IHI Open School for Higher Learning and Residency Programs

For ACGME organizations, the IHI Open School offers an out-of-the-box solution to meeting the criteria for practice-based learning. Open School courses are designed to give learners the ability to connect new quality improvement and patient safety knowledge to their daily work using critical thinking skills and self-evaluation. 

You can view charts of ACGME and AACN content alignment on a per-course basis here.

How do my students sign up for IHI Open School for free? 

As of May 2025, IHI no longer offers free student accounts. Colleges, universities, and residency programs must enroll in the updated Higher Learning and Residency Programs group subscription to integrate IHI Open School into their curriculum. 

What’s included in the updated group subscription? 

The Open School for Higher Learning and Residency Programs group subscription provides:

• 12-month access to all 13 courses in the Basic Certificate in Quality and Safety, plus CC 101: Contextualizing Care for the Clinician
• Cost: $25 per user
• Administrative access for designated administrators, which includes:
  • Administrative dashboard
  • Completion reports
  • Educator's Toolkit

What are the fees? 

The group subscription costs $25 per user. There are no additional fees.

How do students pay for the subscription?

Students and residents do not pay IHI directly for the Higher Learning and Residency Programs subscription. This is a group subscription initiated and managed by the institution. 

Some colleges and universities may choose to pass the cost along to students internally (e.g., through course fees or tuition), but IHI does not bill students or residents individually. 

What is the minimum number of users? 

A minimum of 10 users is required to initiate a group subscription.

How do we sign up for a subscription?

To sign up for a subscription, follow these steps:

• Complete the Higher Learning and Residency Programs group subscription request form at the bottom of this page.
• Identify 1–3 administrators who will manage the account and a billing contact.
• Ensure all administrators and billing contacts have an IHI account (create an account).
• After submitting the form, the Open School team will send an attestation form for signature.
• Once signed, you’ll receive:
  • An access code to be distributed to your students
  • Instructions for how to begin courses
  • An invoice

When does our subscription start? 

Subscriptions begin on the first day of the selected month. Please indicate your preferred start month on the request form.

Who should be included in the subscription count? 

Include all users who will need access during the 12-month period. If faculty members wish to access the courses, they must be counted as users. 

Can we add or remove users later? 

You cannot reduce the user count after the subscription is created. You can add users with a minimum of 10.  All added users will share the same end date as the original subscription. 

Can faculty access the courses? 

Yes, but they must be included in the subscription count and will be charged the $25 per user rate. Administrators receive complimentary access to the dashboard and reports, but not to course content. 

My college or residency program requires IHI Open School. How do I access the courses? 

Your institution must have a group subscription. Contact your instructor or program leadership and share this link with them for more information. 

Can I get free access? 

No. Free student accounts were discontinued in May 2025. If your institution requires IHI Open School, confirm that they’ve arranged a group subscription. 

Do I need to pay for the subscription? 

No. Students and residents do not purchase subscriptions individually. Your institution is responsible for arranging access. 

I received an access code. What do I do?