The Open University Reviews 1,218

The OU offers great flexibility, making credit transfer and time off between modules easy.
I have studied at three other universities (as well as being a lecturer and an external examiner) and can say that the Open University modules are particularly thoughtfully and well designed. They are demanding and enjoyable at the same time.

The concept for the Open University is brilliant, but when they say "you work at your own pace", you can't, because if you're a fast learner and you have some time to just crack on, some modules have the later sections locked and you cant acess them until a certain date in the future. Additionally, the support I received alongside my studies varied so greatly each year that it was never consistent. Some tutors were fabulous and were fast to answer emails and offered useful guidance, others never responded, were late to tutorials, late giving feedback for assignments and gave the general impression that they didn't want to be there.
One year, I was even signed up to a module that I could not use toward my degree because they changed it, but they didn't tell me until I was 4 months in and already submitted two assignments, which also meant I had to redo the year and add extra time onto completing the degree.

So yes, I achieved my degree, but it was a long and difficult process which ended up being more of a relief that i didnt have to do this anymore, more than a celebration of achievement

I had a fantastic experience and was able to study with a high standard of academia. I loved the way it was flexible and I had time to study alongside my job.

I could never have achieved an honours degree without the flexibility of part time study

The resources that the OU provide are excellent, as is the support. Being able to study at times that suit me means I am able to continue working. I've enjoyed it so much I'm embarking on my master's course later this year

The mode of teaching was very interactive and I considered it great .

The Open University is a life investment for anyone who is looking for personal progression. It is not just an education in your chosen field, it teaches many skills that can be applied to life.

The engineering course is very interesting and varied. Plenty of practical work to keep active mind busy.

I have loved every minute of my degree studies with the Open University. I have a disability and they organised my study materials to ensure I was able to study pain free. All my tutors were amazing and the degree has helped massively for my role in early years education. I can hoghly reccomend The Open University

I had a long and difficult journey to complete my MSc in Systems Thinking in Practice. I suffered with illness throughout my journey. My tutors were always kind, caring and so accommodating, as was the wider Student Support service.
I achieved way more than I believed I was capable of, graduating with a Merit and that is absolutely down to the flexibility and support of the OU!
I did my undergrad at a brick uni, so am able to compare the experiences. I would and have recommended the OU to anyone who wants to know about study pathways!
I say I'm done with the books, but every now and then I catch myself checking out the MBAs...
My daughter's both completed their undergrads with the OU and gained so much from being able to work in a professional environment whilst they studied full time around their day jobs. They also graduated with significantly less debt than all of their piers who attended brick uni's, so it's a definite win in our house!

I began studying with the Open University in 2021. I quickly realised that the standard of study, assessment and tutoring was very low, with one exception.
1. The study material is ideologically driven.
2. Academic freedom is stifled.
3. Much of the material was poor in content, especially the videos.
4. The online tutors were awful at best.
5. The content of tutorials often had no relevance to what you are studying. It was drivel for the most part.
6. Where do I start with the assessments? I give these 0/10 apart from the L201 assessments, they actually had relevance.

I also realised that they restricted the parameters of discussion within the boundaries of their ideologies and anything else was ignored.

If you understand what classical education is you will know what I am talking about. I advise anyone who wants to feel like they truly have earned a degree to go elsewhere.

I am currently in my second year as an Open University student, studying both a humanities and a social science course, and I am around halfway through my degree. Unfortunately, I cannot wait for it to be over.

While I was disappointed with my first year experience, I still entered Year 2 with high hopes. I can safely say those hopes have not been met. The Open University could, and arguably should, be an excellent institution, but throughout my studies I have found it lacking in numerous fundamental areas.

Firstly, the quality of teaching is not up to an acceptable standard. Lecturers regularly contradict one another, and module materials often contain basic grammatical errors and large amounts of repetition. There appears to be a serious lack of moderation, as tutors do not align on basic issues such as referencing conventions, presentation of work, or even key concepts. During my most recent assignment period, there were errors in the essay guidance notes, one of which was only corrected days before the deadline. This meant last minute changes had to be made to my essay, and likely those of other students, through no fault of our own. While minor mistakes are not catastrophic, I expect a far higher standard from a higher education institution.

A broader issue underlying many of these problems is a clear lack of effort and commitment. It is difficult to escape the impression that, for many lecturers, the Open University is a secondary concern. Over the past 18 months, I have experienced lectures being cancelled at the last minute, postponed and never rescheduled, tutors failing to attend sessions entirely due to other work commitments, or leaving early due to personal interruptions at home. While I understand that unforeseen circumstances can occur, higher education is not cheap, and such standards, would not be accepted at a physical university.

As a distance learning provider, one of the Open University’s key promises is accessibility and communication with tutors. In reality, this has been extremely disappointing. One of my tutors has never responded to any of my emails or messages via the Student Hub, leaving me without guidance on multiple assessments. This is made worse by lectures in which tutors often avoid or ignore more challenging student questions. The situation is further compounded by the fact that not all lectures are recorded. Despite the OU claiming to offer flexibility and the ability to fit study around life commitments, this is often not the case in practice.

This lack of communication had a particularly serious impact when I was unable to obtain guidance regarding an assessment extension while a close family member was at the end of their life. I was forced to choose between completing my essay on time and spending my final moments with a loved one. While some tutors do respond, replies are often dismissive, ignoring direct questions and directing students to generic resources even when those resources have already been consulted.

Although I would like to raise these concerns with module leads, I have been instructed to include my name on all assignments, meaning marking is not anonymous. This creates a genuine fear of vindictive marking and discourages legitimate complaints. No paying student should feel this way.

There are many other issues I could discuss, but in short, the Open University either is not designed with students in mind or is failing to ensure that those delivering the education are adequately supported and held to account. Many of my peers attend traditional universities which offer better online resources, clearer guidance, and a significantly higher standard of teaching and student support.

Until meaningful changes are made, I would strongly advise students to look elsewhere, as the OU experience too often feels like paying to read a textbook alone.

I would welcome the opportunity to discuss these issues further, as I genuinely believe there are practical changes that could be made to prevent future students from having the same experience.

I was a little worried about studying online when there isn't a campus accessible nearby, but my Tutors have always been accessible, approachable and willing to help whenever necessary in any way they can. The Student Support Team have also always been contactable and reassuring when I've had issues or been worried about something. I'd definitely recommend to anybody studying via distance learning, particularly if it's your first time, as the team are very supportive, reassuring and the flexibility of study is great for parents, carers and/or those who are working.

I am writing this review at the end of my experience obtaining an LLB from OU. I have basically two courses that are finishing up and two more that will be done in July. I qualified for graduate entry because I have both a masters and a PhD already. I am also, by the way, a tenure-track professor who has taught at institutions such as the University of Texas and New York University.

As a college professor, and someone who was a nontraditional student, I genuinely believe the mission of making education accessible. This is why it is so disappointing to me to find that so many people - two tutors in particular - at Open University are not only under-qualified but appalling graders.

At the end of my program, I have most courses end with very high grades, except two - the two with the particular graders who I want to do everything in my power to have removed from the organization.

Some people should not be in education.

Yet, as I have been dealing with these individual tutors, I have also encountered administrators and advisors. So many of these individuals within OU do not give a damn about students. They jump through hoops and reinforce the faculty.

That is not the role of advisors.

Moreover, the two individual tutors I have had who have led me to make this negative review - one man, one woman - were clearly in the wrong.

I cannot wait to be done and I strongly advise prospective students to steer clear of OU. There are so many other quality programs to advance your education online.

My 3-star rating reflects a mixture of genuinely excellent academic provision and some very poor institutional decisions. The Open University is not my first experience of higher education, so I feel I have reasonable expectations.

From an academic perspective, the Open University’s teaching is excellent.

MST124 (Essential Mathematics 1) was outstanding - high-quality materials, excellent tutorials, and genuinely helpful tutor feedback. Even on assignments where I scored 100%, improvements in my method were suggested.

I had to defer MST125 (Essential Mathematics 2) last academic year for personal reasons. But for the 10-15 weeks I was studying, the module materials were excellent, the tutor supportive, and the tutorials good.

I am currently studying M248 (Analysing Data), which is again excellent. The materials are well produced and the module is well run.

In terms of teaching and learning, the Open University does an excellent job.

Unfortunately, I have had to cancel my registration for MST125 this year due to the university trialling remote-proctored examinations using ProctorU (also known as Meazure Learning). This provider has a very poor public reputation - rated 1.2 stars on Trustpilot from over 100 reviews. (There is also a review of go.proctoru.com, which is the same company, and that is 1.0 stars from over 700 reviews).

More generally, there are growing doubts about the viability of remote-proctored exams. It is increasingly easy to find online services offering to sit remote-proctored exams for candidates. Notably, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), with around 500,000 students worldwide, has announced it will discontinue remote-proctored exams from March 2026 due to concerns about exam integrity. This raises serious questions about whether remote proctoring devalues The Open University degree. Employers might start treating them with skepticism, given the ease of cheating in remote-proctored exams.

Remote proctored exams require the student to have access to a private, interruption-free room. In a traditional exam centre the university provides this environment, but in a remote exam, the burden is placed entirely on the student. Some students do not have that.

Safeguarding concerns have been raised by women with experience of abusive relationships, where a partner could deliberately disrupt an exam by entering the room, or talking to them - a risk that does not exist in face-to-face exams. There are also concerns of a significant imbalance of power, as a proctor can terminate the exams of students. A post about safeguarding on a forum was deleted by a member of staff today.

The terms and conditions students must accept to use ProctorU are awful. These include extensive disclaimers of responsibility, overseas legal jurisdiction, mandatory audio and video recording, and intrusive room scans.

During a four-hour exam, one ten-minute toilet break is allowed, after which a further room scan is required while the exam clock continues to run, increasing stress.

As someone with epilepsy, mainly triggered by stress, backed up by medical evidence, I explained that remote-proctored exams are unsuitable for me. I have received multiple emails from senior members of student support saying that there were no alternative forms of invigilation and advised me to consider switching to another degree.

A subsequent formal complaint is progressing very slowly. It took around 2 months to get a formal response, dismissing my complaint. I appealed this almost 2 months ago, and whilst the university have accepted my appeal met the grounds for formal investigation, I'm still awaiting the results of the stage 2 of formal investigation.

In the stage 1 formal reply I did get, it states the university will consider alternative exam arrangements for students where a module is compulsory, but not for me as MST125 is not compulsory. That's wrong, as MST125 is compulsory for my degree, but even if it were not compulsory for me, refusing reasonable adjustments could breach the Equality Act 2010's duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled students, as the Act requires avoiding substantial disadvantage regardless of whether a module is strictly mandatory.

In summary, the Open University offers excellent module materials, with good tutors and lots of tutorials. However, its current approach is just not acceptable to me.

A forum where discussions about remote proctoring are taking place is increasingly having threads deleted by the moderator. Many students are very angry. I expect some fear reprecutions, so will not write a bad review.

Unless the OU returns to face-to-face exams, I can only recommend the university with reservations.

A great way to learn and get the best tutors.

The Open University mandates remote proctoring (ProctorU/Meazure Learning with LogMeIn Rescue) with no alternative, despite the system being HIGH/HIGH risk (NCC-CSIRT advisory), involving full remote control of personal devices. AI tracking, biometrics, 3+ years of data retention in India, Colombia, the Philippines, and the US, resulting in documented 14-day unauthorised access, fabricated geolocation, and reused biometric photos “ student selfie” in logs.
When I raised these serious issues:
• False ‘FAILED/Absent’ records were maintained for over 90 days despite written postponement approval, and admission that the status was ‘incorrect’.
• Verified TMA grades (87% average) were erased the same day I contacted the OIA (clear retaliation).
• SAR responses were incomplete (missing 14 days of logs, withheld recordings).
• Rectification requests for inaccurate personal data were refused.
The irony is extreme: OU hosts articles on OpenLearn that critique the harms of algorithmic proctoring (‘Our Bodies Encoded’) while forcing the exact system it condemns.
This is not isolated — it’s systemic maladministration, privacy violation, coercion, and retaliation. Complaints are obstructed with selective, incomplete responses.
Avoid enrolling if you value your privacy, academic integrity, and fair treatment. I have all the documentation.

UPDATE (Feb 2026): You claim to "adhere to UK GDPR."

Then why:

• Your own DPIA has remained unsigned since 2022, with "DO NOT PROCEED" warnings
• Your breach log (2025-653) recorded 14-day unauthorised biometric access—closed as "user error"
• Your officer confirmed "student exam data was permanently lost"
• You deleted my 87% grades the same day the regulator contacted you
• 160 days of exam status weren't fixed
• Action Fraud UK now classifies your mandated software as "Malware"

Your words are contradicted by your own records and the UK's national police intelligence service.

Privacy is not a press release. You were watched. You failed.

The resources, website are great. What really lets the ou down is the quality of the tutoring. Some tutors are truly dire. I had a dreadful one for my last module and ended up with a 2:2 as a result. Spanish modules had been great with great tutors but the English language ones not so much. The subject is very subjective and you can score badly. I went from 83 to 58 from start to finish. The last module traumatised me and I still really haven't gotten offer being marked so harshly, as evidenced by the fact i am writing this 6 months later! I think as the tutor knew i already had a degree i was marked more harshly. My advice is do NOT do an arts course with the Ou . Any subjectivity in the subject at all and you will end up in conflict with tutor or getting bonkers marks. If it is Maths or Science go ahead, there is always a right answer! I felt utterly demoralised after I did the degree, I dont regret doing it as I learnt
a lot but I could have done without being made to feel bad by a few arrogant tutors.

Ive been with the open university for almost 2 years i think roughly give or take, at first i thought it was ok but then i realised because of the lack of support it started to take a toll on my mental health. They just cancelled my module apparently because i forgot to reapply for my last module which i did, as im not use to school stuff as a mature student. Ive basically finished my final module that they have cancelled but now they are asking for a full years tuition fee and student finance and myself are confused to what they are talking about as student finance has already paid them for a 3rd of the year anyway. I was about to leave anyway as you cant even get maintenance loan when your with these guys, i wouldn't recommend anyone go here just go to a brick and water university to save yourself stress and the support YOU WILL NEED.

I studied for my bachelor of laws degree with honours here over 4 years.
Excellent level of learning and support available.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time studying with The Open University and would highly recommend anyone who wants to learn but maybe doesn't have an opportunity to go to a physical on site campus.