Free places on short courses

Supported by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW), we are offering a limited number of fully-funded (free) places on our popular microcredentials.

Microcredentials are professional development short courses, designed to help you quickly build new skills to take your career to the next level. With many endorsed by leading industry partners, you can study online for 10–13 hours a week for 10–12 weeks, alongside your work or life commitments.

Who's eligible and how to apply

You can apply for a place on a microcredential by downloading our application form. You can only apply for a funded place through this page. There are a limited number of places available.

You are eligible to apply if you meet all of the following criteria:

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 September 2023 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.

As we have a limited number of places, priority will be given to students who:

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+.

The final deadline for applications is 23:59 on Thursday 5 October 2023.

What are microcredentials?

Delivered on our partner platform, FutureLearn, 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.

What you can study

If you meet the entry criteria, you can apply for a fully-funded (free) place on one of the microcredential courses below.

Our microcredentials run for 10–12 weeks and require around 10–13 hours of study a week. A level 4 course is equivalent to studying at the first year of university. Level 5 is equivalent to studying at the second year; Level 6 is equivalent to studying at the third/final year of university.

Some microcredentials may require previous knowledge or experience. Please check the Requirements section on the FutureLearn course page for more information.

AWS: Machine Learning Foundations (TZFM261)

Machine learning is one of the most rapid and evolving growth areas in technology today. It’s becoming increasingly important to businesses and in our everyday lives, creating a huge demand for skilled professionals. On this microcredential, you’ll learn the fundamentals of machine learning to help you keep pace with this growth, upskill, and help advance your career.

Level: Undergraduate
Start date: 23 October 2023
Study duration: 10 weeks (approximately 10 hours of study a week)
On completion: Gain 10 credits at Level 5 of Framework for HE

AWS: Solutions Architect (TZFM361)

Designing available, cost-efficient, fault-tolerant, and scalable cloud solutions is a valuable and highly sought-after skill. On this microcredential you’ll learn best practices and strategies to guide the implementation of cloud services on Amazon Web Services (AWS) technologies. This course will enable you to prepare for one of the highest paying IT certifications, the AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate.

Level: Undergraduate
Start date: 23 October 2023
Study duration: 10 weeks (approximately 10 hours of study a week)
On completion: Gain 10 credits at Level 6 of Framework for HE

Business Management: Financial Accounting for Non-Financial Roles (BZFM306)

Designed for non-financial professionals, this course will give you the confidence to analyse financial information and understand accounting terminology effectively. You’ll learn how to interpret the financial data of any limited company, empowering you to make well-informed decisions on whether a particular business might be a dependable customer, a consistent supplier, a responsible employer, or a sound investment.

Level: Undergraduate
Start date: 23 October 2023
Study duration: 10 weeks (approximately 10 hours of study a week)
On completion: Gain 10 credits at Level 6 of Framework for HE

Business Management: Fundamentals of Management Accounting (BZFM305)

Learn the skills to interpret information, calculate costs, prepare a budget for planning and control purposes, and evaluate costing methods to make financial decisions. Designed for non-financial experts, you will gain confidence in understanding and using management accounting terminology. You’ll study critical business problems from a wide range of sectors and contexts to help you prepare for challenges you may face.

Level: Undergraduate
Start date: 23 October 2023
Study duration: 10 weeks (approximately 10 hours of study a week)
On completion: Gain 10 credits at Level 6 of Framework for HE

Business Management: Improving Organisational Practice
(BZFM302)

Organisational practice is the examination of how the structures and culture of a company shape the actions and behaviours of its workforce. On this microcredential, you’ll learn how to become a manager who can increase productivity and efficiency to empower your workforce and benefit the broader environment. You’ll achieve this by exploring different organisational structures and learning how to adapt to change.

Level: Undergraduate
Start date: 23 October 2023
Study duration: 10 weeks (approximately 10 hours of study a week)
On completion: Gain 10 credits at Level 6 of Framework for HE

Business Management: Marketing Principles and Practice (BZFM301)

This microcredential introduces you to the core principles of marketing. You’ll cover digital and non-digital perspectives that will inform your professional decision-making, improve your effectiveness and adapt your approach to solving business challenges. Using practical examples of marketing in action, you’ll build a toolkit for creating products and services that meet your customers needs and that differentiate your product or service from your competitors.

Level: Undergraduate
Start date: 23 October 2023
Study duration: 10 weeks (approximately 10 hours of study a week)
On completion: Gain 10 credits at Level 6 of Framework for HE

Business Management: People Management and Leadership (BZFM303)

Good people management skills are vital in meeting the challenges faced by organisations of all shapes and sizes across the world. This microcredential will introduce you to frameworks and ideas that will help you become an ethical and inclusive people manager and leader. You’ll learn the critical tools and techniques needed to adapt and respond to the changing needs of your organisation, and further your career.

Level: Undergraduate
Start date: 23 October 2023
Study duration: 10 weeks (approximately 10 hours of study a week)
On completion: Gain 10 credits at Level 6 of Framework for HE

Business Management: Project Management (BZFM304)

The skills to manage a project are becoming increasingly important across all sectors. The ability to effectively deliver a project can set you apart from your peers and help you stand out in your organisation. This microcredential will introduce you to the core principles, tools, and techniques needed to lead, or successfully contribute to, projects that add value and deliver positive outcomes.

Level: Undergraduate
Start date: 23 October 2023
Study duration: 10 weeks (approximately 10 hours of study a week)
On completion: Gain 10 credits at Level 6 of Framework for HE

Cisco: CCNA - Introduction to Networks (TZFM162)

Networked systems form the backbone of modern information systems. As networks expand, so has the demand for people with infrastructure networking expertise within computing, digital technologies, and infrastructure engineering. On this microcredential from Cisco and The Open University, you’ll lay the groundwork for the Cisco Certified Network Associate certification, building your knowledge and skills in infrastructure networking.

Level: Undergraduate
Start date: 23 October 2023
Study duration: 10 weeks (approximately 10 hours of study a week)
On completion: Gain 10 credits at Level 4 of Framework for HE

Cisco: DevOps using DevNet
(TZFM362)

Cloud computing, the internet of things, cybersecurity and infrastructure networking have become more complex. The disciplines of coding and network engineering have converged to offer a route for either ‘network engineers’ or ‘coders’ to develop DevOps focussed skills. Within the course, you will develop industry-focussed skills, knowledge, and experience using Python to code a range of data formats, using code, the DevOps methodology, and various micro services deploying applications.

Level: Undergraduate
Start date: 23 October 2023
Study duration: 10 weeks (approximately 10 hours of study a week)
On completion: Gain 10 credits at Level 6 of Framework for HE

Cisco: Python Programming (OpenEDG) (TZFM163)

Ready to upskill and learn one of the most in-demand and fastest-growing programming languages? Python is a popular programming language used for everything from web and software development to scientific applications across every sector and industry. On this microcredential, you’ll gain a solid understanding of the Python programming language as well as gaining hands-on experience and practical skills.

Level: Undergraduate
Start date: 23 October 2023
Study duration: 10 weeks (approximately 10 hours of study a week)
On completion: Gain 10 credits at Level 4 of Framework for HE

Climate Change: Transforming your Organisation for Sustainability (TZFM320)

Climate change is the biggest challenge faced by society; it affects us all – and organisations of all kinds can play a significant role in the transition to a sustainable society. This microcredential will equip you with the knowledge, skills, and courage to transform your organisation’s response to the climate and ecological crisis, whatever your level, role or sector, and wherever you are in the world. If you’re wanting to make positive change in your organisation and are unsure how to go about it, or if you’re looking to advance your career in sustainability or add sustainability know-how to your skills set, this microcredential will give you the knowledge and practical skills you need.

Level: Undergraduate
Start date: 23 October 2023
Study duration: 10 weeks (approximately 10 hours of study a week)
On completion: Gain 10 credits at Level 6 of Framework for HE

Digital Photography: Discover your Genre and Develop your Style
(TZFM201)

Created in collaboration with the Royal Photographic Society, you’ll explore a number of different genres and develop the knowledge, skills, and techniques to become an intentional photographer. Aimed at those with a solid, theoretical, and practical understanding of the basics, you’ll discover how to research and work to a photographic brief and how to create a statement of intent. You’ll work collaboratively with your fellow learners, building skills and knowledge from peer-to-peer feedback.

Level: Undergraduate
Start date: 23 October 2023
Study duration: 10 weeks (approximately 10 hours of study a week)
On completion: Gain 10 credits at Level 5 of Framework for HE

Free places on short courses

Who's eligible and how to apply

What are microcredentials?

What you can study

AWS: Machine Learning Foundations (TZFM261)

AWS: Solutions Architect (TZFM361)

Business Management: Financial Accounting for Non-Financial Roles (BZFM306)

Business Management: Fundamentals of Management Accounting (BZFM305)

Business Management: Improving Organisational Practice
(BZFM302)

Business Management: Marketing Principles and Practice (BZFM301)

Business Management: People Management and Leadership (BZFM303)

Business Management: Project Management (BZFM304)

Cisco: CCNA - Introduction to Networks (TZFM162)

Cisco: DevOps using DevNet
(TZFM362)

Cisco: Python Programming (OpenEDG) (TZFM163)

Climate Change: Transforming your Organisation for Sustainability (TZFM320)

Digital Photography: Discover your Genre and Develop your Style
(TZFM201)

For further information

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Free places on short courses

Who's eligible and how to apply

What are microcredentials?

What you can study

For further information

Business Management: Marketing Principles and Practice

Digital Photography: Discover your genre and develop your style

Business Management: Financial Accounting for Non-Financial Roles

Business Management: Improving Organisational Practice

Cisco: CCNA - Introduction to Networks

Cisco: Python Programming (OpenEDG)

Cisco: DevOps using DevNet

AWS: Solutions Architect

AWS: Machine Learning Foundations

Business Management: Fundamentals of Management Accounting

Business Management: People Management and Leadership

Business Management: Project Management

Climate Change: Transforming your Organisation for Sustainability

Mental Health: Working with Children and Young People

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