Gain that essential qualification - now offered full and part-time.
Access your degree or higher-level qualification with us and find your way to a prosperous career. The Access to Higher Education (HE) diploma is designed for people who do not have “traditional” qualifications, such as A Levels, and for those who have been out of education for some time. If you want to study at university but feel you might lack the entry requirements or qualifications, or you are worried that you might not be able to cope with the demands of degree-level study, then an Access course can help. Our pathways cover a wide range of access areas, including: Art, Healthcare, Medicine, Science and Humanities. These courses can be studied both full and part-time *.
Full time consists of around 14 hours a week over 32 weeks and involves a range of activities relevant to the pathway being studied. The part-time option is around 7 hours a week and studied over two years to ensure learning can fi t around you.
*Please note, the Medicine pathway is not available as a part-time mode of study.
The Access to Higher Education Diploma is validated and accredited through the National Awarding Body, Skills and Education Group Access, which is an Access validating agency, licensed and regulated by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education.
Progression to higher education institutions indicates that these programmes are widely recognised and deliver positive outcomes for students. Destination information for completers in 2019-20 shows that 90% of students accepted places at university overall, with 39% of those accepting places to Russell Group universities.
Widely recognised
The Access to HE Diploma is nationally recognised by UK universities, and many actively encourage applications from Access to HE students.
40+ years
The first access courses at York College were established in the 1970s. These qualifications are a route to university level education if you are aged 19 or over.
Write off your loan
Student Finance England will 'write off' any outstanding Advance Learner Loan balances you owe for an Access to HE course once you complete an eligible higher education course. This means you do not have to repay it.
Successful progression
Last year 81% of our Access to HE students sucessfully progressed to higher education, above the national average.
Funding your course
If you are applying to one of our Access to Higher Education (HE) Diplomas, depending on your residency history, you may be eligible for an Advanced Learner Loan to help with the your course fees. If you choose to take out an Advanced Learner Loan, you will not have to pay any upfront
fees. Student Finance will pay the tuition fee on your behalf directly to the College. Details of how to apply for an Advanced Learner Loan can be found of the Government website [Advanced Learner Loan - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) ].
Please note, you must wait until you receive a learning and funding information letter from the College before making your loan application. You may
apply, if you wish, for an Advanced Learner Loan to cover part of your tuition fees, and in this case, you will need to arrange to pay the remaining balance to the College.
Once you have completed your course you will only start to repay your loan when your income is over a certain ‘threshold’ amount. Student Finance England will ‘write off’ any outstanding Advance Learner Loan balances you owe for an Access to HE Diploma once you have completed a higher education course. This means that you do not have to repay it.
NHS Learning Support Fund
Following successful completion of an Access to Higher Education course at York College, students starting and continuing their degree course from September 2020 can apply for the NHS Learning Support Fund (NHS LSF) if they’re on one of the following pre-registration Undergraduate or Postgraduate courses:
● Dental Therapy/Dental Hygiene (Level 5 and 6 courses)
● Dietetics
● Midwifery
● Nursing (adult, child, mental health, learning disability, joint nursing/social work)
● Occupational Therapy
● Operating Department Practitioner (Level 5 and 6 courses)
● Orthoptics
● Orthotics and Prosthetics
● Paramedics (bachelors and masters courses are eligible, DipHE and FD courses are not eligible for NHS LSF)
● Physiotherapy
● Podiatry/Chiropody
● Radiography (diagnostic and therapeutic)
● Speech and Language Therapy
NHS LSF offers support for:
A Training Grant for all eligible students of £5,000 per academic year – you need to be actively studying one of the courses from the list above, and receiving BOTH Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan. The eligibility criteria is on this page: NHS Learning Support Fund | NHSBSA
Parental Support of £2,000 for students with at least one dependent child under 15 years, or under 17 years if registered with special educational needs (this used to be called Child Dependants Allowance)
Reimbursement of excess costs incurred on practice placement for travel and temporary accommodation costs (Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses)
Students experiencing financial hardship (Exceptional Support Fund)
Please visit the NHS Learning Support Fund website for full details.
I love this place, because I owe everything I’m doing now to here. I’m so grateful because I had no idea what I was going to do before I heard about the course.
I'm 34 and it looked an accessible and good way to get back into education. I’ve always wanted to understand on a deep level how thing work and how to make stuff and I'm now studying Engineering at the University of York.
FAQs
What are Access courses?
Access courses are typically one-year programmes that prepare students for degree-level study. They focus on building academic skills, subject knowledge, and confidence needed for higher education. They are recognised by universities across the UK and are widely accepted as an alternative entry route to university.
Who are Access to HE courses for?
Access courses are ideal if you:
● Want to go to university but lack A Levels or equivalent qualifications
● Are returning to education after a break
● Need a clear pathway to progress into higher education
● Are changing careers and need a new academic foundation
Which universities accept Access to HE qualifications?
Access to HE qualifications are widely recognised by many universities across the UK, allowing you to progress into higher education without traditional qualifications like A Levels.
