Free places on short courses

Who's eligible and how to apply

• are domiciled in Wales
• are eligible to pay the Wales fee for OU study (this means you’re a UK national, Irish citizen or have settled status in the UK, you’re living in Wales on 1 January 2024 and have been living in the UK and Islands for 3 years before starting your course. Further information can be found on our fee rules page)
• are 18+ years of age
• are not in further or higher education when your funded course starts.
• have a personal income of £30,000 or under, or are in receipt of qualifying benefits.

• are carers 
• are care leavers or are care experienced 
• have a disability 
• are from a Black, Asian or minority ethnic background
• are refugees or asylum seekers
• identify as LGBTQ+.

What are microcredentials?

Microcredentials allow you to gain specialist knowledge and skills to help advance your career. Created by world-class OU academics, microcredentials offer a perfect balance of academic excellence and workplace relevance.

In just 10–12 weeks you can gain:

• cutting-edge knowledge in a specialised subject
• practical skills that you can immediately apply to your work, or boost your CV
• undergraduate credit you could use in the future towards further study.

With microcredentials, your study is entirely online using a combination of learning materials including videos, quizzes and activities to develop your specialist professional knowledge.