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Changes to policy and curriculum

Show all changes for 2021/22

Conditions of Registration 2021/22 (Taught Courses)

In March 2021, The Open University published its new Conditions of Registration 2021/22 (Taught Courses) for the first time. The Conditions of Registration set out the terms and conditions (“Conditions”) that apply to registration for undergraduate and postgraduate taught modules and qualifications studied with The Open University.

The changes made:

There have been several significant changes to this policy:

  1. Additional paragraph added to the Scope section to note that the Conditions document may be updated throughout the year to correct errors, improve clarity or accessibility, or to reflect changes in legal or regulatory requirements
  2. Vocational learners added to the out of scope section
  3. Rewording of Fitness to Study clause in “Documents that govern your study” to provide clarification
  4. Amendment to The Open University Student Charter section to reference the Student Charter Values which were launched in 2020
  5. Wording amendment from ‘cancel’ to ‘withdraw’ in sentence 1b of the “Summary of the main terms”, and paragraph A8.2
  6. References to the additional postgraduate resit/ resubmission fee have been removed (Summary of main terms; B1.4, C1c). Paragraphs B1.5 and B1.6 have subsequently been renumbered
  7. Amendment to 14b of the “Summary of main terms” to explain that The Open University may end this agreement if you do not successfully meet entry requirements
  8. Rewording of paragraphs A2.1 and Ap1.1 to provide clarification that students who have a criminal conviction, are not required to disclose this in order to study at The Open University
  9. Amendment to paragraphs A3.2 and C5 which currently reference the Equality Act (2010), to account for other statutory duties and obligations.
  10. Rewording of paragraph A4.2 to provide clarification
  11. Rewording of paragraph A5.2c) to provide clarification about restricting registration or enrolment to modules available in your permanent country of residence
  12. Addition of a new sentence to paragraph A5.3: “if you have not previously studied with The Open University, we may not allow study until you have secured a visa that meets our requirements”
  13. Addition of new paragraph A5.8 regarding the accessibility of digital services dependent on geographical location, and that access may be restricted or not be permissible without use of a VPN (Virtual Private Network)
  14. Addition of new paragraph A5.9 regarding the student responsibility to ensure VPN provider compatibility with the geographical location required
  15. Addition of new paragraph A5.10 regarding eligibility for refund because of VPN sign-in restrictions within your place of residency
  16. Addition of new paragraph A5.11 regarding your responsibility to make use of VPN providers within your place of residency
  17. Addition of new paragraph A5.12 regarding non provision of a refund for any technical issues arising with VPN use
  18. Addition of new paragraph A5.13 regarding travelling or choice to study in a particular location, and your responsibility to arrange access via suitable VPN provider or download materials in advance
  19. Additional clarification added to paragraph A6.4 as follows: “or if an application for a change of name on public safety grounds has been approved by The Open University”
  20. Rewording of paragraphs A7.5.3, A7.7.1, A7.8.1 and A7.8.5 to provide clarification
  21. Addition of new Section A11: Fitness to Study to explain that registration to study with The Open University required you to agree to engage with the Fitness to Study Policy if requested by The Open University
  22. Amendment to paragraph E2.1 g) to add that The Open University may cancel your registration or enrolment at any time “due to a voluntary or imposed study break following a Fitness to Study Stage 3 Case Conference Panel in accordance with the Fitness to Study Policy”
  23. Addition of new Section A12: Fitness to Practise to explain that registration to study with The Open University for a professional programme requires you to agree to abide by the relevant code of practice or ethics for your professional programme as detailed in the Fitness to Practise Procedure
  24. Amendment to paragraph E3.1 a) to add that we may cancel your qualification registration and/or your module registration if you have ceased to meet the requirement: “fitness to practise a specified profession, in line with The Open University’s Fitness to Practise Procedure”
  25. Rewording of paragraph B1.3 to provide clarification
  26. Rewording of paragraphs B2.2 and B4.2 to provide clarification that payment is required within a reasonable time specified by The Open University
  27. Rewording of paragraph B4.3 to provide clarification
  28. Additional clarification to B4.5 to clarify that the date of cancellation is the ‘cancellation date’
  29. Additional clarification to B4.5 to clarify that reinstatement of registration or enrolment is: “at The Open University’s discretion, if you contact us after 7 calendar days from the cancellation date having secured an agreed payment method or if you provide payment by a different method, and you agree to accept the potential impact any gap in your studies may have on your academic progress”
  30. Rewording of C1b) to refer to completion of the examinable component
  31. Rewording of C1c) for clarification purposes
  32. Rewording of Section C2 to provide clarification
  33. Additional references to ‘equivalent’ for residential schools in paragraphs C3.1, C3.2 and C3.3
  34. Rewording of C6.1 to clarify that you may be offered face-to-face tutorials
  35. Addition of new paragraph C6.2 (and subsequent renumbering of Section C6)
  36. Additional clarification added to paragraph D1.2 to specify that you must register for a qualification and link your credit to that qualification
  37. Rewording of paragraph D2.1 to remove duplication
  38. Additional clarification to E1.2a to specify that you should contact us if you wish to withdraw your application and we will cancel your application.
  39. Additional clarification to E1.2c to clarify that “If you withdraw after 14 days following the date of registration, you must follow the Changing Your Study Plans Policy”
  40. Addition of new paragraph E2.1i regarding the Open University’s right to cancel registration if we are unable to deliver the services required to your geographical location, or we find that the module and/or qualification is not available for study within the country in which you are resident.
  41. Additional Glossary entry for “Case Conference Panel”
  42. Clarification to the ‘Course’ entry within the Glossary to state ‘The courses referred to within these Conditions do not include research degrees and short courses‘
  43. Clarification to the ‘Declared Qualification’ entry within the Glossary to state ‘after 31 December 2019’
  44. Additional Glossary entry for ‘Postgraduate Research Student (PGR)’
  45. Additional wording added to the Further Clarification section to state that the most up-to-date response times for receiving and sending postal correspondence are available on the OU Offices webpage
  46. Additional clarification to paragraph Ap2.1 to explain that disclosure in this Clause relates to any legal restrictions and conditions that you are currently subject to or become subject to during the course of study

For more help or information

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.