Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. The Open College has agreed its quality assurance procedures with QQI (Department of Education and Skills in Ireland) and is registered with QQI to offer programmes leading to QQI awards on the National Framework of Qualifications.

Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), was established in 2012 by law and oversee qualifications in Ireland. In the area of qualifications, QQI is responsible for maintaining the ten-level NFQ (National Framework of Qualifications). QQI is also an awarding body and set standards for awards they make in the NFQ. QQI validate education and training programmes and make extensive awards in the Further Education and Training sector. QQI also make awards in Higher Education mainly to learners in private providers.

Click here for more information.

Benefits of gaining a QQI award with The Open College include:

• Choice: Over 90 QQI Level 5 & 6 programmes across a wide range of subject areas.
• Flexibility: Start at any time and study at your own pace.
• Support: Continuous one-to-one tutor support throughout your learning journey.
• Recognition: QQI validated and nationally recognised qualifications.
• Value: Flexible learning with strong student support and practical study options.
• Services: Garda Vetting support and work placement insurance available where applicable.
• Accessibility: Study online from anywhere in Ireland at times that suit you.

Learn more about The Open College.

We offer over 90 QQI Level 5 & 6 programmes through distance, blended and online learning. Subject areas include Childcare, Healthcare, Special Needs, Business, Management, Law, Psychology, Journalism, Sports and more.

All our QQI awards are recognised on the National Framework of Qualifications in Ireland and are widely recognised internationally.

View all our courses.

If you hold QQI certified modules from another college, you may be exempt from repeating equivalent modules. Contact please contact us at info@theopencollege.com with your QQI statement of results and we will confirm which modules (if any) can be exempted.

You would then only need to complete the remaining modules for the specific Major Award you are interested in.

At present, students need to be based in Ireland to complete our QQI accredited courses, as some programmes may include work placement, assessment, exam or certification requirements that must be completed in Ireland.

Students also generally need to hold a valid Irish or UK PPS number for QQI certification purposes.

If you are living outside Ireland, please contact us before enrolling so we can confirm whether your chosen course is suitable.

Yes. The Higher Education Links Scheme (HELS) links specific QQI Level 5 and Level 6 awards to reserved places in many higher education programmes in Ireland.

You should always check the latest entry requirements with the CAO and the individual college or university.

Click here for more information.

QQI stands for Quality and Qualifications Ireland, the national awarding body for further education and training in Ireland.

QQI is responsible for maintaining standards, validating programmes, maintaining the National Framework of Qualifications and ensuring awards are quality assured and recognised.

• Study from home, work or another location that suits you.
• Learn at your own pace.
• Access course content across devices.
• Flexible part-time study options.
• Ongoing tutor support and feedback.
• Draft submission opportunities and academic support tools.

If you hold qualifications from outside Ireland, we recommend that you first have them checked through QQI / NARIC Ireland. This will help you understand how your existing qualification compares with Irish qualifications on the National Framework of Qualifications.

Once you know the Irish equivalent of your qualification, we can better advise you on what course, if any, may be suitable for your next step.

Check international qualifications with NARIC Ireland.

A QQI module, also known as a component award, is a single certificate in one subject area.

A QQI Major Award is a larger full qualification, usually made up of a number of modules. Major Awards are often required for employment, progression or higher education entry routes.

As a guide, QQI module codes usually include the letter N, for example 5N2770. QQI Major Award codes usually include the letter M, for example 5M4339.

If you are completing a course for career progression or university entry, please check whether you need a single module or a full Major Award before enrolling.

After enrolment, students are normally sent a Welcome Email and Enrolment Pack by email with the next steps required before course access is issued.

Please check your Junk and Spam folders in case these emails have gone there.

In many cases, course access can only be issued after required enrolment steps have been completed, such as the online Personal Learning Profile form.

If you still cannot find your enrolment emails, please contact us at admissions@theopencollege.com.

Yes. All of our distance learning courses can be paid for over a three, six or ten month period, depending on the course.

We may also run special Easy Payment offers one all our QQI major awards.

Please click here for further details.

You can enrol directly Online and pay using your credit or debit card from any of our course pages. Along with Full upfront payments we also offer Instalment options on all our courses.

For any payment help, email info@theopencollege.com or call us on 01 206 1828.

If an instalment payment fails, you may need to log in to your account and renew the payment again. In some cases, your bank may also ask you to re-confirm payment security through two-step verification or 3D Secure.

You can use the “Pay Now” link in the failed payment email or log in through your subscription account area using the details created when you first enrolled.

Please note that your payment account login may be different from your Moodle course login.

Log in to your account.

Yes. Previous students may be eligible for a discount when enrolling on another course with The Open College.

Please email info@theopencollege.com before enrolling and include your previous student number where possible. We can then confirm the current discount process and any applicable discount code.

If you complete your course ahead of schedule but still have an outstanding fee balance, this balance must usually be cleared before we can issue a final completion letter or move your work forward for final certification.

If this applies to you, please contact us and we can confirm the outstanding balance and provide a payment option.

If you wish to cancel your enrolment, you may do so in writing within 7 days of enrolment, provided course materials are returned in their original form.

A €150 administration fee is non-refundable.

Click here for refund terms and conditions.

For the majority of our courses, assessment is based on assignments or project work completed during the course. In some cases, there may also be a final assessment.

All student work for QQI programmes is marked by an Internal Assessor and quality assured through Internal Verification and External Authentication.

Yes. You can submit fully completed draft assessments to your tutor by email.

Feedback is generally provided within 7 days, excluding weekends.

Provisional results are normally issued by email within approximately 4 to 6 weeks after your full and final assessment submission has been received.

Results are issued by email from our Results Department after the relevant marking, checking and quality assurance processes have been completed.

If you need a letter confirming completion while waiting for the next QQI certification period, please contact us after your provisional results have been issued.

Yes. We aim to support learners with additional learning needs where possible.

Supports may include one-to-one tutor support, assessment guidance, academic writing supports, spelling and grammar waiver where appropriate, and extended submission deadlines where approved.

If you require support, please let us know as early as possible after enrolment.

For most individual components, around 16 to 18 hours of study per week is recommended over the 8-week completion period.

Yes. You are assigned a tutor for the duration of your course.

Tutors can support you with:

• Course content queries
• Assessment guidance
• Written feedback
• Draft submissions
• General course-related challenges

Tutors aim to respond to course-related emails within 48 hours excluding weekends.

Some courses require attendance at workshops or exams. Dates and times are made available in advance and are listed on the relevant course page before enrolment.

Once you enrol, we provide a course pack. While it is not always necessary to purchase additional books, doing so may support your learning and broaden your knowledge of the subject.

Not every course requires a placement, however the following courses include a mandatory work experience module: Healthcare Support Assistant (5M4339), Care Assistant for HSE Disability Services, Healthcare Support Pre-Nursing, SNA Level 5, SNA Combined, and Early Learning & Care (Level 5 and 6).

Individual modules like Care Skills or Care of the Older Person may also require work placements. Every course page note if a placement is required or not.

Yes. The Open College is a registered organisation with the Garda Vetting Bureau and can support students where Garda Vetting is required.

The Garda Vetting process usually takes approximately 2 weeks to 4 weeks, assuming all documents are submitted correctly and there are no vetting issues or delays.

Processing times can vary, so we recommend completing and returning vetting documents as early as possible where vetting is required for your course or placement.

If you have lived outside the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland for 6 months or more, you may need to obtain an overseas Police Clearance Certificate if requested by a placement provider.

Any associated costs are the responsibility of the applicant.

Useful overseas police clearance information can be found here.

Yes. Our insurance policies cover learners who are on work placement as part of their course and at no extra cost where applicable. Please ask for further details.

Students are generally advised to locate their own work placement where one is required.

If you experience difficulty, The Open College may be able to provide guidance or support, but students should begin by approaching suitable placement providers directly.

For many Healthcare and Childcare programmes, placement providers may ask for Garda Vetting and placement insurance information. Where applicable, The Open College provides these supports to enrolled students.

Not every course requires work placement. Childcare and Healthcare courses commonly do.

Typical minimum requirements are:

• Major awards: 150 hours
• Component awards: 20 hours

Please check the individual course page for exact requirements.

 

To complete our courses, you will need to ensure you have PC/Laptop or Tablet that has:

• Windows 11 or later or a Mac with OSX 12 or later.
• Standard PC Processor and at least 8gb of Ram.
• An internet connection with a speed of at least 10mbps.
• Internet Brower – latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge or Safari, and set to accept cookies and pop-ups.
• Adobe Reader (free software), to view content.
• Word processing software, such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs.
• Some courses include video, therefore your computer must be capable of playing video and sound.
• For live webinars and drop in sessions, you will require sound and a camera (camera not mandatory).

 

 

You can download the Moodle app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

When opening the app, you will be asked for the site address. Please enter:

https://moodle.theopencollege.com

Then log in using the Moodle username and password provided to you by The Open College. These details are for the online course site and may be different from your payment account login.

First, make sure you are using the correct URL: moodle.theopencollege.com. Try clearing your browser cache or using an incognito/private window.

If you have forgotten your password, use the Forgotten password link on the login page and the reset email will go to the email address you are registered with. If your account is locked (usually due to a missed payment), contact us to resolve it.

Yes. If you need proof of enrolment or another course related letter, please contact us at info@theopencollege.com.

Yes. If you have completed all assessments and are awaiting the next QQI certification period, we can issue a letter confirming modules completed and that you are on the certification waiting list. Contact us us at info@theopencollege.com with your student number for further details.

Yes. You can request a prospectus here:

Request a prospectus.

Forms

• End of Course Student Feedback Form
• Extension Request Form
• Deferral Request Form

Yes. Most of our courses lead to a QQI qualification at Level 5 or Level 6 on the National Framework of Qualifications.

Once you have completed your course and required assessments, your work is prepared for the next certification period.

The process includes:

• Internal Verification by The Open College
• External Authentication
• Issue of provisional results
• Issue of final QQI certificates

For details on upcoming certification dates, please contact info@theopencollege.com.

Internal Verification is the process of checking that assessment procedures have been applied correctly, learner evidence is present and marks and grades have been recorded accurately.

External Authentication is carried out by an independent QQI quality assured external authenticator to help ensure fairness, consistency and accuracy of assessment results.

QQI certificates are issued according to certain QQI certification periods. After your work has been marked, internally verified, externally authenticated and processed for certification, QQI then issues certificates to The Open College in line with these set periods.

Once certificates are received, they are prepared and sent by post to students.

If you have received provisional statement of results and are waiting on your certificate, please contact us and we can check which certification period you have been entered into.

Yes. Appeals can be submitted within 14 days of receiving your result.

View appeals information.

QQI awards use the Common Awards System.

Typical credits are:

• Major awards (Level 5 and 6): 120 credits
• Minor awards/components (Level 5 and 6): 15 credits

For modules or component awards, students usually have up to 8 weeks to complete.

For major awards, students usually have up to 13 months to complete the full programme.

For most online distance learning courses, completion time ranges from 8 weeks to 12 months, depending on the programme.

Please check the individual course page for exact details.

Extensions may be allowed depending on the time elapsed and individual circumstances. Please contact the college to discuss your options.

A major award may be completed in less than 12 months, but it is demanding. In practice, it would be difficult to complete one in much less than 10 months.

Yes. People on Social Welfare Benefits or Jobseekers allowances may be eligible for Department of Social Protection (DSP) funding or TESG funding towards a course.

Funding decisions are made by the relevant DSP facilitator and depend on eligibility and funding availability.

Typical steps include:

• Print the course details you are interested in
• Arrange an appointment with your local Department of Social Protection facilitator
• Explain how the course supports your back-to-work plan
• Request funding support
• If approved, send the forms to us for completion.

If your course is funded by the Department of Social Protection (DSP), you may need to contact your DSP officer first to confirm that your funding approval can be extended.

DSP funding is normally approved for a specific timeframe. If you do not complete the course within that timeframe, the funding may no longer be available.

Once you receive written confirmation from DSP that the funding remains valid, we can then review your course extension request. Please note that any extension fee is normally the responsibility of the student.

Contact us with the participant’s name, email, phone number, the course they wish to enrol in, and your organisation’s billing details (name, address, contact). We will generate an invoice which can be paid by bank transfer or credit card.

For CE schemes, please also include your scheme name and your supervisor details.

Students may be allowed to transfer to another course provided the request is made in writing within 7 days of enrolment, includes reasonable justification and any applicable additional fees are paid.

An administration charge may apply.

If your cancellation request is made within the 7-day cooling off period, you may be eligible for a refund in line with our Terms & Conditions, subject to review.

This may depend on factors such as whether course access or materials have already been issued.

To request a cancellation, please email info@theopencollege.com or call us on 01 206 1828. After submission of Cancellation requests, our Cancellations Team will review requests and normally respond within 5–7 working days.

Please note that an administrative fee may apply in line with our Terms & Conditions.

Cancellation requests made outside the 7-day cooling off period are reviewed individually.

Refunds are not typically applicable outside the cooling off period, particularly where course access or materials have already been issued. However, you may still submit a cancellation request for formal review.

Our Cancellations Team will normally respond within 5–7 working days. An administrative fee may apply.

To request a cancellation, please email info@theopencollege.com or call us on 01 206 1828.

It may be possible to apply for exemptions where course content has already been covered by a previous qualification. This is known as Recognition of Prior Learning.

Exemptions are not granted on the basis of work experience alone.

Yes. Appeals must normally be submitted within 14 days of receiving the result.

Click here for appeals information.