Vocational Qualifications Registration

Please ensure you have read and understood our Conditions of Registration. You will need to complete and submit a Registration Agreement which you can find for your chosen qualification on the qualifications page. Select the qualification you would like to study, and the registration agreement will be available to download in the course summary box. 

How to register

You will need to complete and submit a Registration Agreement. This contains questions relating to your suitability for the qualification and essential information needed for Awarding Organisation registration. You can find the relevant Registration Agreement for your chosen qualification on the qualifications page. Select the qualification you would like to study, and the registration agreement will be available to download in the course summary box. 

It is essential that you complete and sign all sections fully. Typed signatures are not acceptable and your form must contain original signatures in all relevant sections. 

Once you have completed the form please send it to us either as a scanned copy attached to an email to vq-enquiries@open.ac.uk or as a hard copy in the post to:

• The Vocational Qualification Assessment Centre,
• Perry Building (East) First Floor,
• Walton Hall,
• Milton Keynes
• MK7 6AA

We will confirm receipt of your registration by email.

Back to top

Methods of payment

We do not currently receive any funding towards vocational qualifications. We are also not eligible to accept Advanced Learner Loans, Student Loans or the apprenticeship levy to pay for vocational qualifications at present.

Prices for our qualifications are detailed on the individual qualification information.

Payments can be made by:

• Personal cheque: made payable to The Open University VQ Assessment Centre sent with your completed registration agreement.
• Credit/debit card: we are only able to take card details over the phone for security reasons, so you will need to make arrangements to contact VQAC by telephone once you have sent your completed registration agreement.
• Paying by instalments: you can apply for an Open University Student Budget Account (OUSBA).  Once you have indicated this as your preferred method of payment on your registration agreement we will contact you separately to complete the application process.
• Sponsorship: if your employer is funding your qualification they can pay by cheque or card at the time of registration. Alternatively we can invoice them as per the details supplied on your registration agreement (please note that invoices will not be sent until after the start date of your qualification).

Back to top

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

If you have previously completed units from a vocational qualification that can be matched to units on the qualification you would like to register for, then you may be eligible for RPL.

We will require a full copy of your certificate(s) – including details of the qualification and the units, components or modules you completed. Requests for RPL will need to be made before registration for a qualification. 

Our assessment will include considering the currency; how recently it was achieved and validity; how well the learning outcomes and assessment criteria of your previous qualifications or achievements match those within the qualification you are interested in.

If we approve RPL, we will also quote an individually adjusted price for your vocational qualification.

If you feel you may be eligible for RPL please email VQAC letting us know which qualification you are interested in and include a copy of your certificate/s, which must include unit details. VQAC will then make an assessment for possible RPL. 

Back to top

Workplace support

This section explains how sponsors and line managers can support learners undertaking a vocational qualification.

For some qualifications where there is a group of learners in the same work location, it may be possible for us to allocate the whole group to the same assessor, organise a group induction session and/or arrange some work based workshops.

You will be required to show your support in some quite specific ways, for example, you may be asked to provide testimony of the learner’s work practice and you will need to allow your team member the time to complete the qualification.  You will also need to allow an assessor to visit the learner in the work place to observe their practice.

Time in the work place is probably the most important resource the learner is going to need to complete their qualification successfully.  This could be planned into the learner’s schedule as a fixed amount of time each week.

Back to top

Meeting your needs

The Open University is committed to offering disabled students and anyone who has a health condition, mental health disability or a specific learning difficulty access to all our qualifications. In the Vocational Qualification Assessment Centre we will do all we can to provide you with services that meet their requirements however we cannot guarantee that we will always be able to provide all services requested. We will aim to give as much notice as we can of any limit on our services.

• Find out more about the support services and facilities that are available.

When you register for a vocational qualification, we will ask if you have a disability or additional requirement that might affect your progress. If you answer ‘yes’ we will contact you directly to discuss your requirements. If you have additional requirements and do not let us know, we may not be able to support you effectively.

We will treat all the information you give to us as confidential and will use it only to provide you with services as a learner.

Back to top

Registration dates

Some qualifications may expire, if so they will be detailed below. 

• Level 3 Diploma for the Children & Young People's Workforce: Social Care pathway - final registration date is 15th June 2024

Back to top