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Enabling people to change their lives through learning, across Northern Ireland.

The only university in Northern Ireland dedicated to distance learning, we are open to people, places, methods and ideas. We are proud to have an overall student satisfaction rating of 88% and have the highest rating among Northern Ireland providers for the last 18 years*.   We promote educational opportunity and social justice by providing high-quality, university education to all who wish to realise their ambitions and fulfil their potential.  We are here to help individuals, local business, the community and the economy of Northern Ireland.

*NSS Student Survey 2022

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Study with us

Free your ambition by studying with The Open University and change your life with our flexible way of learning.

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Free Online Learning

We’ve got a huge range of free online learning to help you explore your passion or need.

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Future Nurse Programmes

For over 17 years, we've delivered a highly successful work-based pre-registration nursing programme in partnership with healthcare employers.

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About Us

Find out more about who we are and why we do what we do here in Northern Ireland.

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Community Partnership Project

The Community Partnerships Project (CPP) is a widening access initiative to encourage people into higher education.

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Libraries NI Partnership

We work in partnership with Libraries NI to provide enhanced library access and free learning opportunities for both OU students and Libraries NI customers.

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Our Manifesto

Embedding a culture of lifelong learning in our society will be a game-changer. Essential to that is accessible part-time, flexible higher education. Recognising its value and prioritising its growth is key to addressing skills shortages, economic productivity, regional imbalances, and social inclusion. 

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Skill Up - The Flexible Skills Fund

Fully funded courses to help you reskill and upskill into areas where job growth is expected.

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Transition to HE Hub

A hub to assist new students to prepare for and settle into their studies at universities, university colleges and further education colleges across Northern Ireland.