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Access to Higher Education

Access to Higher Education courses are designed to equip students who have few or no qualifications with the skills required to succeed when studying in Higher Education. Access students may have left school early or been out of education for a number of years and are generally, but not exclusively, from groups which are under-represented in Higher Education. Access courses also provide students who decide not to progress to Higher Education with evidence of recent study and achievement at Level Three when applying for employment or training.

Some Access courses prepare students for particular progression routes, such as the Access to HE Diploma (Health and Social Care) and others provide a more general preparation for Higher Education such as the Access to HE Diploma (Combined Studies). Access courses include mandatory study skills and GCSE Equivalence(s) plus a number of academic subjects relevant to the student’s intended progression route to Higher Education.

Entry Requirements

There are no specific academic entry requirements for Access to Higher Education. Providers interview prospective students and may offer diagnostic tests to confirm that they have the potential to work at the level required. If this should not prove to be the case initially, alternative courses are usually offered to help prepare students to work successfully on an Access course.

Most students complete the Access course in one year. Some providers offer part-time courses, allowing students to study over two or more years. Assessment is usually a combination of coursework and examination, enabling students to accumulate credit towards the Access to HE Diploma as they progress through the course.

Quality Assurance

Access courses are recognised by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) through their inclusion in a national scheme. A student who successfully completes an Access course is awarded a Diploma bearing the QAA Access logo.

OCNSWR is an Access Validating Agency (AVA) licensed by the QAA to validate Access to Higher Education courses that meet the requirements for entry into University and for study on a wide range of Higher Education courses.

Access Courses within the South West Region

Access courses in the South West are offered in Further Education Colleges or Adult Education Centres. They are developed and approved on a regional basis, by Access providers and Universities, working together with the Open College Network South West Region Access to HE Team.