How do top up degrees work?
For students who do not live or come from an English language speaking country, then we recommend taking an IELTS course to improve your language to level 5.5 or higher. This can be done alongside our courses. Your minimum level of English may vary depending upon which university you decide to complete your top up qualification from.
You will need to have an IELTS score of Level 5.5 or above on completion of the OBS course. You can study an English course alongside the OBS course. At Level 4/5, you will require a full secondary education to be eligible to enrol onto the course, and universities will require a minimum age before embarking on the university top-up programme. At Level 7, you will require 5 years of managerial experience if you do not have a BA degree. This may vary for various University partners. However, we will look at every application individually and some exceptions may be made.
Learners should first visit the Online Business School Course page to view the range of courses on offer. It’s important you choose a subject you enjoy and will help you reach your goals. Here are some things to consider when choosing the right subject for you:
It is important that learners do not try to extend themselves too far and too quickly, so should ideally choose a path that comfortably moves on from their existing level of skills and experience.
You can choose your course and enrol online via the Online Business School course page. Alternatively, you can call the OBS Enrolments Team on 0333 772 1158 and they will guide you through the Enrolment process.
All assignment submissions are free of charge.
Yes – All students are encouraged to arrange a tutor induction, during which a tutor will outline the basic requirements for completing assignments to the required standard. In addition to this, students have access to tutors who work with Online Business School. The tutor details are available via the Dashboard and will show which areas they specialise in and when they are available. If a student wishes to arrange a session, they can do so directly from the Dashboard, specify which topic they need assistance with, or contact our support team at [email protected]. Further information is available in the Student Handbook and the relevant course information packs.
Submissions need to be uploaded to via the dashboard, in the ‘Assignments’ area.
We recommend students write between 2000-3000 words for each assignment. You will not be penalised for going over this word count limit as long as the work is related to the assignment question.
Assignments are released to students upon enrolment.
After an assignment has been submitted, our markers will return the results within 14 working days. Once all assignments have been completed and marked, an Internal Verifier will view the work, which usually takes up to 3 weeks. After the Internal Verification has come back and agrees with the initial marking, all of the assignments are sent to the awarding body for External Verification. The awarding body will then check all of the work to ensure it is of the correct standard. This process can take up to 6 weeks. In total, once you have completed all assignments and had them marked, it can take up to 9 weeks to receive your final result.
Yes. Once OBS has received the cleared funds your course material will be released to you immediately.
OBS offers an interest free payment plan so that you can pay for your course over a set number of months. Contact one of our student advisers for more information about this. UK students may also be eligible for student loans for the university top-up programme. Learners should make enquiries directly to their chosen university.
No additional costs are levied by OBS, and all additional learning resources including tutor support, e-books, games and short business courses, are included in course tuition fees. For more information relating to tutor support click here.
Payment can be made online by credit/debit card, bank transfer or PayPal through any of our international banks.
Assessments are included with the course purchases.
Qualifi is a UK-based awarding organization regulated by Ofqual. Qualifi offers various qualifications across multiple fields, including business management, information technology, health and social care, and more.
OTHM is another UK-based awarding body that provides regulated qualifications in various fields, including business management, health and social care, logistics, education, and tourism. It is regulated by Ofqual in England, ensuring that its qualifications meet national standards.
The International Association of Bookkeepers (IAB) is a professional and awarding body focused on bookkeeping, accounting, and business qualifications. The IAB is recognized by Ofqual, which ensures that its qualifications meet national standards.
Learners who achieve an OBS qualification are automatically mapped against a standard UK Higher Education qualification framework. This is a universally recognised framework of credits. Universities can therefore award credits against the OBS study to give exemptions from large parts of their formal programmes. OBS have pre agreed arrangements with certain universities to provide credits against programmes either on campus or off campus. This is termed ‘university top-up’.
The Online Business School Ltd is a company registered in the UK under English law.7750588
The Online Business School is dedicated to providing a wide range of Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses at an affordable cost. All learning activities, materials and content are provided online using modern delivery models to make learning more engaging and cost effective. On completion of an OBS course, it will give you recognised University credits to then “top up” at one of our UK University partners, saving you time and money.
You can edit personal details via the student dashboard. Once a student has enrolled, they can login and view their course progress, edit their profile and chat with fellow students in the forum.
Access to the OBS Dashboard is for a maximum of 5 years from date of enrolment. This can be extended if a request is made in writing to OBS Student admin.
If learners have lost or forgotten their login details, they can request a new password on provision of their email address. Email [email protected] for more assistance.
The OBS programmes are mapped against UK higher education qualifications which are fully transferable to a range of other higher education routes and professional qualifications. On completion of the OBS level 4/5 programme students will be awarded 240 credits ( The first 2 years of a Undergraduate degree) . They can then top up to their final year at one of our University partners. Similarly at level 7 students gain 120 credits from a total of 180 credits for an MBA. Again they can top up at an OBS University partner.
Once you successfully complete your final year at university, you will have a full BA degree or postgraduate qualification that will open doors to many career options.
You can seek help from dedicated forums or request tutor help. Students can interact and help each other through the course content and share interesting and relevant links with each other. We also have a dedicated tutor support team all specialising in all OBS modules.
All students that have enrolled onto a course can communicate with other students via the social learning forum.
Learners can use the social learning forums without limitation and talk to fellow learners around the world. Tutors will also present webinars on demand which are available free of charge to all students.
You need to complete all the modules detailed in your required course option plus all the associated assessments to complete the OBS course and receive the diploma. This will give you the recognized University credits. You can study the modules at your own pace.
As long as you have internet access any computer or tablet can be used to complete online modules and courses. You can also study on your phone with our mobile friendly content.
Yes, but this will only be accessible with an internet connection. All digital interactivity has been coded for compatibility on touch screens. You can also learn the material by printing it off.
The modules themselves are sufficient for passing the associated assessments. The modules contain additional accessible resources that learners may wish to follow through to enhance their learning and these are provided within the text. OBS also has extra learning resources like e books and webinars to aid your study, completely free of charge.
When you pass a module or an assessment, it generates a certificate of completion which details: module content, level of study and learning outcomes achieved. It is mapped against formal UK educational quality guidelines defined by QAA. Upon completing all modules, you can then complete assignments to complete your diploma with OBS.
Learners can learn at a pace that suits them. There is no time limits or dealines with OBS. Learners can study the modules in any order at any time.
There are no exemptions or credits within the OBS system of study, and you have to study all the OBS modules to take advantage of our access route. However, if you think you may be exempt from a certain level, please contact us and we will advise you. We can also help you with your top up enquiries if you have already got the necessary qualifications.
Students can study the modules in any order and at any pace. To qualify for the University Top-up, all of the modules and assignments must be completed.
Learners who complete the full programme are awarded a certificate and official credits. This qualification is recognised by UK higher education authorities and by the university sector. The student can then apply to one of the universities to complete their degree.
All modules have an online assessment. Completion of the requisite number of assessments and written assignments will give the participant a qualification recognised by many top line universities.
Assessments are made up of 30 multiple choice questions and last for one hour. There is an assessment at the end of each module. Questions are answered in sets of five to allow for review and editing if required. If a session times out or an issue occurs throughout, the assessment will time out at the point of the previous five questions. Consequently, you will not lose your previous answers. Results are given immediately upon completion. You can find out more on the assessment page. Upon completing all end of module assessments, learners then undertake assignments set by the awarding body to complete the full course.
The interactive activities in the modules include tests, exercises and assessments that provide a guide to a learner’s progress through the module.
OBS has a network of overseas banks that will take payment direct or by credit /debit card. Alternatively, we have representatives in many overseas countries, and you can contact them to make payment.
OBS cannot act a a visa sponsor but your chosen university partner can.
No visa is required for online study. If a student chooses to take the university top-up programme on campus in the UK, a student visa will be required. Learners should request this through their chosen university.
Yes – as long as you’ve got access to an internet connection. You can do your studies from anywhere in the world.