Registration FAQs

You don’t need specific subject related qualifications to study with us, however there are minimum entry requirements you need to meet to ensure you have the right tools to get started.

You will need a reasonable standard of written, reading, listening and spoken English so you can make best use of study materials, communicate effectively with your tutor or fellow students and seek help from other OCA Support Teams. If your legal nationality does not feature in the majority English speaking countries as listed here, you will be asked to provide evidence of your English language proficiency. 

OCA courses are designed to be studied at a distance, therefore it is essential that students have the right equipment, resources and IT literacy to successfully engage with their course. Students will need regular access to desktop computer or laptop with internet access, and you will need to confirm you have this in place prior to beginning the course. 

Additionally, specific degrees may have recommended experiences outlined on their respective information pages – there is an essential experience level for the BA Hons Music course. 

Please review the Entry Requirements in full here.

Proficiency in English is crucial as courses and assessments are conducted in English. Ensuring that students have the necessary language skills helps to maintain the quality and integrity of their education. Additionally, proficient communication skills enable students to participate fully in lectures, discussions, other academic activities and  as well as support services. If your nationality does not feature on the list of ‘majority English speaking countries‘ then you will need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency.

Allow 10 working days for your enrolment order to be reviewed by Student Services. If you haven’t heard from us by then, please contact [email protected] and quote your 5 digit order number. Do not submit multiple enrolment orders. 

Your enrolment form is reviewed by a Student Adviser who will review the information you have provided and tailor advice and guidance as needed.

Your enrolment is sent for approval by a senior member of staff before being passed to the Finance team, who will then confirm your funding is in place or payment has been received ready for you to begin the course. You will then receive confirmation that your enrolment has been accepted.

Please contact [email protected] and quote your order number advising of the error. Do not submit a new enrolment form unless you are advised to by a Student Adviser, as this can cause delays.

This may have happened by accident when you clicked to view the status of your enrolment. Email [email protected] and quote your 5 digit order number, and we’ll get this sorted for you.

Please contact [email protected] and quote your order number. 

For Undergraduate, Foundation, Personal Development and Short Courses, you do not need to provide a portfolio, but you must meet the minimum entry requirements listed here. 

If you are seeking credit exemption on an undergraduate course, you will need to provide a portfolio and a statement with the Recognition of Prior Learning application form. 

For postgraduate study, you will need to provide a portfolio and a statement as part of the application process.

Although OCA is a subsidiary of The Open University, our curriculums are not linked. You would need to withdraw from study with The OU and register as a new student with OCA.  

For example, if you have studied 120 credits on an OU degree, it is not possible to ‘transfer’ and pick up from Stage 2 on an OCA degree.

You can review the enrolment form submission deadlines and course start dates here. When selecting your start date, consider how long it will take you to organise your funding, as you will need to have this in place before you can begin your course.

At the end of the two week induction period, providing you have confirmed you wish to proceed with your enrolment. 

All course materials are accessed through the virtual learning platform, OCA Learn, and can be printed at home. You can request physical copies of your course materials if you require them due to a disability or health condition. 

No. Students sign up to study on a unit by unit basis, meaning you need to submit an enrolment form each time you are ready to begin a new unit. Please check the Student Handbook for the progression criteria based on where you are in your programme. 

The programme specification of your degree, available to view on the degree information page (or through your Department Space if you are already a student), will advise of all the available units of study and the order they are taken.

Starting from August 2023, we have implemented a more structured and hopefully supportive induction process based on the common questions we receive from students. This induction aims to provide essential course information and familiarise students with available resources. With each induction cycle, we review and incorporate feedback to ensure that it remains a valuable space for both new and continuing students to prepare for their studies.

At OCA, we believe that induction plays a crucial role in introducing you to our study approach. During this period, you’ll participate in creative tasks, review essential information, and confirm your commitment to enrolling. To ensure a smooth experience, we highly recommend choosing an intake where you can fully engage and dedicate your time.

We understand that circumstances may change, and if you’re just starting your degree, transferring to another programme might be an option. However, please note that a transfer fee may be applicable in such cases. Once you’ve completed your first unit of study, the options for transferring become more limited. However, we encourage you to reach out to [email protected] who will review each case individually.

For the academic year 23/24, we are not accepting enrolments from students who are under 18. This will be reviewed for the academic year 24/25. 

Undergraduate students have a maximum of 6 months study break available from the date of receiving their assessment results before they must enrol to their next unit of study to remain on programme.