While it is possible to study using smartphones, it might not be an efficient way to do so. This is because certain coursework like Assignments are required to be written and lots of research needs to be done to write the assignments. Hence, it is better that you use Laptop/computer to do the assignments.

It is recommended that the IOU students try to have a high speed internet connection to make the best use of all the services. However, if a student is unable to obtain a high speed connection, we have audio and video lectures available which can be downloaded and saved to listen or watch later. However, as exams are required to be attempted online as well, you must arrange a high speed internet connection to submit exams successfully.

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, Insha'Allah.

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

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.

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 .

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.

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.

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.

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

Full-time study: Minimum 1 year to maximum 2 years
Part-time study: Minimum 2 years to maximum 4 years