Cost
If you are eligible to pay UK fees, our Openings courses cost £195. If you receive state benefits, or if you have an annual household income of less than £16,845 *, you may be able to study for free (terms and conditions apply). Call our Student Registration & Enquiry Service on +44 (0)845 300 60 90 for further information and advice.
*Income-based financial support is not available in Scotland.
For students intending to start an Openings course from 1 September 2012
If you live in England and you have an annual household income of less than £25,000 you may be successful in gaining a place on our Access to Success Route. The Access to Success Route is a two-step process which gives you the opportunity to begin your studies with a heavily subsidised Openings module. Students studying Openings as Step 1 of the Access to Success Route will pay only £25.
If you are ineligible for a place on the Access to Success Route, the standard fee for an Openings course in England is £625. This fee can be paid up front or in instalments using OUSBA (the Open University’s Student Budget Account).
However, if If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland – the fee for an Openings course is £200. If you receive state benefits, or if you have an annual household income of less than £16,845 *, you may be able to study for free (terms and conditions apply). Call our Student Registration & Enquiry Service on +44 (0)845 300 60 90 for further information and advice.
*Income-based financial support is not available in Scotland.
Timing
- Start dates are 01 June 2012, 01 September 2012, 01 November 2012, 01 March 2013 and 01 June 2013. Course registrations close up to two weeks before your chosen date but places go quickly so we advise you to book early.
- Each course lasts a maximum of 20 weeks.
- You can fit the course in with your other commitments, as long as you can find approximately six to seven hours a week for study.
- You don’t have to go anywhere – you’ll have your own personal tutor who will provide one-to-one telephone tutorials on a regular basis, and provide written feedback on your course work.
- With our optional online forum you can exchange ideas and get support from other students.
Tuition and assessment
There are no examinations to sit for Openings courses. Instead, you’ll need to write an end-of-module assessment (which is the third piece of written work). Successful completion of the course will earn you 15 credits at Level 1.
You will gain a sense of pride and satisfaction after completing your study.
How to register on an Openings course
There are no academic entry requirements for Openings courses. They are designed for people who do not have qualifications at the level traditionally required for university entry. Openings courses are only available to students living in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, or those who have a British Forces Post Office (BFPO) address.
- If you live in England and you have an annual household income of less than £25,000 you may be successful in gaining a place on our Access to Success Route.
- If you live in England, The Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or have a BFPO address you can register for an Openings course by downloading the England, Isle of Man, Channel Islands and outside the UK: Short module and Openings registration 2012–2013 form.
- If you live in Scotland you can register for an Openings course by downloading the Scotland: Short module and Openings registration 2012–2013 form.
- If you live in Wales or Northern Ireland you can register for an Openings course by downloading the Wales and Northern Ireland: Short module and Openings registration 2012–2013 form.
Alternatively you can call our Student Registration & Enquiry Service on +44 (0)845 300 60 90.
The most important thing that you will learn from an Openings course is how to study. Being able to write an assignment, present an argument, research facts and so many other aspects of an Openings course, are skills you can take forward into any future learning experience".