Never let your age put you off returning to education, especially if your ultimate goal is to change the direction of your career and life.
With 50 per cent of our learners classed as ‘mature learners’ (i.e. those over 21 years of age), you are certainly not alone in wanting to get back into education.
We provide flexible Higher Education provision that fits in with your lifestyle and balances with your other commitments.
Get Access to Higher Education
We recognise the value of work and life experience for entry onto our programmes for those without academic qualifications.
For applicants who are not quite ready for Higher Education, we have a wide range of Access to Higher Education programmes which
provide a fast track route for entry to Higher Education.
The Access to Higher Education (HE) Diploma is a one-year qualification which will help you develop the knowledge, skills and confidence you need to
prepare you for university. Designed specifically for adults in the UK who have the potential and ability to study for a degree by have been unable to
do so because of external circumstances, one of the key features is that most Access to HE courses don’t require you to have any particular qualifications
to start and it doesn’t matter how long it has been since you last studied.
Many mature learners are nervous returning to college after a long spell out of out education or when considering a change to their career plans.
Our lecturers are well aware of this and have adapted their teaching to ensure that you won’t be thrown in at the deep end. The course will challenge
you and the whole purpose of an Access to HE course is to help you to be successful..
We offer Access courses in the following areas: Art and Design, Counselling, Health
& Nursing, Media, Science, Social Studies, Social Work, Teaching.
The Access to HE Diploma is recognised across the UK and successful students may apply to any Higher Education institution.
Many of our Access to HE students choose to continue their Higher Education studies with us and with the grounding provided by the Access course,
they are often high achievers and progress to exciting new careers, seeing changes in their lives that they never though possible.
The College offers Access to Higher Education Diplomas in a range of subject areas, including:
- Art and Design
- Business
- Health Professions
- Information and Communication Technology
- Media
- Music
- Science
- Social Work
For more information on Access courses, contact Learner Services and ask to speak to a Careers Advisor.
Supporting you all the way to graduation
Our Learner Services team are happy to help you with any issues you may have regarding your return to study. There is also a lot of support available such as
extra study skills classes, one-to-one tutorial time and academic support. Study skills courses are a key component of our degree programmes, so if you have been out
of education for some time, these courses will help you adapt to studying again.
Accommodation
You may be moving into the area, and requiring a place to live near the College. All students have the opportunity to apply to our Student Accommodation Scheme.
Funding If you are 21 or over at the start of the academic year, you are regarded as a mature (independent) student by your Local Authority (LA). Mature students
have the same access to statutory support as younger students. This includes the maintenance grants and student loans. Please visit
http://www.slc.co.uk for more information.
In addition to the statutory funding mentioned above, students who are suffering particular financial hardship may apply to the Access to Learning Fund.
The Fund is open to all full and part time students and exists to help those who feel they will have to withdraw from a course for financial reasons.
Application forms can be obtained from Learner Services after enrolment. Childcare Part-time students with children of pre-school age may be entitled to
a grant from the Access to Learning Fund (mentioned above) to cover childcare costs. The College has its own nursery, Jungle Cats, which is available to the
children of staff and students who are aged between three months and school age.