover the cost of their undergraduate module fees in full.

Find out more about the financial support on offer  

  • Build on your previous achievements - if you’ve studied before, you may be able to transfer those credits towards your degree. This includes your HNC or HND, completed degree modules, or other equivalent qualifications.

Find out more about credit transfer  

Carol talks about fitting studying for a degree around family life and looking after her children.
12,000+ OU students across Scotland study for free with the Part-Time Fee Grant

Life after graduation

An OU degree opens up a world of opportunity. You’ll gain the skills and qualifications you need to build your future and find your dream job.

  • 90% of graduates in Scotland say OU study supports their personal goals (OU Employability of Qualifiers Survey 2022)
  • 85% of alumni say OU studies improved their job skills (London Economics Alumni Survey 2020)

Find out how an OU degree can help your career  

I remember being a bit unsure whether my OU degree would carry the same weight as a more traditional university, but employers are really impressed with Open University degrees.

Kerry Gray, OU graduate

Want to get started? What are you waiting for?

Find out more about the OU, our courses and how we can help you build your future by contacting our team of advisers.

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