Welcome Week Home

YOUR JOURNEY STARTS HERE...

The OU community is a wonderful place to be, and Welcome Week is set up to show you everything it has to offer – with a line-up of online and in-person sessions designed to help you meet new people and discover what Open SU can do for you.

Distance learning doesn’t have to mean going through your study journey alone – let's get started together...

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YOUR WELCOME WEEK EVENTS

There are no upcoming events

Welcome Week Star speaker: Liz Carr

Introducing our star speaker for Open SU's Welcome Week… Liz Carr!

You may have seen her in popular TV shows like Silent Witness and The Witcher, her campaigns for disability rights, fronting the BBC documentary 'Better off Dead?', and lots more...

Now, she's coming to Welcome Week to host an exclusive online session for you, discussing her unexpected journey from studying a degree in Law to becoming the award-winning actress, comedian, and trailblazing activist she is today.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to hear Liz Carr speaking to OU students. The session will be hosted by the Open SU President and Disabled Student Representative, who will run a question-and-answer section at the end of the talk.

Welcome Week: 26th September - 4th October; Come and join us from Saturday, 26 September to Sunday, 4 October.; Welcome Week

Belfast in-person meet-up: 2nd October; The Open University, 110 Victoria Street, Belfast, BT1 3GN; Welcome Week

What's REACH? Meet, Connect and Belong with Guests from the Black Student Network (WELS): 2nd October; Microsoft Teams Webinar; Welcome Week

How Bad Are Bananas? game with OU Environmental Sustainability Society: 2nd October; Microsoft Teams Webinar; Welcome Week

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WHAT I WISH I’D KNOWN

Preparing to start your studies

Getting ready to start your studies can be daunting – check out this short introductory course on OU Ready, which has information on where to find everything, and how to access support.

Referencing

What is the right way to reference in your work? Don’t worry, the OU have prepared a quick guide to Harvard referencing on their library website, where their help desk is available for extra support.

What is ‘good academic practice’?

You might have heard words like ‘plagiarism’ and ‘academic misconduct’, but what are these and how can you avoid them? Check out the Academic Conduct Policy and look at this OpenLearn collection about good academic practice to find out more.

Plus, if you ever need help with this, you can check out Open SU’s Individual Representation Service for free, independent support and advice.

Financial support

For support with your finances throughout your studies, explore the OU Study Related Costs Scheme, the Disabled Students Allowance, or the OU Students Educational Trust (OUSET).

Connecting with other students

There are lots of great ways to meet other Open University students and get involved with the community:

Check out OU Students Connect to chat to other students online

Join one of the clubs and societies available

Join a Student Support Group

Check out the online and in-person events happening soon

See what volunteering opportunities are available to boost your skills and meet new people!

GIVEAWAY TIME

The scavenger hunt is back… can you decode the clues?

To make sure you’re set up for your studies this year, we’re giving away five study bundles, including an OU hoodie and an OU water bottle (which have just launched in fresh new designs!).

Find and connect the clues we’ve left around this website to determine a three-part code – get it right and you’ll be entered into the giveaway. Submit your entry!

Watch this video for your first clue...

More ways to win