Student support

It's common for students to experience difficulties during their study journey but for some, studying can increase vulnerability to unhealthy levels of stress, anxiety and other mental health difficulties.

Whether you have a diagnosed mental health difficulty or not, taking care of your mental health is really important to help you study effectively. The Open University (OU) is committed to supporting you to achieve this.

The Mental Health, Wellbeing and Welfare pages on the StudentHome Help Centre provide more information about the help and support available to you as an OU student.  Additional resources for help include:

TalkCampus - TalkCampus is a free, anonymous app for students where they can talk with other students from around the world if they’re struggling and worried about their mental health. This app replaces our previous service, Togetherall. 

OUWellbeing App -  OUWellbeing is a new app which makes looking after your wellbeing fun, interactive and stimulating by providing you with the tools to start building healthy, positive habits into your everyday life. It’s available to staff and students with content tailored to each group. Download it here from the iOS or Android app stores

Shout 85258 - Shout is a text service which offers help for both staff and students if you’re struggling to cope, feeling anxious, stressed or overwhelmed and need to talk with someone, whether that's during the day or at night. Text the word OU to 85258 to start a conversation. More information is available via the student Help Centre.

The pages also contain links to a range of other useful resources for supporting mental health and wellbeing.