Get to know the OU

If this is your first time studying with The Open University (OU) you may want to know what it's going to be like.

• You'll study with other students, online from your home, work or anywhere convenient to you.
• A dedicated tutor, an expert in your subject, supports you on each module.
• Your tutor marks your assignments, answers your questions and meets with your tutor group either online or in person throughout your study.
• Study materials are available online and available to download from your personal module website.
• For some modules you'll be sent books and study materials if your module subject requires it.
• You'll have a lot of flexibility but still have deadlines for assignments and exams.

To get a few basics on how to get ready for study at the OU see Help with preparing for online study.

How much time is needed

The amount of time you’ll spend studying each week will vary. You might, for example, need extra time just before an assignment or an exam.

Part-time study

If you want to study part-time, you'll need around 16–18 hours study time per week. Part-time study means completing 60 credits worth of study per year, for example, one 60 credit module, or two 30 credit modules. If you study 60 credits a year, an honours degree would usually take 6 years to complete.

Full-time study

We recommend that you don't study full-time in your first year.

• Full-time requires around 32–36 hours study time per week.
• It means completing 120 credits worth of study per year, for example, two 60 credit modules.
• If you study 120 credits a year, an honours degree would usually take 3–4 years to complete.
• If you have a full-time job, we recommend you study no more than 60 credits per year.

You may find our time planner useful to check how many hours per week you have available for study.

Get additional support if you have a disability

If you have a disability, including long-term health conditions, specific learning difficulties (such as dyslexia), or mental health difficulties you can get reasonable adjustments to support your study.

The support available includes financial help, specialist equipment and accessible study materials. We will also make reasonable adjustments to enable you to participate in tutorials and to take any exams you may have.

You can find out more about the range of support available by browsing our collection of articles on Disability support.

When can you enrol

Enrolment on modules for the new academic year opens in March and closes three weeks before the start of the module. For example, for modules starting in:

• October, you can enrol from March to September
• February, you can enrol from March to January.

Contact us

If you have questions about studying, need help choosing modules or want to enrol over the phone, call Student Recruitment on +44 (0)300 303 5303 (Mon to Fri 08:00-17:30).