The minimum and maximum periods depend on the type of study plan:

Full-time registration*

Minimum period: 4 years

Maximum duration: 6 years

Part-time registration

Minimum period: 6 years

Maximum duration: 9 years

The International Open University offers two terms each year. The enrollment for Spring semester begins on 3rd March while for the Fall semester, it begins on 3rd September.

No, this option is not available.. The program can only be studied under a part-time or full-time study plan and can be completed in 4 years minimum if it is done full-time.

Registration is open all year round. If the current semester deadline is still active, you’ll be registered for that semester. If not, your registration automatically moves to the next semester, and you can enroll through Early Enrollment.

Spring Semester

• Early Registration Period: 3rd Oct – 28th Feb
• Semester Commencement: 3rd March
• Regular Registration/Enrollment Period: 3rd March – 29th March

Fall Semester

• Early Registration Period: 3rd April – 31st August
• Semester Commencement: 3rd September
• Regular Registration/Enrollment Period: 3rd September – 28th Sept

Click and select your county of residence to see the semester registration fee: https://iou.edu.gm/tuition-fees/

Please check Factor 3 by clicking on the link above.

These are the only fees we charge per semester. The course material is provided free of cost online Additionally, there is an E-Library provided as a study aid for the students.

For new students: No matter when the semester is scheduled to start, once you complete the payment, you will be given access to course material through the Early Enrollment system.

In order to make the process easy for the students, IOU has translators available who will translate your documents (for some languages, e.g Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Bangali, Bahasa, Russian, Malay). If we do not have translation services available for your language, your non-English high school transcripts and certificates must be fully translated into English and notarized by a notary. You must submit the original transcript along with the translated copy. A copy of the translated notarized copy should be uploaded during the online registration process.

No, students cannot join this program if they do not meet the admission requirements.

The National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority (NAQAA) has granted the International Open University (IOU) a four-year full license to operate as a higher education institution in The Gambia, effective February 23, 2023. Previously, NAQAA had granted a three-year provisional license in April 2019, which was extended in 2022.

However, absolute recognition of an IOU degree worldwide cannot be guaranteed by IOU due to varying requirements for international degree recognition across different countries. Some countries' local laws have yet to recognize distance or online learning, and they have not established policies for online and international universities. Therefore, it is best to check the recognition your country affords to online universities and the IOU in particular.

While every effort is made to fulfill, meet, and maintain registration and accreditation requirements in our host countries, the recognition of IOU-issued qualifications in non-host countries is at the discretion of their relevant national councils, which have diverse criteria for accepting foreign qualifications. As such, we encourage all our students not residing in our host countries to validate the recognition of their qualification with their national authorities. IOU is governed by the regulations and quality assurance practices and policies of our host countries.

We encourage you to check this list of accrediting institutions that have accepted degrees from our students. They may also accept other IOU degrees at their discretion: Graduate Acceptance List

For more details on accreditation, please visit: Accreditation Information

There is no fee charged by IOU separately for examinations. Students only need to pay a modest semester registration fee before enrolling into the semester. This depends on the country of residence of the student. Please click here to see the fees for your country. However, students will have to pay any associated fees to the exam center, if the center administrator/manager demands it .

No, Course waivers are not applicable for the Bachelor Degree Programs. Credit transfer will only be processed for the courses studied and completed with a passing grade at an accredited university or college. Credit transfers will NOT be accepted for subjects studied in schools or private institutions.

No, a student cannot take additional courses under the Bachelor Degree programs.

There is no fee charged for course materials, which consists of a PDF file. Flash videos and mp3 audios are available for online streaming as well as for download. We also provide an E-Library for students free of charge. If a student wishes to purchase hard copies of the required texts, they may do so from external sources.

This option is not available for the Master's Degree Program.

While it is quite difficult to keep track of this, we have been notified of some of our graduates pursuing postgraduate studies in Indonesia and Gambia.

The International Open University is an online educational institution. The entire program is taught online via the internet. Anyone from any part of the world can join easily and benefit from it, In sha Allaah.

Admission is open throughout the year. If a student is admitted and enrollment is closed, he/she will begin his/her studies the following semester.

Please visit this link to know the complete admission process https://iou.edu.gm/stream/process/

In order to join IOU’s Bachelor’s program, the students must have concluded their high school qualification in the medium of English.

In order to be admitted to our accredited online Bachelor degree, the candidate must have completed high school. The high school certificate/diploma is the credential awarded to a secondary school student who successfully completes high school level (approximately 12 years of study). Those who have completed further studies and have degrees beyond high school may submit those certificates if they no longer have their high school certificate with them.

The high school diploma must be scanned and uploaded along with a recent color passport size photograph and photo ID. If the diploma and photo are not uploaded, your admission will not be processed. Additionally, the attested copy of these documents are required to be sent to the Graduations Office via email before the completion of the program.