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Open your future after college with The Open University

Turn your college qualification into a degree with part-time study from The Open University (OU) in Scotland.

If you’ve completed your college studies in Scotland* and you’re thinking about what to do next, The Open University in Scotland could be a great option. You’ll join hundreds of students who are turning their HN or SVQ qualification into a degree, studying where and when you want, through flexible study.

What is The Open University?

We were founded over 50 years ago with a clear purpose: to open up education to all. 

  • We are the fourth-largest university in Scotland.
  • We have over 21,000 students based in every part of Scotland, from the Shetland Isles to Dumfries and Galloway. 
  • Our students range from school age to 92, with our new undergraduates an average age of 28. 
All our courses are specifically designed to be taught via distance learning, and we are constantly innovating how we deliver education to our students.

Discover how The Open University can help you

  • Courses that fit around your life - Our courses allow you the flexibility to earn a qualification without giving up on what’s important to you – whether that’s caring or providing for your family, seeing friends or working - in fact over 70% of our students are in full- or part-time work.

Find out more about what it's like to study with The Open University  

  • Supporting your studies - We provide a supportive open learning community and our students tell us that the experience is engaging, immersive and interactive. Over the last decade, we have consistently appeared in the top three Scottish universities for student satisfaction.

Find out more about the support we offer  

  • Build on your prior study - You could already be part way to a qualification. If you’ve studied in the past, you may be able to transfer those credits towards an OU qualification, this includes study undertaken as part of your HNC, HND or SVQ in Scotland*. Our articulation agreement with the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) means that we recognise all HNC and HND qualifications achieved within the last 16 years, including recent qualifications developed under the Next Generation: Higher National (NextGen:HN) project.

Find out more about transferring credit and completing your degree in less time  

  • Find your perfect course with The Open University – you may want to build on your college qualification or set off in a completely different direction. Whatever your plans, we’ve got you covered.

Find out more about the routes from college to an OU degree  

Want to get started? What are you waiting for?

Find out more about the OU, our courses and how we can help you build your future by contacting our team of advisers.

Request a prospectus

*If you have studied for an HND/HNC elsewhere in the UK please contact our Credit Transfer Team who can advise you on your individual circumstances.