About the university
The Open University (OU) was founded by Royal Charter in 1969 and has pioneered distance learning for over 50 years, helping more than 2 million students. Its headquarters and research campus are at Walton Hall in Milton Keynes, about 80 km north of central London.
For Indian students who want to move to the UK, the relevant route is a full-time research degree (PhD) on the Milton Keynes campus: the OU is licensed to sponsor non-EEA PhD students and issues a CAS with the offer letter, and full-time PhD students meet their supervisors regularly on campus. We could not find a published international tuition fee for these programmes on the pages we could open, so no courses or fees are listed here.
- Founded
- 1969, by Royal Charter
- Type
- Public university and a pioneer of distance learning for over 50 years
- Students
- Has helped over 2 million students (university's About page)
- Headquarters
- Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, about 80 km north of central London
- Student visas
- Licensed by UK Visas and Immigration to recruit and register non-EEA PhD students
Rankings
Popular courses with Indian students
The Open University doesn't publish course-by-course fees for international students online. See the courses on the official website (opens in a new tab), or ask our counsellor for the current list and fees.
Scholarships
Admission requirements
Undergraduate
- The OU's taught courses are built around distance learning. This page does not cover them, because we found no Student-visa route for taught study.
Postgraduate
- Full-time PhD students are sponsored for a Student visa; the OU provides a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) with the offer letter.
- Funded full-time studentships, where advertised, include a monthly stipend for up to 3 years and 3 months (KMi studentship FAQ).
- Check each research area's studentship page for deadlines and requirements.
Documents
- Valid passport
- Degree certificates and transcripts
- Research proposal or studentship application, as the project asks
- English test from a provider approved by UK Visas and Immigration
Check if you are eligibleShare your marks and test scores and our counsellor will tell you which courses you can apply for.
English language requirements
| Test or route | Typical requirement |
|---|---|
| Research degrees | Overseas applicants must have their English certified through a provider approved by UK Visas and Immigration |
Accommodation and living costs
The pages we checked do not describe student accommodation for research students in Milton Keynes. Ask the OU research degrees team before you apply.
| Item | In GBP | Approx. in rupees |
|---|
Campus and location
The OU's main campus at Walton Hall in Milton Keynes is the base for its research community and full-time PhD students.
- Full-time PhDs are taught face to face, not by distance learning, with regular supervision meetings on the Milton Keynes campus.
- Research units such as the Knowledge Media Institute (KMi) run their own studentships and say most of their members are not from the UK.
- Milton Keynes is about 80 km north of central London.
Careers and graduate outcomes
Research students build academic and industry research experience. After graduating you can apply for the UK Graduate visa; see our UK guide for the current rules.
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|
Studying in the UK
Visa rules, work rights and living costs apply to every university in the UK. Our country guide covers them in detail:
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FAQs
Can I study at the Open University on a Student visa?
For full-time PhDs, yes: the OU is licensed to sponsor non-EEA PhD students and issues a CAS with the offer letter. We did not find a Student-visa route for its distance-learning taught courses.
How much are the fees?
We could not confirm a published international fee for full-time research degrees, so check with the OU. Funded studentships, where available, include a monthly stipend.
Where would I live and study?
Full-time PhD students meet their supervisors regularly at the Milton Keynes campus, about 80 km north of central London.
Sources
- The Open University: About (opens in a new tab)
- The Open University: Being an OU research student FAQs (opens in a new tab)
- Knowledge Media Institute (OU): Studentship FAQ (opens in a new tab)
Official website: www.open.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)
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