Douglas Olsen
Students can apply for a loan to cover the costs of studying at the Open University. The type of loan and funding available depends on the student's country of residence, their chosen course, and their personal circumstances. Students can apply for a tuition fee loan and/or a maintenance loan, which is means-tested and dependent on household income. Students with disabilities may also be eligible for a Disabled Students Allowance, and there are scholarships and bursaries available.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Student loan availability | Yes, student loans are available for eligible students to cover the costs of education and living. |
| Eligibility | First-time university students or those with disabilities can apply for tuition fee loans. Students with health issues can apply for maintenance loans. |
| Loan types | Two types of loans are available: tuition fee loans and maintenance loans. |
| Repayment | Loan repayment starts once the student is in employment and earning over a certain threshold. |
| Payment options | Students can pay as they go, pay upfront, or through employer sponsorship. |
| Funding bodies | The OU receives funding from four bodies in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. |
| Fee structure | OU students pay for each module separately, and the loan covers all study within the academic year. |
| Course frequency | OU modules are available at various points throughout the year, allowing students to start in September, October, November, February, May, or June. |
| Course duration | OU students can take up to 16 years to complete their course. |
| Study intensity | The average study intensity is half that of full-time study. |
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What You'll Learn
Student loan eligibility for first-time students
Student loans are offered to eligible students to cover the costs of education and living. The arrangements for student loans vary across the four constituent countries of the UK: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The scheme that applies to you will depend on the country you are resident in, not the country where your university or college is based.
For first-time students, the first step in the application process is to complete an eligibility test. You will need to provide evidence of who you are, such as a RealMe Verified identity or login. Once your eligibility has been confirmed, you can proceed to complete your online application. It is important to note that you should save your application as you go, as the form will be deleted after 59 days if it remains incomplete.
The amount of maintenance loan available to you is means-tested on your parents' income. Tuition fee loans and maintenance loans are typically paid in instalments at the start of each term of the academic year, and the money usually goes directly to the university or college. The maximum borrowing amount for tuition fees is set annually and is typically the highest fees charged by universities for undergraduate study. The maximum for part-time study is usually lower than for full-time.
If your loan is approved and the first payment has been made, your loan details will be transferred to Inland Revenue, and you can check your loan balance and repayments on their website.
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Tuition fee loan
In Scotland, higher education finance is structured differently from the rest of the UK. If you are a resident of Scotland and studying at a Scottish university, your tuition fees are paid by the Scottish government. However, you may still be eligible for bursaries and loans to cover maintenance costs.
The amount of maintenance loan available is means-tested and linked to your parents' income. The higher the income, the lower the loan amount you are eligible for. These loans are typically paid on a monthly basis, differing from the rest of the UK, where they are provided once a term.
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Maintenance loan
Student loans are offered to eligible students to cover the costs of education and living. The arrangements for student loans vary across the four constituent countries of the UK: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The scheme that applies to you is the one for the country you're resident in, not the country where your university or college is based.
All UK schemes offer two types of student loans: tuition fee loans and maintenance loans. Maintenance loans cover living costs, including accommodation, while you're studying. The maximum borrowing amount for tuition fees is set each year and is typically the highest fees charged by universities for undergraduate study. The maximum for part-time study is lower than for full-time. Maintenance loans also have an annual maximum, and the maximum for a student living in the family home is lower than for those living away from home. These loans are means-tested and linked to your parents' income; the higher the income, the lower the loan.
In Scotland, university fees for Scottish residents attending a Scottish university are paid by the Scottish government. Monthly financial support is available for maintenance costs. Tuition fee loans and maintenance loans are typically paid in instalments at the start of each of the three university terms in an academic year. The money usually goes directly to the university or college, so the only funds students have access to are the maintenance loans.
In Wales, Student Finance Wales calculates the Maintenance Grant, and the remainder is awarded as a Maintenance Loan. Your grant and loan are paid directly into your bank account once your course attendance is confirmed each term. Students studying with the Open University in Wales must apply for part-time support.
In addition to living costs and tuition fee support, students may be eligible for additional support, such as the Childcare Grant and the Parents' Learning Allowance. Bursaries, scholarships, and the Disabled Students Allowance are also available.
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Pay-as-you-go and upfront payment options
The Open University offers two types of student loans: tuition fee loans and maintenance loans. The former covers tuition fees and the latter covers living costs, including accommodation. The amount of money offered for maintenance is means-tested based on your parents' income. The higher the income, the lower the loan. Maintenance loans are also affected by whether you live away from home or in the family home; the maximum loan is lower for those living at home.
Tuition fee loans and maintenance loans are usually paid in instalments at the start of each of the three university terms in an academic year. However, in Scotland, financial support is paid monthly. The money from tuition fee loans usually goes directly to the university or college. This means that the only funds that a student will have access to are the maintenance loans.
The arrangements for student loans vary across the four constituent countries of the UK—England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The scheme that applies to you will be the one in the country you are resident in, not where your university or college is based. For example, higher education finance in Scotland is set up differently from the rest of the UK. If you are a resident in Scotland and are studying at a Scottish university, your university fees are paid by the Scottish government. You can find more details about the Scottish system on the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) website.
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Scholarships and bursaries
The Open University (OU) offers a range of scholarships and bursaries to help students access education. These include the Open Futures Fund, which provides scholarships and bursaries to break down barriers to education and unlock the potential of individuals across society. The fund has provided scholarships to 160 disabled veterans and 50 carers, and bursaries and grants to over 3,000 students. The Open Futures Fund is also developing schemes to provide more support each year, including bursaries for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students on lower incomes.
OU also offers merit-based scholarships, including the Crimson Commitment scholarship, which guarantees grants to cover tuition and average fees for students who qualify and receive Oklahoma's Promise for four years. Students cannot receive more than one merit-based award, and the university will offer the highest tuition waiver based on the student's qualifications.
In addition to merit-based scholarships, students may also qualify for need-based financial resources and are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). OU offers a one-time $1,000 award to all admissible non-resident freshmen with a relative who graduated from OU. The University of Oklahoma also offers a variety of scholarships to admitted transfer students based on academics, leadership, community involvement, and extracurricular activities.
For postgraduate students, OU offers the prestigious Hayes Postgraduate Scholarship for the academic year 2025–2026. This scholarship supports talented and ambitious students with strong academic backgrounds who are committed to advancing their knowledge and career prospects through postgraduate education. It provides full tuition fee coverage for an eligible postgraduate taught programme and additional support for course-related materials or study-related expenses, depending on financial need and funding availability.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can get a student loan for Open University.
There are two types of student loans available: tuition fee loans and maintenance loans. Tuition fee loans are paid directly to the university to cover the cost of your tuition fees, while maintenance loans are paid directly to you to help with living costs.
You can apply for a student loan through the student finance website. The process is the same as for students studying on a university campus.
Yes, there are other funding options available for Open University students. These include pay as you go, pay upfront, employer sponsorship, scholarships, and bursaries.
