Royal Open College: self-paced online courses and how the pricing works

Shopping at Royal Open College? See all current Royal Open College discount codes and deals, checked regularly.

Royal Open College is an online learning website with a large catalogue of self-paced courses, which it says runs to more than 5,000 titles. Subjects range from care, teaching and food hygiene to business, law, HR and hobbies such as gardening and forestry. Everything is studied online on a computer, tablet or phone, at your own pace, and prices are in pounds. Course access details are sent by email after you buy, so check your spam folder if they don't arrive.

It may suit people who want to brush up on a subject in their own time, or explore a new interest without committing to a long course. The site describes its courses as CPD-accredited. If you need a course for a job, registration or regulated role, check with your employer or professional body first that it will be accepted.

The website doesn't publish a company name, registration number or postal address, and it shows frequent sale banners and countdown timers. We'd suggest reading the terms and conditions, including the refund rules and certificate costs, before you order.

What's worth a look

• Paralegal Diploma: 53 modules, currently £19.99 (prices can change).
• Level 3 HACCP for Managers and Supervisors: 16 modules on food safety management, currently £19.99.
• Teaching Assistant Level 1, 2 & 3 bundle: 94 modules covering early years, SEN and primary teaching, currently £19.99.
• Basics of Plant Nutrition: a ten-module hobby course listed at £0.00, one of several in the free courses section alongside forestry and beekeeping.

Certificates are charged separately from courses. A PDF certificate is £12.99, a printed certificate £24.99, and transcripts cost the same again. Printed copies cost £5 to post within the UK, or £10 elsewhere. The site also has a certificate validator, so an employer can check that a certificate it has been shown is genuine.

Current offers

• The site is running a Summer Sale, with the code SUMMER98 shown on its sale banner.
• A yearly membership covering the full catalogue is listed at £49, and lifetime access from £99.
• Selected courses are free, with only the optional certificate to pay for.

How to save more

• Work out the total cost first. Add the course, the certificate format you need and any postage, as the course price alone doesn't include a certificate.
• Try a free course before paying, to see how the lessons and platform work for you.
• Choose the PDF certificate rather than the printed version if a digital copy is all you need, which saves on both the printing charge and postage.
• Only consider a membership if you're sure you'll take several courses, and read its terms before you buy.

Products, prices and offers checked on the store's own website on 3 Oct 2026. Prices and stock can change.

Ad: affiliate links. If you buy through links in this article we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. Royal Open College didn't pay for this article or check it before we published it. How we make money.