The Access to Higher Education (HE) Diploma is a U.K. qualification which prepares students — usually 19+ — for study as an

undergraduate Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, in the United States, an entry-le ...

university A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...

. The diploma is designed for people who would like to study in

higher education Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after comple ...

but who left

school A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes comp ...

without attaining a Level 3 qualification, such as

A-Levels The A-Level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational au ...

. Once completed, the access diploma is held in the same standing as 3 A-Levels, allowing holders to study for BA degrees,

BSc A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University ...

degrees, HNCs, HNDs, LLBs and other undergraduate degrees. A national framework has been in existence since 1989. The

Quality Assurance Agency The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) is the independent body that checks on standards and quality in UK higher education. It conducts quality assessment reviews, develops reference points and guidance for providers, and condu ...

(QAA), the Access to HE regulatory body, has been responsible for this framework in England, Wales and Northern Ireland since it was established in 1997. The first access courses were established in the 1970s. Many of these courses were set up to encourage entry to teacher training by people with a wider range of backgrounds than the traditional types of students who were attracted to teaching. Over the years, the success of these early courses led to the development of courses in other areas. In the 1987

white paper A white paper is a report or guide that informs readers concisely about a complex issue and presents the issuing body's philosophy on the matter. It is meant to help readers understand an issue, solve a problem, or make a decision. A white pape ...

''Higher Education: Meeting the Challenge'', the government identified Access to HE as 'the third recognised route to higher education', and sought to extend Access to HE provision through a national framework for the recognition of Access to HE courses. Each year, around 20,000 Access to HE students apply to universities across the UK. There are over 1,000 different courses leading to the Access to HE Diploma and courses are available in most

further education colleges Further education (often abbreviated FE) in the United Kingdom and Ireland is education in addition to that received at secondary school, that is distinct from the higher education (HE) offered in universities and other academic institutions. It ...

in England and Wales. Access courses are generally tailored as pathways; that is, they prepare students with the necessary skills and imbue the appropriate knowledge required for a specific undergraduate career. For example, there are 'access to law', 'access to medicine' and 'access to nursing' pathways that prepare students to study law, medicine and nursing at undergraduate level, respectively.

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* Educational qualifications in the United Kingdom {{UK-edu-stub

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