The Open University Reviews 

Being able to study to suit my needs has allowed me to gain a second degree and go on and do a full time masters degree. Tutors are always willing to help and give advice when needed.

I have been enjoying studying at The Open University. I can fit my studies around my work and family life. The OU has an extremely polite and friendly student support team and the advisers are always there to support along the study journey. The modul materials are up to date and can be perfectly embedded into everyday's work. The tutors work with different types and sizes of businesses and they gain their experiences from real life examples what makes the modules even more relevant and competitive.

When I first studied with open university it was great, the tutors were really good, and there was face to face classes as well, which really helped with study.
I started another degree recently and I have to admit it is not great at all now, the communication is awful, there are no face to face tutor classes at all, and to be honest the tutors dont seem to have the time to help you anymore. I asked the same question 5 times via email, as the phone calls never got answered, and I still dont have the answer to my question. I have now decided I wont be carrying on the degree, with the prices increasing, you would expect a better service, but alas that is not the case, so I have been left feeling down heartened.

Enjoying my studies with the open university. Thank you

The topics studied are highly relevant to achieving success in real-world scenarios. The online resources are comprehensive and easy to find, eliminating the need to build milestone trackers.

You won't always enjoy every module you do. However, my experience completing the User Design module was aided by the tutor assigned, who helped increase my motivation during the support sessions.

Some tutors are very inpersonalable. Almost robotic and feels like its an effort if you ask for help.
I also had an issue with the OU law society where the chair was very authoritarian and didn't listen to others ideas - raised the issue and was told live with it
I declared some health issues and they are supposed to be aware - they're not.
If I could start again i wouldn't choose the OU

Currently trying to sign up for a Bsc course at the OU. The website is so confusing and the help team are so unhelpful. Every time I go to login, it says that a "potential danger" has occurred and disallows me from signing in. I cannot verify anything on my account. When I am able to login (which is very rare) it says I haven't completed choosing my modules (which I have) and that I shouldn't apply for student finance yet as they are not accepting part-time loans until later on in the year. Unfortunately due to me being unable to login to my OU account recently, I didn't see this notification. I previously applied for a part-time loan and it has now been accepted, and they state on the student finance UK page that they're waiting on the OU to verify that I have been registered on the course. I am nothing but confused and the OU team are extremely unhelpful. I have tried following every step a team member has told me, and that then results in another problem being made. Another issue I have is with their many ways of accessing help and support: email, online chat, or a phone call. I understand that they get numerous emails in a day and can take a while to reply to questions and queries. However, their online chat is almost never available, and the queue on the phone line is always extremely long, resulting in me having to wait 5 or more days for a response through email (which recently I have not been getting replies from them). I am so so close to cancelling my registration to the course as it has done nothing but stress me out.

Great place to study. Tutors are very helpful, materials easy to access.

Amazing but not credible and unfounded the Open University review summary by the AI. Unfortunately, in my case, I maintain that I deeply regret my decision to have enrolled in BA-BS degree courses offered by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) at The Open University. Over the past four years, I have invested significant time, effort, financial resources, and emotional energy in my studies, only to feel that much of this has been lost due to deeply disappointing experiences.
It is true that the course materials were of a high academic standard, and several tutors in the first, second and third stage of the course demonstrated commendable dedication and professionalism. In particular, the tutors for the modules DD319- Environmental Policy and DD313 – International Relations: Continuity and Change in Global Politics, who consistently provided constructive guidance and academic support throughout the academic years of 2022-2023 and 2024-2025. However, and regrettably, I cannot express the same satisfaction with the delivery or support of SDT306 – Environment: Responding to Change. The experience within that module fell short of the standards I reasonably expected, both in academic engagement and in student support.
So, during the course 2024/2025, I was only required to complete only 60 additional credits to obtain a BA/BSc (Honours) Open degree. However, my module results have been sequestered by some managers within the Open University Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences despite all my complaints to the useless and powerless OU Student Support team, the ongoing 'witch hunt' process against me that started back in 2024 and culminated in unfair and unjustified disciplinary actions - probably due to my Arabic and Muslim background -. So, all these previous and current experiences, have left, / are leaving me feeling unfairly targeted and stigmatised by two dishonest and untouchable Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) academic conduct officers leads, underpinned and encouraged by dishonest academic services managerial roles overseeing tuition, assessment, and quality within the Open University FASS which integrity I still question. So, regardless of the reasons, the experience has caused considerable personal distress and eroded my confidence in the integrity of this indebted and decadent institution’s internal processes.
My regret to have enrolled has exacerbated when I found that according to sources such as UK Study Online, there are over ninety universities in the United Kingdom that offer online undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, many of which provide more inclusive environments and more effective academic and pastoral support, and this makes me to question my decision to have chosen The Open University, as my experience has not reflected the fairness, transparency, and student-centred ethos that I had anticipated. So, based on my own experience, I would advise prospective students (In particular foreigners), to exercise careful consideration before enrolling in a module offered by this particular faculty (The Open University Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences), and to ensure they are fully informed about the University’s procedures, support systems, and approach to academic conduct matters.

Jaber Al Aziz Quitani
J4923647

The TG089 Digital Photography: Creating and Sharing Better Images course was a well-structured and engaging 10-week program. The content was interesting and clearly laid out, making it especially suitable for beginners who want to build a solid foundation in photography. The EMA was manageable and not overly demanding, and the feedback provided was helpful in guiding progress.

However, one important aspect to note is that the course does not include direct teacher involvement. Instead, students provide feedback on each other’s work. While this peer feedback was encouraging and supportive, it often lacked the depth and constructive guidance that a teacher might offer. Personally, I found myself also giving mainly positive comments, partly to avoid discouraging others and partly because I wasn’t always sure how to suggest meaningful improvements.

Overall, while the course is a great starting point, I would have preferred the option to pay more for a version with dedicated teacher feedback, as this would enhance the learning experience and help develop skills more effectively.

I can't wait until I am done with studying with the OU. My experience with the OU has been terrible! Although you follow assignment advice, such as task, and general advice, and learn from the tutor feedback. Once you do this, and write an excellent TMA, create a good structure, cite relevant case law and legislation, you basically being called a cheat.

Regarding this review. It was flagged as being harmful. Me sharing my experience, especially with an email that I received from the OU, and the tutors I had is not harmful, I am speaking the truth!

I still stand by my previous comments on female tutors being biased about the marking. It has happened to me.

Seriously! Anyone looking to study at The OU, I would not recommend it, unless you want to be considered a cheat due to assignments improving as well. You will get an email about misconduct, you will have to wait days, or weeks to be able to respond, or you won't be able to respond at all. I am talking with facts and experience, as my work is my own, and I would never cheat, as I follow all the rules, policies and guidance.

The university I would recommend is the university of Law (ULaw).

It was all happy at first , do my own studying, submit coursework, do online exams. Until I had to use a personal tutor. My course required personal tutor to approve research in order to complete a degree. After a few emails my personal tutor didn't help much and started to ignore me completely. Launched a complaint, next resit they gave me a staff tutor (senior) who gave a quick review in one email and ignored other email for a month and any requests for a phone call. I wish I went to an actual University. At least they have open office hours where you can visit an actual professor to ask questions. Online tests had errors in them too. Books are disorganied without clear logical structure compared to publisher books that usual universities use for their modules.

Courses maybe great but the registration process is a nightmare. OU told me I had a place reserved and needed to log in and pay before.... I thought about the offers in front of me for 4 days and decided to go with OU. I tried log in to complete registration and pay, but could not. Contacting the OU by phone and outlining the problem, I was given an email address to submit documents, which I did immediately - I have now recived an email telling me login and submit documents to confirm I meet the entry requirement, I am registering for an MA I already have 2, one in a related subject so no worries in that respect, I could have done this at the outset had the request been made. I am following the instructions from OU most carefully and find that I am going round in circles, meanwhile I have offers on hold from other Universities.

Excellent University, I was supported through out my academic years!

they gave me an education when others didn't they believed in me when others didn't they was always supportive and gave me encouragement and the desire and beliefs to carry on, they also help me get a diagnosis to find out that I had ADHD and dyslexia a lifelong thing I had had that I had not been supported with which I now have support for with the OU family I am succeeding where others failed. this is my OU journey what's yours unlock your potential today join the OU and find out they will help you unlock your potential its hard work, but you have to stick with it, it will be worth it in the end. and you will meet some great people along the way who will share and support you to meet those goals and guide you to where you want to be.

The balance between autonomous and directed learning worked for me -- it encouraged me to use the excellent lectures as a base for my own exploration while, simultaneously, to create the weekly images for the course.
As a beginner, I found that the feedback of other students and also their own images re-inforced the weekly experience. Although it is completely understandable that it would be extremely difficult to receive direct feedback from the tutors, I wonder whether some element of this could be woven into the course. The additional forum sites were excellent and very useful - very easy to follow and the administration superb. Overall, I not only enjoyed this course enormously but also very greatly benefitted from it in so many ways.

I am extremely frustrated and disappointed with how my situation has been handled by the Open University.

I withdrew from my course on 27 February and, according to their own terms and conditions, I should have received a full refund (over £4,000) within 30 days. That timeframe has long passed, and I am still waiting.

Since then, I have had to repeatedly chase for updates, sending multiple emails and providing all requested information. Communication has been poor and inconsistent. At one point I was told there was an issue due to a change in my card details, yet no one contacted me to resolve this at the time, which could have been done quickly.

Despite setting a clear deadline for the refund to be processed, I have received no meaningful response and no resolution.

It is extremely concerning that an organisation of this size can hold such a significant amount of money for this long without proper communication or accountability.

I have now had to escalate this as a formal complaint and begin a chargeback process through my bank.

Overall, this experience has been stressful, time-consuming, and completely unacceptable. I expected far better.

I have studied with the OU on there free courses multiple times and always enjoyed and found value in them.

So after my psychology diploma I decided to study my degree part time with the OU, as I thought it would fit perfectly in with my very busy caring lifestyle.

However, my caring role has become more demanding over the last few months and I wanted to bank my qualification and come back to it at some point as this was an option offered to me.

Unfortunatley I have had such a negative experience since as a disabled student trying to find help and support.

I have felt like the support is not person centred and I have really struggled trying to find the best option for me.

I have spoken with different people who have told me I am liable for half of the amount of my course as I only had two modules left, but need to go onto my homepage to source links to finalise my choice. After logging on to find links and finding them unavailable I reached out to the student support, then to be told I am liable for the full cost as I logged onto my homepage recently.

I was then told that if I wanted to bank the modules I had already passed and come back at a latet date, I would have to pay the full cost of the course for a second time.

I feel like I am being penalised for a situation that at the moment I cannot control and I think everyone needs to be fully aware of my experience.

As promised received booked call on 7th April 20026. Spoke to John from student support department as was struggling with studies as well as juggling work and carer for son and health issues. Like to thank John absolutely fantastic. Discussing my physical and mental well being and further discussions on studies and advising me various options for my final year degree. Feel so relieved and glad I reached out for help best support ever

I am now able to plan and prepare for studies for October 2026. John will be calling me again but a big thank you John really appreciate all the help. Precise and clear and very understanding excellent

Irene

I was very pleased with OU and RPS Digital course, I have been a Photography for many years. Have lots of experience in Analogue photography, and had outdated Digital camera which i used to use on holidays. However after completing the 10 week course to upgrade my Digital camera and Lens. due to releasing its limitation. I am much more confident since taking the course in the technical and understanding of Digital Photography. I did really like the assignments every week it made you go and take photographs using everything you had learnt that week.