You can email TMAs into the Open University's online eTMA system

The eTMA system is an automated system which uses the subject line of the email to direct assignments to the correct marker. If the email is not formatted correctly the submission will be rejected. Please follow these steps for successful submission:

Open a blank email

Remove any signatures that might add data to the email. Don't write in the body of the email, it is sorted by computer so any messages in the email will not be read.

Address to [email protected]

This is the email address for the eTMA system.

Attach the TMA as a single file

If the assignment is made up of multiple files, they must be zipped together. Do not include folders in the zip. Most modules will only accept a file up to 10MB in size. Do not send multiple emails as they will over-write previous submissions.

Put only the student PI number, module code and TMA number in the subject line in the format: A1234567/B999/01

The email is triaged by computer, so this format is essential. Extra or incorrect characters will make it unreadable to the system. If you send another email with this subject line, it will over-write previous submissions.

Send, and ensure you check the receipt email that follows

The email will say either 'accepted' or 'rejected'. If the submission is rejected please read the pointers in the email which will explain why. Receipt emails are sent from an automated mailbox, [email protected], please do not send replies to this mailbox.

  • Ideally, save the file in a file format compatible with Microsoft Word* (a .doc, .docx or .rtf file) or .pdf for maths modules.
  • SiSE students are permitted to submit .pdf files if work does have to be printed and scanned for submission, or is hand-written.
  • We recommend that you keep hold of the receipt email until the assignment has been returned as proof of submission
  • Or, if you received an automated reply email advising that the submission was rejected, and you do not understand the reason for rejection, please contact SiSE-Accessibility
  • The TMA feedback will also be sent via email and will be returned to the email address used to submit the assignment (see below)

* This is the general submission rules but some modules apply specific rules to the file submission format.

Important Information

  • Keep the file name to a maximum of 44 characters long. This enables the tutor to add some characters to the name once the file has been marked
  • The confirmation/rejection email replies are not immediate and it may take a while before you get an email back to say the TMA has been received. If you don't get confirmation within 12 hours it probably hasn’t been received and you should submit it again.
  • If files are larger than 10MB please send it to [email protected] who can assist in submitting the assignment
  • Do not send TMAs directly to tutors or other SiSE mailboxes - it must go through eTMA. Only [email protected] handle TMAs when there is a submission issue.

TMA Feedback

TMA feedback will be returned directly to the email address that submitted the TMA. The feedback is supplied within a .zip file which contains the original or marked up assignment and a .html file which is the feedback 'front sheet' (pt3). Marked up TMA pdfs may contain comments (small yellow speech bubble symbols). To print comments open the file in Adobe Acrobat and use the "Summarize Comments" option under 'Print' (see Adobe website for further details).

Feedback contains tutor details - please print the feedback and obscure tutor details before passing to the student.

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