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The Open University

Milton Keynes, England · University · Est. 1969

UK Rank #121 Star rating 1/6
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Type
University
Founded
1969
Students
200,000
International
,

Overview

The Open University is a public research university based in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. Its main campus at Walton Hall covers 45 hectares. The university was set up in 1969 and first used television studios and editing facilities at Alexandra Palace in north London that had been left by the BBC. Teaching began with the first students enrolling in January 1971. Most undergraduates live in the United Kingdom and study away from campus. Many courses, at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, can be taken anywhere in the world. Full-time postgraduate research students work on campus at Walton Hall, where academic and research staff number more than 1,000 and administrative, operational and support staff number over 2,500. The university awards undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, plus non-degree qualifications including diplomas, certificates and continuing education units. Its Open Degrees let students combine modules from any subject. Administration is centred at Walton Hall, with offices elsewhere in the United Kingdom and a presence in other European countries. Around 200,000 students study with the OU, including more than 8,599 from overseas and about 34% of new undergraduates aged under 25. Since its founding, over 2.3 million students have studied there.

Tuition fees & costs

Published tuition, per year

Not published

Typical annual course fee

Not published

Median of this provider's published fees

UKPRN (UK Provider Reference Number)

10007773

The fees shown are the annual tuition figures published in official UK course data (Discover Uni), which cover home-student fee caps. They are not international fees: universities set those themselves and no open dataset publishes them, so we show no figure rather than estimate one. If you need a Student visa you will also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. Always confirm the fee for your specific course with the university before applying.

About The Open University

The Open University in Milton Keynes, England: UK university profile with entry requirements, fees and how to apply

The Open University is a public research university based in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. Its main campus at Walton Hall covers 45 hectares. The university was set up in 1969 and first used television studios and editing facilities at Alexandra Palace in north London that had been left by the BBC. Teaching began with the first students enrolling in January 1971.

Most undergraduates live in the United Kingdom and study away from campus. Many courses, at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, can be taken anywhere in the world. Full-time postgraduate research students work on campus at Walton Hall, where academic and research staff number more than 1,000 and administrative, operational and support staff number over 2,500.

The university awards undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, plus non-degree qualifications including diplomas, certificates and continuing education units. Its Open Degrees let students combine modules from any subject. Administration is centred at Walton Hall, with offices elsewhere in the United Kingdom and a presence in other European countries.

Around 200,000 students study with the OU, including more than 8,599 from overseas and about 34% of new undergraduates aged under 25. Since its founding, over 2.3 million students have studied there.

Sources: Wikidata (CC0), Office for Students, Wikipedia

Guides for applying to UK universities

All guides →
Study Guides Why Study in the UK? Four Nations, One Quality System The UK is four nations with their own higher-education systems, a public register of who may call themselves a university, and official course data you can check for yourself. Application Guides How to Apply to a UK University: UCAS, Deadlines and Clearing Undergraduate applications go through UCAS, with a 31 January main deadline and an earlier 14 October one for Oxford, Cambridge, medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses. Application Guides How to Apply for a UK Master's Degree Most taught master's and research degrees are applied for directly to the university. Here is how the process works, and why scholarship deadlines come first.

Admission requirements

How to apply

  1. 1Choose a course and check its start date and entry requirements. Undergraduate applications go through UCAS (the main deadline is 31 January; 14 October for Oxford, Cambridge, medicine, dentistry and veterinary); postgraduate courses usually take applications direct to the university. Scottish first degrees typically take four years, most others three.
  2. 2Confirm you meet the academic entry requirements. Offers are usually expressed as UCAS Tariff points or grades in A levels, Scottish Highers or an accepted international equivalent; international applicants are assessed on the equivalent of their own qualification.
  3. 3Meet the English language requirement. Most universities accept IELTS Academic or another accepted test; for a Student visa you may need a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider, unless you are exempt.
  4. 4Accept your offer and request a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) from the university, which must be a licensed student sponsor.
  5. 5Pay the Immigration Health Surcharge and apply for a Student visa on gov.uk, showing the maintenance funds required. Check gov.uk for the current fees and amounts before you apply.

Frequently asked questions

How is The Open University ranked?

UK national rank #121.

Sources

Last updated 06 Oct 2026. Information is provided for guidance, verify with official sources before applying.