OfS Transparency Information Return

The information published on these pages shows:

The number of students who attained a particular degree or other academic award, or a particular level of such an award, on completion of their course with us.

It shows these numbers by the reference to:

  • The gender of the individuals to which they relate
  • Their ethnicity
  • Their socioeconomic background.

The Office for Students has suspended the Return for 2022-23 qualifiers which we would usually publish in Autumn 2025.

Widening access to, and enhancing success in higher education is at the heart of the Open University’s mission. Please read the OU’s Access, Participation and Success Strategy and Access and Participation plan.

Table 1a: Percentage of classified first degrees at grade 2:1 or above by characteristic for 2021-22 qualifiers.

Characteristics Characteristic split Percentage
Ethnicity Ethnic minorities 50.6%
White 69.0%
EIMD 2019 quintile 1 and 2 60.5%
3 and 5 70.0%
Sex Female 67.4%
Male 66.4%
Other N

EIMD stands for the ‘English Index of Multiple Deprivation’. It is a Government measure of the levels of deprivation in local areas. EIMD 1 or 2 areas are considered to be the most deprived. Students outside of England are recorded as N/A

Table 1b: Detailed information on attainment for 2021-22 qualifiers.

Mode of Study Characteristic Characteristic split Headcount of classified First Degrees awarded Percentage of classified First Degrees awarded as first class Percentage of classified First Degrees awarded as upper second class Percentage of classified First Degrees awarded as lower second class Percentage of classified First Degrees awarded as third class / pass Headcount of unclassified First Degrees awarded Headcount of other undergraduate awards
Full Time Ethnicity Asian N N N N N N/A N/A
Black N N N N N N/A N/A
Mixed N N N N N N/A N/A
White 70 26% 32% 35% 7% N/A N/A
Other N N N N N N/A N/A
Unknown N N N N N N/A N/A
EIMD 2019 quintile 1 N N N N N N/A N/A
2 30 25% 40% 25% 10% N/A N/A
3 N N N N N N/A N/A
4 N N N N N N/A N/A
5 N N N N N N/A N/A
N/A N N N N N N/A N/A
Unknown N N N N N N/A N/A
Sex Female 70 27% 29% 39% 5% N/A N/A
Male N N N N N N/A N/A
Other N N N N N N/A N/A
Part Time Ethnicity Asian 440 17% 36% 30% 16% N 150
Black 280 7% 30% 40% 24% N 110
Mixed 240 17% 46% 28% 9% N 100
White 8530 26% 43% 23% 8% 60 3810
Other 90 7% 40% 44% 9% N 50
Unknown 190 26% 43% 19% 12% N 80
EIMD 2019 quintile 1 1260 18.2% 39.6% 29.6% 12.6% N 640
2 1530 21.3% 41.2% 26.8% 10.7% N 580
3 1590 25.0% 42.7% 23.7% 8.5% N 660
4 1580 26.4% 42.1% 23.2% 8.3% N 550
5 1520 28.9% 44.3% 20.8% 5.9% N 520
N/A 2290 25.6% 43.5% 22.5% 8.4% 30 1350
Unknown N N N N N N N
Sex Female 6420 26.0% 41.4% 23.6% 8.9% 40 2970
Male 3340 21.7% 44.3% 25.1% 8.9% 30 1320
Other N N N N N N N
Apprenticeships Ethnicity Asian N N N N N N/A N
Black N N N N N N/A N
Mixed N N N N N N/A N
White 190 35% 42% 19% 4% N/A 130
Other N N N N N N/A N
Unknown N N N N N N/A N
EIMD 2019 quintile 1 N N N N N N/A 30
2 40 20% 50% 25% DP N/A 30
3 40 35% 40% 20% DP N/A 30
4 50 55% 30% 15% DP N/A 40
5 50 30% 50% 15% DP N/A N
N/A N N N N N N/A N
Unknown N N N N N N/A N
Sex Female 130 36% 34% 26% 4% N/A 120
Male 70 28% 59% 9% DP N/A 30
Other N N N N N N/A N

Transparency 2023 information: Rounding and suppression

The data contained in the tables in this page have been rounded and suppressed as follows:

Numerators and denominators have been rounded to the nearest 10. Where the numerator or denominator rounds to 20 or less, the data are suppressed with an “N”.

Percentages are rounded according to the smallest, unsuppressed denominator in a given mode and characteristic. If the denominator rounds to:

  • 50 or less: percentages are rounded to 5%
  • 1000 or less: percentages are rounded to 1%
  • More than 1000: percentages are rounded to 0.1%

"N/A" is displayed where there is no provision in a given mode or level

"DP" indicates suppression for data protection reasons. This is applied where the numerator is two or less, or differs from the denominator by no more than two students.