Ways to pay for a qualification in Scotland

On this page

Financial support
Monthly instalments
Employer sponsorship
Credit or debit card
Other ways to pay
Disabled Students' Allowance

Financial support

Depending on your income and your course of study, you could be eligible to apply for a Part-Time Fee Grant, a Skills Development Scotland Individual Learning Account or Discretionary funds.

Part-Time Fee Grant – if your personal income is £25,000 or less a year, or you’re on certain benefits, you can apply once each year to claim your module fees if you are studying between 30–119 credits a year. You will need to have completed your fee grant application by the final enrolment date of your module.

Skills Development Scotland Individual Learning Accounts (ILAs) – these are for people who are 16 or over and living in Scotland. If you have a personal income of £22,000 a year or less, or you are on benefits, you may be eligible to get up to £200 towards the costs of learning or training which you can use towards the fees of certain OU modules. You must ensure that your ILA application is completed by the final enrolment date of the module you wish to study.

Discretionary funds – students in financial hardship may be eligible to apply for help with study costs.

You need to allow plenty of time if you’re applying for financial support so please apply as early as possible.

For more information about financial support, try our online eligibility checker or contact the Open University in Scotland.

Monthly instalments

You can pay your tuition fees by monthly Direct Debit through Open University Student Budget Accounts Ltd (OUSBA). This convenient 'pay as you go' option is a secure, quick and easy way to pay your fees on a module-by-module basis.

With OUSBA you can:

Pay by instalments – OUSBA Ltd pays the OU your full module fee at registration and you repay the loan to OUSBA Ltd in monthly instalments starting a month after your module begins. Currently, interest is charged at 5.0 per cent (Annual Percentage Rate 5.1 per cent) and is only applied once your module has commenced. This is an exclusive rate that is only available to OU students.

Register now, pay later – OUSBA Ltd pays your full module fee direct to us. You can repay OUSBA interest-free and in full just before your module starts. This option could give you the extra time you may need to secure the funding for your module.

For more information, speak to an adviser or visit our website www.open.ac.uk/ousba where you can access a set of frequently asked questions and learn more about the instalment plans on offer.

Employer sponsorship

Sponsorship means your employer pays your fees. If the qualification you’ve chosen is geared towards your job or developing your career, you could ask your employer to sponsor you by paying some or all of the fees.

Your sponsor needs to complete an individual sponsorship agreement, which you can download online when you register or which you will find in your registration pack.

If your employer is reimbursing you we can send you a receipt of payment or a statement of academic record when you have completed your module.

For further information, speak to an adviser.

Credit or debit card

You can pay part or all of your tuition fees upfront securely with a debit or credit card. We accept most well-known credit and debit cards. We also accept payment by bank transfer.

Other ways to pay

OU gift vouchers

You can pay for part or all of your tuition fees with OU gift vouchers. Vouchers are currently available in the following denominations: £10, £20, £50 and £100.

Find out more about buying or redeeming vouchers.

Mixed payment methods

You may also be able to pay via mixed payment methods. You could, for example, pay part of your tuition fee upfront with OU gift vouchers and pay the remainder with an Open University Student Budget Account.

For more information about these payment options, speak to an adviser.

Disabled Students’ Allowance

Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA) help with additional study costs that result directly from your disability or specific learning difficulty.

Allowances are not means-tested and may go towards specialist equipment (such as an adapted computer), non-medical study support (for example, a sign-language interpreter, a note-taker or a dyslexia support worker) or other related expenses. You can also apply for help with study-related travel costs that directly result from your disability.

You may be eligible for a DSA if you’re studying at least 60 credits towards an OU undergraduate qualification that lasts for more than one year. Students in Scotland apply for a DSA through the Students’ Awards Agency for Scotland.

For further information, visit our Services for disabled students website.

Where will you be resident whilst you study?

Choose country for more information on ways to pay: Please select your country.

If your country isn't listed here, visit our international prospectus.

To find out how much it costs to study for a qualification, look at the individual qualification descriptions. Find out about the types of qualifications we offer.

Or look at the subjects we offer:

Are you already an OU student ? Go to StudentHome for information on choosing your next module.

Undergraduate

Your questions

Try our frequently asked questions.

Come and meet us at an event near you.

Or contact an adviser by Email or call +44(0) 845 300 60 90 +44(0) 845 366 60 35