Access to HE explained: an alternative route into university
Access to Higher Education (HE) Diplomas are designed to prepare students without traditional qualifications for degree studies. QAA – the organisation that regulates Access to HE courses – explains more…

Delivered in further education colleges in England and Wales, there are nearly 1,200 Access to HE courses available in a wide range of different subjects, from business studies to nursing.
What do you need to study an Access course?
Many people worry that they’re too old to do an Access to HE course, or that they’ll need lots of GCSEs to be accepted. In fact, there’s no upper-age limit, and most Access to HE courses require few – if any – prior qualifications, although you may be asked to complete a pre-course assessment.You can search for courses on the Access to HE website to see what’s on offer.
Do universities recognise the Access to HE Diploma?
The Access to HE Diploma is widely recognised by UK universities. Indeed, some have policies to encourage applications from Access to HE students, who are often valued for their maturity and willingness to contribute to discussions.Each year around 20,000 Access to HE Diploma students go on to apply for a degree course at a UK university. They go on to study for a variety of degrees, including law, education, nursing and business.
Access to HE as an entry requirement
Most universities make offers to Access to HE students based on achieving the Diploma with certain grades. If you don’t see the Access to HE Diploma listed as an entry requirement for a particular course, just call the university and seek their advice. More often than not, you’ll find that they’ll be happy to consider your application.The Access to HE Diploma doesn’t appear in the Ucas tariff, so again, if you’re interested in applying for courses that only mention Ucas points in their entry requirements, call the university directly to discuss your qualifications.
The framework for approval of Access to HE courses is managed by the universities' own quality assurance organisation, the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA).
The Uni Guide provides guest spots to external contributors. This is from QAA, the independent body set up to safeguard standards and improve the quality of UK higher education.