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Access to HE: Nursing and Health

 A fast-track route into university for mature applicants. This is an Ascentic-accredited course for the nursing profession.

If you live in England, you might be able to do this course for FREE, see ‘Additional Information’ tab for more details.
Apply today and our team will confirm if you could qualify for free place, with no obligation. 

An Access to Higher Education course is for students (19+) who have been out of full-time education for one or more years and would like to go on to higher education but do not have the formal qualifications needed. It is appropriate for those returning to education after a number of years, for example in employment, bringing up a family or having a career break. A high level of motivation is required to complete the course.

Access programmes are intensive courses designed for mature students who wish to progress to a British university. They have been developed to enable mature students to gain the skills and knowledge to cope with the academic demands of Higher Education.

This programme is designed for mature students who wish to progress to a British university to study for a degree in nursing or related professions except for Radiography (Access to Science is a more suitable route into this profession).

On successful completion of this course you will be awarded the following qualification certificate: Access to HE Diploma (Nursing and Midwifery).

Guildford College has long-term links with the University of Surrey, although students can and do progress to any other British university offering Nursing degrees. The course is taught by highly qualified staff who have considerable experience in teaching adult students.

Benefits of studying with Activate Learning:

  • Designed exclusively for adults (19+)
  • Supportive environment provided through tutors with subject expertise and includes guidance webinars for every module.
  • One year programme equivalent to three A Levels, allowing you to achieve the qualification you need to progress to university.
  • Widely recognised and accepted qualification by UK universities. This is validated and moderated by Ascentis under licence from the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education
  • Help and guidance on writing your personal statement and completing your UCAS application
  • Flexible learning enabling you to study whilst working and around personal commitments
  • Funding with the Advanced Learner Loan available.

Each year, around 95% of our Access to HE students progress to university on completion of their programme, going on to over 100 different universities across many different degrees and disciplines.

Course Fees £3384

Remember:if you go to university and complete a degree, the loan for your Access course is written off by the Government.

You will study psychology, professional healthcare practice (PHP) and human physiology, among other topics.

The main aim of this course is to prepare students for study at university. Students will receive subject-specific study skills preparation, as well as tuition in subjects that are relevant to their chosen degree course.

Once awarded the Access to HE Diploma, students can start a university degree, provided they have met the entrance criteria for their chosen universities.


A variety of teaching and learning strategies will be employed including: lectures, group work, discussions and practicals.

You will be provided with a course handbook detailing the structure and processes of the programme. Guidance is given in study skills, career and Higher Education opportunities.

Homework:

On average you will need to study for 10-15 hours each week outside class time.

If you pass the Access course you can progress to university to study for a degree in nursing or other health professions, such as; occupational therapy, physiotherapy, midwifery, paramedic, mental health nursing and podiatry.

Please note that success on the Access course does not automatically guarantee a place at university however the vast majority of Access students progress to their chosen university courses each year.

Although there are no formal entry requirements for this course*, for university, you will need to have a GCSE at grade 4 (C) or above in both English and maths, or a Functional Skills Level 2 qualification.

*The Engineering and some Science pathways do require you to already have achieved a grade 4 (C) in Maths. These pathways will also require an additional entrance assessment which will be held on campus.

It is advisable that you have these qualifications prior to starting your Access level 3 course as the skills you will have gained from studying these qualifications will really help you on this programme.

*Please note: If you wish to go on to study a medicine degree, most universities require five GCSEs, including English, maths, and science at grades 7–9 (A–A* equivalent).

Applicants must be aged over 19

Applicants must have been out of full-time education for one year

Applicants are advised to contact their university of choice to confirm the criteria

Some degrees require that you have some relevant paid or voluntary work experience

You will have a numeracy and literacy assessment to check your suitability to study at Level 3 and may have the opportunity to re-take either a maths or English GCSE alongside this course*

*Please note, it will not be possible to resit both English and maths GCSE alongside an Access to HE programme

If you don’t meet the entry criteria, don’t worry! Some campuses offer a Pre-Access course to get you ready, or our part time GCSE maths and English classes, available at all sites, could support you to readiness for an Access to HE programme.

There is also a wide range of support available at the college for students, including financial support.

Funding Options:

To be eligible for funding, you will need to live in England. Anyone in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland will need to self-fund the course.

NB. This course is not appropriate for non-European Union overseas students as, under government regulations, they are not eligible for places on NHS funded courses at university until they have been an EU resident for at least three years.

Level 3 Entitlement fee remission: If you are aged 19-23 and do not hold a prior full Level 3 qualification, you may be eligible to study the course for free. This would also depend on your location within the UK, but we would check this for you during your application process.

19+ Advanced Learner Loan:If you are aged over 23, or you are 19-23 with a full Level 3 qualification, you can fund the course with the Advanced Learner Loan supplied by Student Finance England. This loan will be wiped from your records if you progress to university and complete your studies! If you do not progress to university or a higher education course, you will not need to start paying back the loan until you earn over £25,725.00. 

Nursing Bursary for those going on to degree-level courses:Nursing students starting university will benefit from guaranteed, additional support of at least £5,000 a year to help with living costs. The funding will be given to all new and continuing degree-level nursing, midwifery and many allied health students from September 2020. Read more about how it is expected to benefit more than 35,000 students every year.

Remember: If you go on to study at university and complete a degree, the loan for your Access course is written off by the government.

Why Guildford College?

  • Clear routes of progression with qualifications ranging from foundation level to degree level!
  • Industry experienced teaching staff give you the responsibility and independence you need to take charge of your own future.
  • 100+

    Courses available

  • 6000+

    Students

  • 79+

    Years of teaching experience

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