Credit transfer

Use your previous HE study to help you gain an OU qualification

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My OU qualification

When you apply for credit transfer, you will need to tell us which qualification/s you are interested in studying.  You can select up to 3 different qualifications to have an assessment of credit transfer towards; if you're applying for credit transfer towards an undergraduate degree, we’ll also conduct an assessment towards the BA/BSc Open degree (QD).

If you need advice about degree choice, take a look at our online prospectus or get in touch with our team of friendly advisers.

To maximise your credit transfer potential, you either need to apply for an assessment of credit transfer towards a degree that is of a similar subject to your previous study, or you need to consider the BA/BSc Open degree (QD)

I want to study the same subject as my previous study

How much credit you can transfer depends on how closely the study you have done matches the OU course you want to complete. Your application will be referred to an academic expert who will make this assessment. They will award as much credit as they can whilst ensuring that you are prepared with the skills and knowledge you will need to be successful in your OU course.

I want to study a different subject to that of my previous study

Some of our qualifications have a 'free choice' element.  This means study in a different subject area could count towards this element - it is usually a maximum of 60 credits. To find out if the degree/s you are interested in studying with us have a free choice element, please check the relevant factsheet/s below.

Open degree

Our Open degree (QD) is one of the most flexible degrees in the UK as you can tailor it to suit your requirements. To award credit into the Open Degree, previous study can be in any subject.  Find out more about our Open qualifications.  If you decide to study a different subject to what you have previously studied, you should check that you have the relevant background knowledge for the module you want to register on.  You can do this by contacting our Student Recruitment team on +44 (0)300 303 5303, or use the contact form at https://www.open.ac.uk/contact.

Being an OU student - am I ready for success?

Most of our courses don't have entry requirements, but there are some learning skills you'll need to be successful.  Ready for success will take you to a form where you can answer a few questions for advice on how to get started with Open University study.  New to OU study also includes some additional resources to help you get started.  We strongly recommend completing the free short course, Being an OU student as it takes you through how OU study works, where to find everything and how to get support.

Reducing a credit transfer award

If you receive a credit transfer award you do not have to accept the full award.  You may feel you can benefit from studying a further module at level 1 or 2.  This might be because you have not studied for a while or are planning to study a different subject to what you have previously studied.  If you wish to reduce your credit transfer award, you will need to email credit-transfer@open.ac.uk confirming the OU qualification and the amount of credit/level you wish to abandon.

Find out more about the qualifications you're interested in

Once you have decided which qualification(s) you are interested in please select and download the relevant factsheet from the list below to find out how much credit transfer is allowed and to check for further information about credit transfer to that course.

Download and read the factsheet about your chosen qualification

Already studied?

 If you have already studied with the OU please sign in to make sure that you get the credit transfer information that is relevant to you. 

Contact us

If you have any queries about applying for credit transfer please feel free to contact us using the link below.

Please try to include:

  • which qualification you completed
  • the organisation you completed it through
  • when you completed it
  • which OU qualification you would like to transfer to

Contact us about credit transfer.

If you have general questions about the University feel free to contact us.

More information about The Open University.