MBA entry requirements, fees and funding

Entry requirements

To be eligible to apply for our distance learning MBA, you need to have:

a bachelor's degree awarded with honours from a recognised UK university or the equivalent. We also accept an ordinary UK bachelor's degree or its equivalent, provided that you also have an official Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) score of 640 or above
a minimum of three years’ experience in a managerial, professional or technical role
a good knowledge of the English Language (to International English Language Test System (IELTS) score of 6.5).

What if I don’t have a bachelor’s degree?

You can start your journey towards the MBA if you hold our Professional Certificate in Management or opt for an alternative route. Please see F61 | MBA (Master of Business Administration) for further details.

Fees and funding

The OU MBA breaks the link between exclusivity and Triple Accredited excellence – offering the best value to students by a significant margin. The total cost of the OU MBA in 2021/22 is less than £20,000 in the UK, while fees for other UK triple accredited Business Schools start at £20k and move up from there – with some reaching about £60k.

Unlike many schools, the OU fee includes the cost of books and study materials, accommodation and food at residential schools and tutorials, access to bespoke e-learning environment and project supervision as well as examination fees.

The fee does not include any travel costs incurred to and from the residential schools or tutorials.

The approximate fee range* for the OU MBA are as follows (as of 2021/22):

Region	Approximate fee range
UK	£17,175 - £18,840
Republic of Ireland	£19,900 - £21,560
Rest of the world	£20,775 - £22,440

*Fees approximation explained:

You register and pay for a module at a time. This means that the cost of your MBA will be spread over your years of study.
Module prices are updated annually, and individual module prices also vary slightly.
The fees above assume students pass each module without retake costs.

Funding options

Unlike many MBA programmes, you don’t have to pay for your qualification all at once. Our ‘pay as you go’ model means you pay for your modules one at a time, using one of the following options:

Pay upfront – by debit or credit card when you sign up for each module.
Pay in instalments – find out more about an account with Open University Student Budget Accounts (OUSBA). You must be at least 18 years of age, and credit is subject to your financial circumstances and status.
Employer sponsorship – over 40% of our MBA students receive some sponsorship from their employer. If your study relates to work, your employer may be prepared to pay some or all of your fees.

MBA Sponsorship Business Case Builder

Your employer could contribute towards your MBA study fees. Generate a personalised, compelling business case for your employer, with our interactive tool.

Future Leader Fund scholarship

Thanks to the generosity of our Alumni, we offer an annual scholarship to a first year student with the potential to be a future leader and covers the cost of studying the first two modules on the MBA, Managing in a changing world and Creating and sustaining value. To apply, you will need to complete a short application form. You must also meet the qualification and experience eligibility criteria for the OU MBA. Find out how to apply.

Interested in supporting a scholarship? Find out how you can give a donation to help.