Open Study College
Open Study College is a UK-based online distance learning provider founded in 2007, offering 700+ accredited courses to 150,000+ individual learners and 500+ corporate clients across A Levels, GCSEs, vocational, and professional categories.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersBirmingham, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Open Study College does
Open Study College is a UK-based online distance learning provider founded in 2007 by Mark and Samantha Rutter, headquartered in Birmingham with a team of approximately 50 staff. The company delivers more than 700 courses across A Levels, GCSEs, Animal Care, Nails & Beauty, Accounting, Teaching Assistant, and broader vocational and professional categories, accredited through nine UK awarding bodies and having taught over 250,000 courses to 150,000+ learners cumulatively. Course content is developed in-house by tutors who are chartered professionals, examiners, and published authors, and delivered through the proprietary Ohana platform which consolidates course access, tutor interaction, and progression tracking. The company is registered with the FCA (Firm reference 724179) for consumer credit broking.
The business operates a dual B2C and B2B model. On the consumer side, individual learners purchase courses priced from £279 to over £3,799, with payment options including one-time fees, monthly instalments, and finance via partnerships with Klarna, PayPal, and Dopple. On the corporate side, the Business Training division serves more than 500 UK businesses — including NHS, Coca-Cola, Rolls-Royce, JLR, and EDF — and has trained over 2,500 employees. The corporate channel represents a deliberate diversification from the legacy B2C core and adds a more contract-driven revenue stream alongside individual course sales and exam packages. Multibuy and bundle pricing structures further support average order value expansion.
Open Study College is a privately held, family-owned company (OSC Ltd) with no disclosed external funding. Its position in the UK distance-learning market is reinforced by 18 years of operating history, 28 industry awards, an LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders 2020 recognition, and a 5/5 Feefo rating. The company's primary distribution channels include its website, organic search, social media presence on TikTok and YouTube, and a network of affiliate and corporate referral partners. No material AI/ML capability, proprietary model, or data flywheel is evidenced in the company's current disclosures.
Open Study College firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Open Study College
- Legal name
- OSC Ltd
- Website
- https://openstudycollege.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Open Study College is a UK-based online distance learning provider founded in 2007, offering 700+ accredited courses to 150,000+ individual learners and 500+ corporate clients across A Levels, GCSEs, vocational, and professional categories.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Open Study College industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Distance Learning
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fully Online Universities (Online-First, Degree-Granting) (EDAHALAA)
Keywords
Where Open Study College is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Birmingham
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Open Study College business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Individual Course Fees: Primary revenue stream from sale of online courses and qualifications to individual learners. Courses priced individually from approximately £279 to £3,799+. Flexible monthly payment options available via Klarna, PayPal Pay in 3, and Dopple Finance up to 36 months.
- Exam Package Add-ons: For qualifications requiring formal exams (A Levels, GCSEs, AAT), students can add exam packages where OSC books and pays for exams and practical sessions on their behalf. Additional revenue stream bundled with course enrolment.
- B2B Corporate Training: Bespoke training packages sold to UK businesses for workforce upskilling. Includes tailored training packages with transparent pricing. Trusted by 500+ UK businesses including Barnardo's, Coca-Cola, Rolls-Royce, Jaguar Land Rover, NHS, EDF Energy.
- Referral Reward: Students receive a £25 Amazon gift card when they refer a friend who enrols. Returning learners receive £100 off their next course.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Monthly | Standard course enrolment — one-time or split payment |
| Hybrid | Monthly | Bundle and multibuy discounts |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Returning learner loyalty discount |
| Subscription | Monthly | Dopple Finance long-term payment plan |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Open Study College product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Open Study College is a UK-based online distance learning college offering more than 700 accredited courses spanning A Levels, GCSEs, accounting, beauty, teaching, animal care, and business training. Courses are delivered online through the proprietary Ohana learning platform with tutor support, paper-based study materials, and flexible online assessment. The college sells directly to individual adult learners and supplies corporate training programs to UK employers seeking workforce upskilling.
Product overview
Open Study College is a UK-based online distance learning provider offering over 700 accredited courses across a unified digital platform called Ohana. The portfolio spans academic qualifications (A Levels, GCSEs), professional certifications (AAT, ACCA, NCFE CACHE, CIM, ILM, Active IQ), and vocational skills (animal care, beauty therapy, teaching assistant). The core offering consists of self-paced online courses with dedicated tutor support, supplemented by optional exam booking services, physical study packs, and flexible payment plans via Klarna, PayPal, and Dopple Finance. Business Training (B2B) arm provides corporate workforce development solutions. The product architecture combines the proprietary LMS platform with third-party payment processors and accreditation from major UK awarding bodies.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- A Level courses Online distance learning A Level courses delivered via the Ohana platform with tutor support, designed for UK adult learners needing recognised academic qualifications for university entry or career progression.
- GCSE courses Online GCSE courses covering core subjects, designed for adult learners resitting or first-taking GCSEs through flexible self-paced study.
- Accounting and Bookkeeping courses Accredited vocational accounting and bookkeeping courses for learners seeking professional qualifications such as AAT, delivered online with tutor support.
- Beauty Therapy courses Vocational beauty therapy qualifications delivered online for learners entering or progressing in the beauty industry.
- Teaching and Education courses Accredited teaching and education courses supporting learners working toward roles in schools, early years, or further education.
- Animal Care courses Online animal care and veterinary support qualifications aimed at learners pursuing roles in animal welfare, veterinary nursing, or pet services.
- Business and Management courses Online business, management, and leadership courses for professionals seeking career advancement or skills development.
- Corporate Training Programs Structured workforce training programs delivered to UK employers, providing bulk enrolment, invoicing, and progress reporting through the Ohana platform for employee upskilling.
Quantifiable outcome
- 97% A Level pass rate across 40,000+ A Level learners
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Open Study College
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Open Study College technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
Open Study College partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Barnardo'scoreOne of 500+ UK businesses that trust Open Study College for workforce upskilling and employee training. Listed as a major B2B client in the corporate training section alongside other recognisable UK brands.
- Coca-ColacoreCorporate training client. Open Study College provides accredited online training to Coca-Cola employees as part of their workforce development programme.
- Rolls-RoycecoreCorporate training client. Rolls-Royce employees access OSC's accredited online courses for professional development and skills upgrades.
- Jaguar Land RovercoreCorporate training client. Jaguar Land Rover utilises OSC's online learning platform to upskill automotive workforce with industry-recognised qualifications.
- NHScoreCorporate training client. NHS trusts and healthcare workers access OSC's accredited courses for continuing professional development, particularly in health & social care, counselling, and related areas.
- EDF EnergycoreCorporate training client. EDF Energy employees benefit from OSC's accredited training programmes for workforce development and skill enhancement.
- Papa John'scoreCorporate training client. Papa John's franchise operations in the UK use OSC's online training solutions for staff development.
- AQA, OCR, Edexcel (Exam Boards)coreOSC's A Level and GCSE courses are independently accredited by established examination bodies including AQA, OCR, and Edexcel. These partnerships enable delivery of recognised qualifications equivalent to those studied in traditional schools and colleges.
- Awarding Bodies (AAT, ACCA, NCFE CACHE, CIM, ILM, Active IQ, ICB, IAB, NEBOSH)coreOSC is an approved centre and/or accredited provider for 9 major awarding bodies: AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians), ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), NCFE CACHE, CIM (Chartered Institute of Marketing), ILM (Institute of Leadership & Management, awarded by City & Guilds), Active IQ, ICB (Institute of Certified Bookkeepers), IAB (Institute of Accountants and Bookkeepers), and NEBOSH. Each partnership enables delivery of accredited qualifications.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Open Study College competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- UK Open College: UK online distance learning provider of accredited qualifications and CPD courses, with a B2B training arm serving UK employers. Closely comparable product set, B2B/B2C mix and geographic focus.
- Stonebridge Associated Colleges: UK distance learning provider with a broad catalog of accredited online courses covering A Levels, animal care, beauty, teaching, business and lifestyle. Mirrors OSC's catalog breadth and direct-to-consumer UK online learning model.
- Avado: UK-based online professional training company offering accredited qualifications (e.g. CIPD, AAT, ACCA) with strong B2B employer and apprenticeship programmes. Comparable professional-vocational focus and B2B training motion.
- ICS Learn: UK-based online distance learning college offering professional qualifications (AAT, ACCA, CIMA, CIPD) and access to higher education. Closest direct competitor to Open Study College in the UK online vocational and professional qualification market.
- NCC Home Learning: UK online distance learning college offering a wide range of accredited courses and qualifications, with tutor support and flexible study options. Comparable scale and target audience to Open Study College.
Broad incumbents
- Learning Curve Group: UK training and education provider operating across apprenticeships, vocational qualifications and corporate training. Competes for the same B2B workforce-development budgets and funded-skills contracts as OSC's B2B arm.
- FutureLearn: UK-headquartered online learning platform owned by Global University Systems, offering short courses, degrees and microcredentials. Adjacent competitor for adult online learners and corporate L&D, particularly in CPD and short-form professional content.
- The Open University: UK's largest distance-learning institution, offering undergraduate and postgraduate degrees online. Much larger and degree-granting, but directly competes for adult UK learners seeking flexible accredited qualifications online.
- Kaplan UK: International education and training provider with a large UK professional qualifications business (accounting, financial services, legal). A broader incumbent with overlapping B2B employer training offerings.
- BPP: Established UK professional education provider with strong presence in accountancy, law, business and healthcare qualifications. Overlaps with OSC's professional qualifications portfolio (AAT, ACCA, CIM, CIPD) at the B2B and professional-learner level.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Open Study College social profiles
Digital presenceOpen Study College compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Open Study College financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Open Study College leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Open Study College funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Open Study College M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Open Study College
What does Open Study College do?
Open Study College is a UK-based online distance learning college offering more than 700 accredited courses spanning A Levels, GCSEs, accounting, beauty, teaching, animal care, and business training. Courses are delivered online through the proprietary Ohana learning platform with tutor support, paper-based study materials, and flexible online assessment. The college sells directly to individual adult learners and supplies corporate training programs to UK employers seeking workforce upskilling.
Is Open Study College a public or private company?
Open Study College is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Open Study College founded?
Open Study College was founded in 2007. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Open Study College based?
Open Study College is headquartered in Birmingham, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Open Study College make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Course Fees are the primary driver. The others are exam Package Add-ons, B2B Corporate Training and referral Reward.
Who are Open Study College's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are UK Open College, Stonebridge Associated Colleges, Avado, ICS Learn and NCC Home Learning. Broad incumbents are Learning Curve Group, FutureLearn, The Open University, Kaplan UK and BPP.
Does Open Study College have an API?
No public API is recorded for Open Study College.
What industry is Open Study College in?
Open Study College's product category is Online Distance Learning. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHALAA, Fully Online Universities (Online-First, Degree-Granting). Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.