Access to Higher Education & Social Sciences

Access to HE courses prepare adults for study at university level.

Courses are designed, in particular, for people who have been out of education for some time, especially those who left school with too few qualifications to be able to go straight to university.

Access to HE courses provide a good foundation in the knowledge and skills required for studying at university level, so that students are confident and well prepared when they go on to higher education. In order to use the title ‘Access to HE’ a course must be recognised by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA).

An Access to HE Diploma course involves completing a certain set of units of study which are relevant to the overall Diploma subject. The whole package of units is designed to equip students for university level study in that subject or subject area.

The detail of course content on individual courses depends on the subject of the Diploma, but all courses require study of relevant academic subject(s) at university entry level give students the opportunity to learn how to approach study at university level and develop techniques to help them to be successful students.

Yes! Courses leading to the Access to HE Diploma are available in many different subjects, providing preparation for a wide range of university programmes. We offer:

• Business Management
• Computing & ICT
• Nursing & Health Professions
• Primary Teaching & Education Professions
• Science
• Social Sciences
• Social Work

You will need English and Maths GCSE at grade 4 (C) or above and may require additional GCSEs if they are required for entry to your chosen university course. You are advised to investigate potential university progression routes to establish specific entry requirements they may require. If you are currently undertaking your GCSE qualifications in English and/or Maths the appropriate grades as outlined above will need to be achieved before the start of the course.

All applicants are interviewed prior to acceptance on the course, and this is a two-stage process. You will be asked to complete a written assessment during the first part of the interview, which assesses your academic reading and writing ability to ensure you are at a level suitable for study at Level 3. You will then be invited for a 1-to-1 interview with a course tutor to establish the suitability of your chosen pathway for your intended progression route. 

If you're thinking of applying for an Advanced Learner Loan to fund your Access course, you should first check your eligibility here.

Please note, the award of the Access to HE Diploma does not provide guaranteed entry to UK HE programmes – before applying for an Access to HE programme, please speak to your chosen Higher Education provider to ensure that the Access to HE Diploma award meets their entry requirements.