Open University Deals

Roughly 400 places available for selected courses. Normally up to £3,360

If you live in Northern Ireland, the Open University (OU) is offering the chance to apply for one of its 26 postgraduate and microcredential courses for free. These normally cost up to £3,360, but you may be able to get a free place if you apply by midday on Thursday 12 September. You'll need to meet its eligibility criteria to be considered (see below).

Important. There are about 400 places available in total, and you aren't guaranteed a spot by applying – OU says once the 12 September deadline has passed, it will select up to 400 places based on its assessment criteria. Open University says if it receives a high number of applications, it may close applications early, so it's best to apply sooner rather than later.

To be eligible for a place, you must be:

• Aged 18 or over

• Living in Northern Ireland

• Eligible to work in Northern Ireland

• Settled in Northern Ireland, and ordinarily a resident in the UK for at least three years (or you have indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK).

See the 'Who can apply' section on the OU website for full details. 

What courses are available?

The courses will be largely delivered online, and vary in length from 10-12 weeks to six months. The microcredential courses will start in October and the postgraduate modules will start in November.

A few examples include:

• Effective Strategic Management in Business and the Public Sector (postgraduate module) – normally £3,360

• Managing in a changing world (postgraduate module) – normally £3,360

• Software engineering (postgraduate module) – normally £1,660

• Agile Leadership and Management (microcredential) – normally £800

• Climate Change: Transforming your Organisation for Sustainability (microcredential) – £500

• Cisco: Python programming (microcredential) – normally £275

How to apply

You'll need to fill in an application form (depending on the course type you choose), which are available via the OU website link above and submit proof of your address in Northern Ireland. Once you've checked you meet the requirements for your chosen module and have filled in the form, you'll receive confirmation that your application has been received within one working day (so if you submit on a Friday, you won't receive confirmation until Monday). 

The OU also offers a range of free courses that are available for everyone via its 'OpenLearn' platform, including the MSE 'Academoney' financial education course. 

500 places available for selected courses. Normally up to £800

If you live in Scotland, the Open University (OU) is offering the chance to apply for one of its microcredential courses for free – these are professional development courses, at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. They normally cost up to £800, but the OU is currently offering 500 free places. You'll need to apply by 11.59pm on Sunday 19 May.

They're not quite open to all, but the eligibility criteria is quite broad. You must be:

• Aged 18 or over

• Living in Scotland

• Eligible to work in Scotland

• Settled in Scotland, and ordinarily a resident in the UK for at least three years (or you have indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK).

See the 'Who can apply' section at the OU website for full details.

Which courses are being offered for free?

The courses will be largely delivered online, and vary in length from 10 to 12 weeks, with 10 to 13 hours of study per week. You'll start studying in June or July. You can see all the free course options via this link, but a few examples include:

• Agile Leadership and Management (postgraduate) – normally £800

• Teacher Development: Embedding Mental Health in the Curriculum (postgraduate) – normally £675

• Climate Change: Transforming your Organisation for Sustainability (undergraduate) – normally £500

• Business Management: Financial Accounting for Non-Financial Roles (undergraduate) – normally £500

• Cisco: Python Programming (undergraduate) – normally £275

• Business Management: Marketing Principles and Practice (undergraduate) – normally £500

How to apply

To apply for a course you'll need to fill in an application form (depending on the course type you choose) via the OU website and submit proof of your address in Scotland. Once you've checked you meet the entry requirements for your chosen module and have filled in the form, you'll receive confirmation that your application has been received within one working day (so if you submit on a Friday, you won't receive confirmation until Monday).

Do note that the OU will be selective about who it offers places to, so it's not first-come, first-served. You'll need to fill in a personal statement about why you want to study the course, plus it'll also consider geographical and demographic factors too. 

Not interested in the courses above?

The OU also offers a range of free courses that are available for everyone via its 'OpenLearn' platform, including the MSE 'Academoney' financial education course.