Access to HE (Nursing & Healthcare Professions)

Access to HE courses are designed for adults who want to enter Higher Education but may not have the usual qualifications such as A-Levels. They are accredited through LASER Learning Awards and will help you develop the skills you need to prepare for university.

On our Access to Nursing and Healthcare pathway you will benefit from studying a range of subjects which will prepare you to progress on to a broad selection of Nursing and Health related degree programmes at University.

Learners that have taken this pathway in the past have progressed to study degrees in subjects such as General Nursing, Physiotherapy, Paramedic, Operating Department Practitioner, Mental Health Nurse, and Midwifery. 

We have an excellent track record of supporting learners into their first choice University and you will receive specialist guidance on completing a successful UCAS application and developing academic study skills alongside your specialist subjects to ensure that you are fully prepared to get a great degree. 

You will benefit from studying alongside other students who are also motivated to reach their goals and an Access course team who are specialists in their fields and experienced in helping adult learners to succeed.

This is an intensive course with an extensive workload and therefore will require commitment and time outside of the course time for research and completing the assignments. There will also be a high amount of 1:1 teacher support available.

You may need to have some work experience in the field that you want to go into, as this will be important when applying for UCAS at the beginning of your course. 

Course Delivery

This course benefits from daytime or evening study options to enable you to study alongside working.
Daytime option - you will only need to attend college 2 days a week during term time.
Evening option - this is a blended learning approach of 1 evening at college and 1 evening online learning each week during term time.

Student Feedback

"I am extremely grateful to both my fabulous tutors who were very supportive and motivational. I can honestly say that I made the best decision to attend City College and complete an Access to Higher Education course because it has turned my dream of nursing into a reality.” - Claire Chester, now studying BSc Adult Nursing at the University of Southampton.

Financial Support

* Great news... if this is your first Level 3 qualification, you may be entitled to all of your fees being paid.

* If you take out an Advanced Learner Loan to fund your Access to HE Diploma, then go on to successfully complete your degree or subsequent higher education course, the Government will pay the loan that covered your Access course. Please be aware if you do not complete the course, you will still be liable to pay the full course fees. A deposit will be required at the start of the course if you are applying for a loan, but this will be returned when your loan is finalised. This course is eligible for an Advanced Learner Loan.

Important Notice

Please note that all courses are subject to minimum numbers. If there are too few enrolments, the College may cancel the course. A place on your chosen course is not confirmed until enrolment is complete and any relevant fees are paid.

If you have any questions about this course, please contact us.

Tel: 023 8048 4848
Email: enquiries@southampton-city.ac.uk 

You will study units such as:

• Human Biology
• Psychology & Neuro-Psychology
• Ethics in Healthcare
• Developing Professional Practice in Healthcare
• Mental Health
• Applied Stress Management
• Pain Management

You will also develop your critical thinking skills, undertake a research project which will also be presented to peers, develop ICT presentational skills and become confident with Harvard referencing. Help will be given in writing your statement when applying to UCAS. There will be a considerable amount of self-study and research in your own time, so time management will be essential for timely completion of assignments.

There is no final examination for this qualification, assessments are ongoing throughout the year.

Units are assessed through a variety of methods such as:

• Oral presentations
• Report writing
• Essays
• Short answer questions

Your diploma comprises 60 credits at Level 3. 45 credits are graded at either pass, merit or distinction.

• GCSE English and Maths grade A*-C/9-4 (Functional Skills Literacy and Numeracy Level 2 accepted as an equivalent)
• GCSE Biology or Science at grade A*-C/9-4 if you are wanting to study nursing or midwifery
• A good command of ICT skills (most assignments will need to be typewritten)
• Aged 18 or over (preferably 19 or over)
• Prior or current work experience in a healthcare setting is desirable
• You will be required to attend an interview prior to enrolling onto the course, there will also be a short application task to complete
• To prepare for your interview, you must bring your GCSE Maths, Science & English certificates with you, and proof of ID if you intend to enrol

If English is not your first language and you have taken qualifications out of the UK, you will need to have the equivalence checked by ENIC. A good command of English is required.

We have an excellent track record for students progressing onto Higher Education, particularly onto degrees including:

• Midwifery
• Adult Nursing
• Paediatrics
• Mental Health
• Physiotherapy
• Paramedic Science
• Advanced Nurse Practitioner (Msc) in Child & Adolescent Mental Health
• Biological Science
• Forensic Science
• Adult & Child Nursing
• Child & Learning Disabilities
• Occupational Therapy

University destinations have included:

• Solent University
• University of Portsmouth 
• University of Winchester
• Bournemouth University
• Kingston University
• University of London
• Cardiff University
• University of Plymouth

Universities will ask for a report on your attendance - so it will be important to ensure you will be able to commit to at least 90% attendance. 

In exceptional circumstances it might be possible for you to undertake GCSE in either English or mathematics alongside your Access programme depending on your future Degree choice and entrance requirements. This will be discussed with you at interview.