Our students come from all walks of life. We’re not a one-size-fits-all university because we believe every learner is unique. Our students and alumni from across Wales each have their own background, ambitions, and story to tell, and we’re here to support them along the way.
Hear from some of our students and alumni below as they share their OU journey.
Charlotte had excellent grades at GCSEs but severe bullying by students and teachers resulted in her leaving school without A Levels.
The OU gave Charlotte the confidence to study again. She’s now set up her own company as an international anti-bullying speaker.
Alireza is studying a master’s degree in Water and Civil Engineering. As a foreign student, he needed to pass an IELTS exam to get a place on the course.
He used our Everyday English free online courses to practice his speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills for the exam, and has started his master's at university.
In 1970, Dr John Evans was two miles underground in Cwmgwili Colliery in Carmarthenshire when he came across an advert in a coal magazine for the Open University.
He cut out the advertisement, took it home and immediately applied for the OU, becoming one of the first students to enrol in Wales.
Studying with the OU gave Lauren the flexibility to help her partner on the farm and pursue her dream career as an English teacher.
The support she received from the OU allowed her to achieve her ambitions.
Ashleigh went straight into work after leaving college. She decided she wanted to start a degree but didn’t want to quit her job.
The flexibility of the OU meant she could stay in work and gain valuable experience whilst studying towards her degree.
Mark worked in a bar alongside his OU studies to fund his degree. He’s now starting his first IT job and hopes this is the beginning of a new career.
Mark won the Sir John Daniels Award for the best overall score in Computing and IT at this year’s Cardiff graduation ceremony.
If you are feeling inspired by our students’ remarkable stories, check out our range of courses. Explore what’s possible when you learn around your life with The Open University.
Explore our qualifications and courses by requesting one of our prospectuses today.