What you’ll pay depends on where you live, the qualification you’re aiming for, and your study intensity (the number of credits you study each year).
You won’t find any hidden surprises – our costs include all of the study materials and resources you’ll need to complete your studies.
You’ll be able to choose from a wide range of payment methods to make your study affordable; read on for more detail.
- England: undergraduate study
- Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: undergraduate study
- Outside the UK: undergraduate study
- Postgraduate study
England: undergraduate study
Your payment options include Part-time Tuition Fee Loans from Student Finance England, and the option of spreading the cost over monthly instalments by Direct Debit with our own student budget account, OUSBA.
Key facts
- Our tuition fees for 2012/13 are £5000 for 120 credits of study, which is equivalent to a year’s full-time study at a campus-based university.
- What you pay is proportionate to what you study; most OU students will study 60 credits a year, half the rate of a full-time student, and will pay just £2500.
- Part-time Tuition Fee Loans are not means-tested so you can apply for one regardless of your income. Student Finance England do not take the income of other people in your household into account when they assess you for a fee loan.
| Study intensity | Price per year | Time taken to complete a 360-credit honours degree |
|---|---|---|
| 120 credits a year | £5000 | 3 years full-time study |
| 60 credits a year | £2500 | 6 years part-time study |
| 30 credits a year | £1250 | 12 years part-time study |
Flexible ways to pay
- Part time tuition fee loans – you could be eligible to pay for your tuition fees by taking out a fee loan funded by the government, which means you won’t have to pay your fees upfront.
- Pay by instalments - if you don’t qualify for a fee loan, or choose not to apply for one, you can pay your tuition fees by monthly instalments with a credit agreement through Open University Student Budget Accounts Ltd (OUSBA).
- Financial support to get you started - if your annual household income is less than £25,000 (plus allowances e.g. for dependents, where applicable) and you’re new to higher education, you may be eligible for a place on the Access to Success Route.
- Other ways to pay - if you don’t qualify for a fee loan, or choose not to apply for one the OU offers a range of other ways to pay your tuition fees.
Paying for a module as a standalone course
You’ll find standalone module fees in the module descriptions in our online prospectus. Note that you won’t qualify for a Part-time Tuition Fee Loan if you study a standalone module, but the other payment methods above will apply.
If paying for the cost of a standalone module isn’t affordable for you, think about registering to study an Open qualification. You’ll be able to tailor the qualification around your own interests and career needs, and it could mean you’ll qualify for a fee loan.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: undergraduate study
Your payment options include access to financial support, and the option of spreading the cost over monthly instalments with our affordable student budget account, OUSBA.
Key facts
- Typical OU tuition fees for 2012/2013 range from £1470–£2045 for 120 credits of study, which is equivalent to a year’s full-time study at a campus-based university.
- What you pay is proportionate to what you study; most OU students will study 60 credits a year, half the rate of a full-time student, and will pay tuition fees in the range of £735–£1080.
| Study intensity | Price per year | Time taken to complete a 360-credit honours degree |
|---|---|---|
| 120 credits a year | £1470-£2045 | 3 years full-time study |
| 60 credits a year | £735- £1080 | 6 years part-time study |
Financial support
Depending on your income and your course of study, you could be eligible to apply for a Fee grant, Course grant or help from the Access to Learning Fund. And if you have a disability or additional requirements, you could be eligible for a Disabled Students’ Allowance.
Flexible ways to pay
- Pay by instalments - if you don’t qualify for financial support you can pay your tuition fees by monthly instalments with a credit agreement through Open University Student Budget Accounts Ltd (OUSBA).
- Other ways to pay - if you don’t qualify for financial support the OU offers a range of other ways to pay your tuitions fees.
Paying for a module as a standalone course
You’ll find standalone module fees in the module descriptions in our online prospectus. Note that, if you live in Wales or Northern Ireland, you won’t qualify for financial support if you study a standalone module, but the other payment methods above will apply.
If paying for the cost of a standalone module isn’t affordable for you, think about registering to study an Open qualification. You’ll be able to tailor the qualification around your own interests and career needs, and it could mean you’ll be eligible for financial support.
Outside the UK: Undergraduate study
Your payment options include spreading the cost over monthly instalments with an affordable student budget account, OUSBA. The interest rate on this tuition loan is one of the lowest in the United Kingdom.
Key facts
- Our tuition fees for 2012/13 are £5000 for 120 credits of study, which is equivalent to a year’s full-time study at a campus-based university.
- What you pay is proportionate to what you study; most OU students will study 60 credits a year, half the rate of a full-time student, and will pay just £2500.
| Study intensity | Price per year | Time taken to complete a 360-credit honours degree |
|---|---|---|
| 120 credits a year | £5000 | 3 years full-time study |
| 60 credits a year | £2500 | 6 years part-time study |
Flexible ways to pay
- Pay by instalments - you can pay your tuition fees by monthly instalments with a credit agreement through Open University Student Budget Accounts Ltd (OUSBA).
- Other ways to pay - the OU offers a range of other ways to pay your tuitions fees.
Note that if you’re an EU or EEA student but you’re ordinarily resident in England from 1st September 2012, you may be eligible for a Part-time Tuition Fee Loan. You can find out more by contacting Student Finance England on 0845 300 5090 or visit www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance.
Paying for a module as a standalone course
You’ll find standalone module fees in the module descriptions in our online prospectus.
Postgraduate costs
Your payment options include spreading the cost over monthly instalments with our own student budget account, OUSBA.
Our postgraduate degrees are modular, so the prices can vary. The table below gives an indication of our price bands for a postgraduate qualification, based on current fees:
| £3000 - £6000 | Arts and Humanities Education Health Care Mathematics Psychology Science Social Sciences |
| £6000 - £10,000 | Computing Engineering Environment Information Systems Development management Systems Practice |
| £16,000 | MBA |
For more information, visit the description for the qualification you are interested in, select the courses (modules) that make up that qualification, and check the current prices of those courses. See our Postgraduate prospectus.
Flexible ways to pay
- Pay by instalments - you can pay your tuition fees by monthly instalments with a credit agreement through Open University Student Budget Accounts Ltd (OUSBA).
- Other ways to pay - the OU offers a range of other ways to pay your tuitions fees.