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The Open University: Courses, Admission, Cost
Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, UK
1 Campus- Estd. 1969
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Last updated on 14 May '25OUWhat's new?
Open University is accepting admission applications for entry to its 2025 & 2026 courses, listed below are the upcoming deadlines for the same:
- Deadline for October 2025 entry: Sep 11, 2025
- Deadline for February 2026 entry: Jan 08, 2026
- Deadline for April 2026 entry: Mar 12, 2026
- About The Open University
- OU Popular Courses
- The Open University Courses
- The Open University Scholarships
- The Open University Admissions 2025
- + 7 more items
About The Open University
The Open University (OU) in Milton Keynes is a public research university primarily known for offering distance based learning via online courses, with a very few courses in offline format.
The institute’s degrees are internationally recognized, with every degree complying with the exact quality standards that are set for other UK universities, i.e. OU courses have the same status as any other university based in United Kingdom.
Things to know about Open University
Check out the table below for some interesting facts about Open University:
|
Particular |
Data |
|---|---|
|
Founded |
1969 |
|
Location |
Milton Keynes, England, UK |
|
Total Students |
200,000 |
|
International Students |
8,819 |
|
Students with a Disability |
38,991 |
|
Total Courses |
692 |
|
Average Tuition Fees |
INR 9.30 L-INR 27.90 L |
|
Notable Alumni |
Tim Berners-Lee, Gordon Brown, Fleur Anderson, Ian Byrne, & Ben Davies |
History
OU was founded in 1969, by the Labour Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Harold Wilson.
The notion of technology supporting freedom was behind Wilson’s idea of creation of the institute.
It welcomed its first cohort of about 24,000 students in the year 1971, & was aimed at providing higher education to part-time adult learners, irrespective of their past qualifications or health status after the events of the second World War.
The Privy Council granted it a royal charter in the year 1969, & the institute to continued to expand over the rest of the 20th century, with the opening of the Open University Business School (OUBS) in 1988 which was among the select number of institutes in the UK to have attained triple accreditation by AMBA, AACSB, & EQUIS.
Commonly asked questions On Highlights
Yes, a degree from the Open University based in Milton Keynes, is valid in India, as the institute's degrees are comparable to degrees offered by any other UK university.
Further, its Business School is also among an exclusive group of institutes to have attained triple accreditation by AACSB, AMBA & EQUIS.
OU is known for offering distance learning courses to students worldwide.
Yes, Open University graduates are eligible for applying to jobs anywhere in the world, as many employers accept distance-learning based degrees.
OU itself runs a dedicated internship offering platform: OU OpportunityHub, that lists a number of remote work opportunities across the UK, in the field of the applicant's choice.
The Open University is licensed as a sponsor under the points-based immigration system, which means that the institute can sponsor student route visas for international research applicants planning to come to the UK to study.
For more information regarding visa requirements & processing, students are advised to refer the International research student applications page of the Open University.
OU attains a global rank of #504, as part of Shiksha's the latest rankings of the best colleges & universities, globally. Further, on a UK level, the institute ranks #82, placing it among the top 100 colleges & universities in the United Kingdom.
Its LLM & MA courses, also rank among the UK's top 50 courses, securing ranks #46 & #50 respectively, as part of Shiksha course-specific rankings.
Open University (OU), based in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, is a public research university known for offering distance learning courses & virtual (remote) internship opportunities to students worldwide. It offers courses in degree, diplomas & certification formats.
The institute houses one of the largest bases of students among all European universities, with its total student population, nearing 200,000 students.
The TOEFL iBT Test is accepted across all the colleges across UK. Use coupon code SHIKTOEFL to get an instant discount of up to RS 500.OU Popular Courses
36 monthsThe Open University Courses
The Open University Courses primarily consists of online courses, aimed at improving the accessibility of its education to students around the world, & is a key reason why OU happens to be one of the largest enrolled universities in Europe, with a student population of nearly 200,000 students.
OU courses are available to be pursued in degree, certification & diploma formats.
Listed below are some popular undergraduate degree courses offered by the institute:
- BSc (Honours) in Accounting & Finance
- BSc (Honours) in Computing & IT & Business
- BSc (Honours) in Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence
- BA (Honours) Business Management (Marketing)
- BSc (Honours) Data Science
Open University also offers an extended range of postgraduate degree courses, in some popular industry relevant streams, these are mentioned below:
- MSc in Cyber Security
- MSc in Computing
- MBA
- MBA (Technology Management)
- MA in English Literature
For more of the Open University courses, feel free to check out the table below:
We can fast-track your application in a week.
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12.8K+ students got admitted through us.
Commonly asked questions On Popular Programs
The Open University maintains around 1,000 courses, separate from its degree, Diploma & certification offerings, that are available to be pursued free of cost.
The courses can be pursued across three different languages: English, Ukrainian & Welsh & has durations ranging from 1 hour to 24+ hours.
These courses can be pursued by kids & adults alike, with some prominent ones including: Advanced Spanish, Advanced German, Additive Manufacturing, Digital Health, E-learning & European History among others.
Open University is known to offer a number of certification, Diploma & degree courses to students, across a number of prominent industry relevant fields including: Business Administration, Engineering, Accounting, Biology, Chemistry, Healthcare, Criminology, Music & Social Science among others.
The choice of the best course, ultimately comes down to the interests of a student.
Listed below are some popular courses offered by the institute:
· BSc (Honours) in Accounting & Finance
· BSc (Honours) in Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence
· MSc in Cyber Security
· MBA
· MBA (Technology Management)
OUThe Open University Scholarships
The Open University Scholarships are available in very limited numbers to International students.
OU offers scholarships to help cover the costs of studying & living in Milton Keynes, & provide some welcome respite from the overall stress of funding one’s studies.
Among some popular scholarships are the Hayes Postgraduate Scholarship & Sanctuary Scholarship.
The table below gives a detailed description of both:
|
Scholarship |
Financial Reward |
Eligibility |
|---|---|---|
|
Hayes Postgraduate Scholarship |
Full fee waiver |
|
|
Sanctuary Scholarship |
Full Tuition Fees |
|
The application form for the Hayes Scholarship can be downloaded from here: Open University Hayes Postgraduate Scholarship Form
The Open University Admissions 2025
The Open University admissions are open for the October, February & April intakes to international students.
Check out the table below for the latest upcoming OU deadlines:
|
Intake |
Deadline |
|---|---|
|
October 2025 |
Sep 11, 2025 |
|
February 2026 |
Jan 08, 2026 |
|
April 2026 |
Mar 12, 2026 |
Open University Admission Requirements 2025
There are no special Open University admission requirements for admissions to majority of OU courses.
Undergraduate Requirements
Students are required to have some basic understanding of the specific stream they are applying for, along with good reading & writing skills & decent grasp of verbal & written English.
Postgraduate Requirements
PG course requirements vary with course, given below are the requirements for the Open University MBA:
- UG degree with honours from a recognized international institute
- GMAT score: 640 or higher (if no honours degree)
- Three OU undergraduate level Business Management micro-credentials (if no honours degree)
- Minimum three years of work experience in a technical or managerial role
- Minimum IELTS score: 5
English Language Requirements
The general language test score requirements are mentioned below:
|
Test |
Minimum Score |
|---|---|
|
87-109 |
|
|
5.5-6.5 |
|
|
Cambridge English Language Assessment |
First Certificate in English |
|
Grade 4 (formerly, Grade C) |
Admission process for International Students
The Open University admission process involves submission of valid language & university entrance test scores, as listed below:
- Register on the official Open University application portal
- Pick a course
- Check its requirements & upload all essential documents
- Pay the specified application fee
- Submit the application
- Track status of the application at regular intervals
- Accept the admission letter, only after a careful review of the terms & conditions
- Follow any further instructions as specified by the institute
Documents| Type of documents | Applicable for |
|---|
Commonly asked questions On Admissions
Indian students looking to secure admission to the Open University, must satisfy its admission requirements & follow the admission process listed below.
· Create an account on the OU application portal
· Take up a course & carefully assess its requirements, fees, etc.
· Now, upload all the important documents such as id proofs, test scores & any other educational record, as specified
· Pay the application fee (if any)
· After a careful, submit the application
· Wait for the OU admission team's official response
· Keep track of your mails & the application status via the application portal
· Upon receiving the admission letter, follow any further guidelines as specified by the institute
The Open University entry requirements varies by courses. Most of the courses at Open University have no formal GPA requirements.
Students only need to have an understanding of some basic concepts with regards to the area of studies they are applying to & demonstrate proficiency in verbal & written English.
For a course-by-course description of the Open University Admission Requirements students are advised to refer the official course page of the university.
Yes, English language proficiency is a mandatory requirement to be fulfilled by international students planning to pursue higher studies from the institute.
IELTS is considered as an acceptable proof of the same along with TOEFL, Cambridge English & the GCSE.
The general requirements for international students are mentioned below:
Test | Minimum Score |
|---|---|
87-109 | |
5.5-6.5 | |
Cambridge English Language Assessment | First Certificate in English |
GCSE (or equivalent) | Grade 4 (formerly, Grade C) |
The Open University Fees
The Open University Fees for a full-time honours degree is GBP 24,552 (INR 27.9 L), for a full-time diploma is GBP 16,368 (INR 18.60 L) & for a full-time certificate of higher education is GBP 8,184 (INR 9.30 L).
The table below gives a detailed breakdown of the OU Fees as per different course types:
|
Qualification |
Course Duration |
Per year cost |
Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Certificate of Higher Education (120 credits) |
1 |
GBP 8,184 (INR 9.30 L) |
GBP 8,184 (INR 9.30 L) |
|
Diploma of Higher Education (240 credits) |
2 |
GBP 8,184 (INR 9.30 L0 |
GBP 16,368 (INR 18.60 L) |
|
Honours Degree (360 credits) |
3 |
GBP 8,184 (INR 9.30 L) |
GBP 24,552 (INR 27.90 L) |
For more about the Open University Fees, check out the table below:
| Courses | 1st Year Tuition Fees | Duration & Eligibility |
|---|---|---|
M.A.(8 courses) | INR 10 L - 13 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 24-36 months Exam Accepted: |
PG Diploma(13 courses) | INR 7 L - 15 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 12-30 months Exam Accepted: |
BBA(4 courses) | INR 20 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 36 months Exam Accepted: |
PG Certificate(12 courses) | INR 4 L - 7 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 6-12 months Exam Accepted: |
B.E. / B.Tech(5 courses) | INR 20 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 36 months Exam Accepted: |
B.Sc.(3 courses) | INR 20 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 36 months Exam Accepted: |
M.Sc.(7 courses) | INR 11 L - 17 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 24-36 months Exam Accepted: |
MBA/PGDM(2 courses) | INR 20 L - 25 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 18 months-2 years Exam Accepted: IELTS: 6.5 & Above |
MIM(4 courses) | INR 12 L - 14 LGet Fee Details | Duration: 24-36 months Exam Accepted: |
UG certificate(7 courses) | INR 7 LGet Fee Details | – / – |
Commonly asked questions On Fees and Eligibility
The cost of living in Milton Keynes, varies based on the kind of accommodation & the standard of living a student opts to take up.
As per the British Council's the latest official cost of living report, the estimated monthly cost of living in the UK (not including London), is GBP 900-GBP 1,300 (INR 1.02 L-INR 1.47 L).
This includes: accommodation, bills, groceries & some other expenses a student may incur over the duration of the stay in the UK.
The cost of studies at Open University, varies per the type of the course, a student is applying for.
The cost of full-time degree courses with a duration of 3 years at OU, Milton Keynes is: GBP 24,552 (INR 27.9 L), while that of a 2-year Diploma is: GBP 16,368 (INR 18.6 L) & a 1-year Certificate of Higher Education is: GBP 8,184 (INR 9.3 L).
The Open University Placements
The Open University Placements offer employment opportunities at the UK Ministry of Defence, National Health Service (NHS), the British Army as well as virtual internships at some of the best organizations in the UK & abroad.
Open University find jobs across a number of prominent industries including Information Technology (IT), Business Development, Operations, Education & Engineering among others.
The table below gives a more detailed breakdown of the industries OU graduates are currently employed at:
|
Industry |
Percentage |
|---|---|
|
Business Development |
11.88% |
|
Operations |
10.24% |
|
Education |
8% |
|
Information Technology |
7.2% |
|
Engineering |
6.38% |
The Open University Internships
Open University offers a dedicated platform for finding remote-work opportunities, that allows students to work from the comforts of their home, & gain valuable experience of the dynamic demands of the industry.
All students need to do is register on the OU OpportunityHub platform, & apply relevant filters such as mode of work, type of work & the location of the work to find the ideal internship roles for themselves.
Commonly asked questions On Placements
Yes, OU is known to offer placement opportunities to students, enrolled in diploma, certification or degree courses at the institute. The institute maintains a platform for finding employment opportunities in the form of the OU OpportunityHub.
The platform also lists a number of remote internship opportunities available across the UK.
Open University graduates are the recipients of job offers from some of the best private & government based organizations in the UK & abroad. The UK's National Health Service (NHS), Ministry of Defence & the British Army are known to recruit OU graduates.
Operations, Business Development, IT. Education & Engineering are some prominent industries employing the university graduates.
The Open University Ranking 2025
The Open University Ranking for country level is: #82 as part of the UK-wide rankings given by Shiksha, while globally, the institute secures a rank #504.
Further, some of its popular courses also rank among the top 100 courses in United Kingdom, & the table below gives a description of the same.
|
Course |
Shiksha Popularity Ranking |
|---|---|
|
MS |
#71 |
|
LLM |
#46 |
|
MA |
#50 |
|
MIM |
#83 |
|
Others PG |
#85 |
#504
#82
Commonly asked questions On Rankings
The Open University in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, ranks among the top 100 higher educational institutions in the United Kingdom. Per the latest Shiksha Popularity Rankings, OU secures a rank #82.
Shiksha also gives UK-wide ranks to some of OU's popular streams, the table below gives the description of the same:
Stream | Shiksha Popularity Ranking |
|---|---|
Computer Science Engineering | #56 |
Business & Management | #89 |
Law | #39 |
Humanities & Social Science | #45 |
Medicine & Health | #84 |
Arts (Fine/Visual/Performing) | #85 |
The Buckinghamshire New University based in Wycombe, holds the crown for being the #1 university in the region.
The public university, secures a UK-wide rank #65 among all colleges & universities, as per the National University Rankings 2025, given by a prominent ranking publication.
The University of Buckingham in Buckingham & the National Film & Television School in Beaconsfield secure ranks #2 & #3 respectively as part of Shiksha Rankings of the top colleges & universities in the region.
The Open University vs University of Nottingham vs University of Warwick: Which is better?
The Open University, University of Nottingham & University of Warwick are all part of the top 100 colleges & universities in the UK.
Rank-wise, the University of Warwick has a country-level rank of #9 per the Shiksha Popularity Rankings which is reasonably better than the University of Nottingham (#24) & OU (#82).
Acceptance rate wise, Open University gets the better of the other two with its acceptance rate of 87%, significantly higher than Nottingham’s (11%) & Warwick (14%).
Check out the table below for a more comprehensive comparison between the three institutes:
|
Criteria |
The Open University |
University of Nottingham |
University of Warwick |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Location |
Walton Hall, Kents Hill, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, United Kingdom |
Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom |
Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom |
|
Acceptance Rate |
87% |
11% |
14% |
|
Popular Programs |
Accounting & Finance, Arts, Computing |
Law, Psychology, Computer Science |
Business & Management, Economics, & Social Science |
|
Tuition Fee |
INR 9.3 L-INR 27.9 L |
INR 7.5 L-INR 63.5 L |
INR 21.6 L-INR 64.7 L |
|
Shiksha Popularity Ranking |
#82 |
#24 |
#9 |
Compare OU with other similar colleges
| College | 1st Year Tuition Fees | Shiksha Grade | Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| INR 22.44 L - 27.49 L | A | #11 CUG, 2025 |
CompareCommonly asked questions On Comparisons
The Open University & University of Nottingham form part of the most prominent higher educational institutes in the UK.
Ranking-wise, Nottingham topples OU, as its ranking of #24 is significantly better than that of Open university (#82), as given by Shiksha.
However, the acceptance rates are almost a mirror image of their rankings, with Open's acceptance rate of 87%, making it much easier to secure admissions at than Nottingham's (11%).
Check out the table below for a more detailed comparison:
Criteria | The Open University | University of Nottingham |
|---|---|---|
Location | Walton Hall, Kents Hill, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, United Kingdom | Nottingham NG7 2RD, United Kingdom |
Acceptance Rate | 87% | 11% |
Popular Programs | Accounting & Finance, Arts, Computing | Law, Psychology, Computer Science |
Tuition Fee | INR 9.3 L-INR 27.9 L | INR 7.5 L-INR 63.5 L |
Shiksha Popularity Ranking | #82 | #24 |
The Open University acceptance rate of 87%, suggests, the institute is somewhat selective at granting admissions.
However, when compared to the University of Warwick, whose acceptance rate stands at a meagre 14%, it can be said that Open is relatively much easier to secure admissions at.
Prospective applicants are advised to maintain a solid academic background to secure a seat at Warwick, while a majority of Open University courses have no formal admission requirements.
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The Open University Notable Alumni
The Open University Notable Alumni include popular TV personalities, politicians, engineers, lawyers & athletes who are well known across their respective industries.
The table below lists some popular members of the OU alumni network:
|
Alumni Name |
Alumni Profession |
Alumni |
|---|---|---|
|
Fleur Anderson |
Politician, serving as the Member of Parliament for Putney as part of the Labour party |
|
|
Ian Byrne |
Politician, member of the Labour party & Member of Parliament |
|
|
Julie Christie |
British Actress, winner of the prestigious Oscars, BAFTA, Golden Globe & Screen Actors Guild Award |
|
|
Ben Davies |
Football Player: Wales National Team |
|
|
Steve Backshall |
Naturalist & TV Presenter |
|
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Commonly asked questions On Alumni
Yes, Tim Berners-Lee known for being the inventor of the World Wide Web, is an honorary doctorate from the Open University in Milton Keynes.
Also known as TimBL, Lee is a computer scientist, who's also credited with the creation of the HTML markup language, the URL system & the HTTP.
He is currently a research fellow at the University of Oxford in unison with being the professor emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Gordon Brown, known for being the prime minister of the United Kingdom & the leader of the Labour party between the years 2007 to 2010 is an honorary doctorate from the Buckinghamshire, based Open University in Milton Keynes.
Brown was also a Member of the Parliament in the UK between 1983 to 2005, & also the Chancellor of the Exchequer between 1997 to 2007.
The Open University Campus Life
The Open University campus, based in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, UK, offers academic & recreational facilities to around 1,200 full-time academics, along with 250 full-time & part-time postgraduate research students.
The Open University Culture
The campus culture can be described as “vibrant” offering plenty to explore & be part of over the duration of studies.
Ballet, Orchestral Concerts, Opera, & stand-up performances by popular comedians are some of the many events hosted by the OU campus.
Not to forget, The National Bowl, which happens to be United Kingdom’s largest outdoor venues plays host to a number of sporting & musical events throughout the year.
The Open University Nightlife
Milton Keynes is very well known for its party-like atmosphere during the nights. The OU campus is located in close proximity to a number of lively pubs & clubs along with some of the best fine-dining places, offering an extensive range of cuisines such as Italian, French, South American & Asian.
The Open University Housing
Open University does not maintain accommodation facilities of its own, however, it has negotiated the use of a student living facility at another nearby university campus, along with an accommodation adviser that guides students navigate the process of finding accommodation in Milton Keynes.
Commonly asked questions On Others
Yes, Open University has one main campus, located at Walton Hall, in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.
Further, the institute is also known to maintain regional centres across the UK including in Nottingham & Manchester, while also operating regional offices in Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Wales & Northern Ireland.
The MK campus is home to about 1,200 full-time academics as well as 250 full-time & part-time research graduates.
As per the Government of India (GOI)'s official National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), is the #1 ranked open university in the country.
It is followed by the Netaji Subhash Open University & the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University in the latest NIRF rankings.
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OULocation
| University City | Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, UK |
OUContact Information
Walton Hall, Kents Hill, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, United Kingdom
Milton Keynes ( Buckinghamshire)
