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Taking learning further

So, you have tried a free course or two on OpenLearn and now wish to start something a little more structured and formal?

Taking learning further

So you have tried a free course or two on OpenLearn and now wish to start something a little more structured and formal?

Get your course fees paid

Under the Glastonbury Town Deal, it is the intention to set up a fund to assist people from the town to study more advanced courses. We hope that this fund will support a wide range of paid short courses, microcredentials and access courses; more details of each are described below.

In anticipation of this happening, please have a read through to consider which route will suit you best. We will update this page once a fund has been agreed.

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Study a short course

If you only have a few hours a week but still want to learn something new, consider taking a short course with The Open University. On offer is a variety of courses in business, management, marketing, languages, film, media, and more.

So if you want to learn Spanish, improve your creative writing, or enhance your business skills, these courses are a great starting point.

You can learn at your own pace, whether you’re a beginner or have some experience. These courses are designed with online bite-sized learning and practical exercises to help you apply your new knowledge. Most courses require 10–50 hours hours of study, and they’re flexible – you can easily catch up if you miss a week due to work or go on holiday.

On successful completion of the course, you’ll receive a certificate of completion to go alongside your new skill or understanding.

Introduction to digital marketing

The impact of Storytelling in Business

Developing a Coaching Culture

Business Design for the Digital World

Managing a Budget

Developing Strategy to Manage Uncertainty

Upskill with a microcredential

Microcredentials are professional development short courses designed to help you build in-demand career skills. They focus on building knowledge in fast-moving sectors such as sustainability or IT.

This is a new emerging area of higher education. These are not degree programmes but do carry formal academic credit as well as workplace relevance. Created by world-class OU academics, often in collaboration with leading industry partners, these 10–12-week courses are designed to provide specialist skills in a specific area of work. They are an ideal route to your next job promotion or career move into a new growth sector.

Our microcredentials are delivered on a platform called FutureLearn, and take 10–13 hours of weekly study and reflection. As learners work through the course, they can share ideas and experiences with their co-learners. On passing a final assessment, the learner is awarded 10 or 15 academic credits which could be used in the future towards an OU qualification.

Climate Change: Transforming your Organisation for Sustainability

Management of Uncertainty: Leadership, Decision and Action

Business Management: Financial Accounting for Non-Financial Roles

Amazon Web Services: Machine Learning Foundations

Cisco CCNA – Introduction to Networks

Mental Health: Working with Children and Young People

OpenAccess (foundation) courses

Boost your confidence with an Access Module. If you have tried a few OpenLearn courses and feel you may want to study something a little more substantial, but are not sure what, then maybe an Access course is the next step.

Designed specifically for OU students, an Access module allows you to study a range of broadly related subjects, giving you the time and space to build your learning confidence, and discover where your natural interests lie, before settling on your ultimate qualification goal.

These courses are designed for a gentle introduction to online learning, with courses structured over a 30-week period, but requiring less time than many other programmes – about 9 hours per week of study time. This gives you more flexibility to fit your studies around the other commitments of daily life such as work, family and friends. 

The courses have no formal entry requirements… rather we are interested in your potential not your past experience.

Arts and languages

Business and law

Starts October 2024

Psychology, social science and wellbeing 

Science, technology and maths

Make an enquiry to get your course fees paid

Please fill in the enquiry form below so we can help you with getting your course fees paid for and you can start a course that suits you.

Apply for funding

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Your questions answered

Who is eligible for 100% tuition coverage?

This opportunity is designed for the people of Glastonbury. If you are interested in studying a fee-based short course or microcredential and wish to have Glastonbury Town Deal pay the course fees, you can request funding by completing the form on this site and emailing to glastonburytowndeal@somerset.gov.uk

You will be asked for evidence of residing in Glastonbury. This could be a utility bill or similar, showing your address. Alternatively, if you live within a mobile community, we would like a letter or email from a community group saying that you are known to them as currently residing in Glastonbury.

How does tuition coverage work?

This is not a student loan or a reimbursement; your tuition is fully covered, upfront, by the Glastonbury Town Deal.

An eligible person can register for one microcredential or one short course at a time. When they have completed the microcredential or short course, they can register for another one. The Town Deal will once again cover the full tuition cost if the person is eligible at the time of registration.

This programme covers course fees only. Individuals are responsible for paying for any additional costs they might incur.

How do I register on a microcredential qualification?

To register for a fully funded place on an Open University microcredential, you will need to:

  • Choose an OU microcredential that you would like to study
  • Check your eligibility, complete the form above or email email to glastonburytowndeal@somerset.gov.uk
  • Complete the application form the OU will email to you
  • Accept your place on the microcredential when FutureLearn emails you to ask to confirm your place.
How do I register on a short course?

To register for a fully funded place on an Open University short course, you will need to:

We’ve been the experts in distance learning for over 50 years, allowing you to fit study around your life. Our world-leading teaching strategies and educational technologies mean you’ll get an immersive and interactive learning experience with support from dedicated tutors every step of the way.

Open your future with The Open University