Changes to policy and curriculum

Fee Rules (Taught Postgraduate) 2020/21

In March 2020, The Open University published its new Fee Rules (Taught Postgraduate) 2020/21 for the first time.

This document sets out the rules that affect the fees, fee liabilities, fee refunds and fee credits for students studying postgraduate modules or qualifications. They explain the circumstances in which students may receive fee refunds or fee credits, The Open University’s discretionary fee refunds and credits policy, when students may become liable to pay fees, as well as what The Open University might do if they do not pay their fees. Significant changes were made since the 2019/20 version of this document

The changes made

1. Amendments to ‘What this document does not cover’ to include non-credit bearing short courses.
2. Additional sentence within “Introduction” to specify that students living in Wales can receive correspondence in Welsh.
3. Amendment to paragraph B1 and Glossary to avoid potential confusion with the Student Loans Company Registration Confirmation.
4. Removal of the paragraph B4.3 regarding provision of an address in the UK for delivery of study materials (paragraph has been moved to Conditions of Registration).
5. Addition of clarification to paragraph C4 regarding tuition fee debt.
6. References to government agency have been amended to ‘Funding Authority’ in Section C and the Glossary.
7. Amendment to E5 to state that any refund of fees may be transferred to your new module.
8. Addition of paragraphs F11 and F12 to advise on specific circumstances for those students studying modules T802 and S810.
9. Addition of paragraph F13 regarding Fee credits not being permitted for use against Microcredentials or Apprenticeship Programmes.
10. Addition of paragraph F14 to reference adjusted Repeat Fees presented in the Conditions of Registration: Supplementary Agreement (Social Work) for particular Social Work modules.
11. Addition of paragraph Ap1 1.3 to advise where we may require additional evidence to verify your status in the UK or ensure you are entitled to visit the UK.
12. Amendment to Appendix Section Ap1 2.5 to include information for non-relevant family members of Nationals.
13. Addition of paragraph Ap3 1.3 within Appendix 3 regarding Masters qualifications which begin after 1 August 2019 in Wales.
14. Amendments to Appendix 3.3 ‘Administration of the funding’ to refer to postgraduate funding as opposed to loan, and removing postgraduate loan as an example.

Please talk to your Student Support Team if you need any further information. You can find out how to contact them on Contact the OU.