My OU qualification

When you apply for credit transfer, you will need to tell us which qualification/s you are interested in studying.  You can select up to 3 different qualifications to have an assessment of credit transfer towards; if you're applying for credit transfer towards an undergraduate degree, we’ll also conduct an assessment towards the BA/BSc Open degree (QD).

If you need advice about degree choice, take a look at our online prospectus or get in touch with our team of friendly advisers.

I want to study the same subject as my previous study

How much credit you can transfer depends on how closely the study you have done matches the OU course you want to complete. Your application will be referred to an academic expert who will make this assessment. They will award as much credit as they can whilst ensuring that you are prepared with the skills and knowledge you will need to be successful in your OU course.

I want to study a different subject to that of my previous study

Some of our qualifications have a 'free choice' element.  This means study in a different subject area could count towards this element - it is usually a maximum of 60 credits. To find out if the degree/s you are interested in studying with us have a free choice element, please check the relevant factsheet/s below.

Open degree

Our Open degree (QD) is one of the most flexible degrees in the UK as you can tailor it to suit your requirements. To award credit into the Open Degree, previous study can be in any subject.  Find out more about our Open qualifications.  If you decide to study a different subject to what you have previously studied, you should check that you have the relevant background knowledge for the module you want to register on.  You can do this by contacting our Student Recruitment team on +44 (0)300 303 5303, or use the contact form at https://www.open.ac.uk/contact.

Being an OU student - am I ready for success?

Most of our courses don't have entry requirements, but there are some learning skills you'll need to be successful.  Our OU Ready resource has been created to help you prepare for OU study - it will help you to understand where everything is, who will support you and what studying with the OU is all about.  Our Undergraduate Induction page also includes some additional resources to help you get started.  

Reducing a credit transfer award

If you receive a credit transfer award you do not have to accept the full award.  You may feel you can benefit from studying a further module at level 1 or 2.  This might be because you have not studied for a while or are planning to study a different subject to what you have previously studied.  If you wish to reduce your credit transfer award, you will need to email credit-transfer@open.ac.uk confirming the OU qualification and the amount of credit/level you wish to abandon.

Find out more about the qualifications you're interested in

Once you have decided which qualification(s) you are interested in please select and download the relevant factsheet from the list below to find out how much credit transfer is allowed and to check for further information about credit transfer to that course.

Download and read the factsheet about your chosen qualification