Access to Higher Education Qualifications

The Access to Higher Education (HE) Diploma is a qualification which prepares students for study at university.

It is designed for people who would like to study in HE but who left school without the usual qualifications, such as A levels.

Many Access to HE students go on to succeed at university and beyond, with a large number pursuing new careers and seeing changes in their lives that they had never thought possible.

Most Access to HE Diplomas can be completed in a year or less.

For one-year courses, you will typically study for up to 16 hours a week in college (though there is some variation between different colleges), as well as doing a certain amount of private study outside classes. However, many people with family or work commitments prefer to study over two or more years, and most courses allow you to do this.

There are also courses provided in the evenings or by distance learning if you need to continue with a full-time job while you study. You still have to accumulate the same number of credits, but if your circumstances change and you find that you can’t complete the course in the time you’d planned, you’ll be awarded the credits that you’ve earned. This gives you the flexibility to pick up where you left off at a later time and complete the course, if you’re able to.

Usually not: there are no set entry requirements for most Access to HE courses. Universities set their own entry requirements for each degree, so learners should check the course they are aiming for before they start.

Funding for Access to HE Diplomas depends on a learner’s individual circumstances and the funding rules that apply to them. To check funding eligibility and available funding streams, centres should use the Learning Aim Reference Service (LARS) and review the relevant funding guidance.

For help finding the correct funding information for a qualification, visit our guide: How to Use: Find a Learning Aim. This explains how to identify learning aims and check funding eligibility.

Many universities accept Access to HE Diplomas as an entry qualification for degree programmes. Entry requirements vary by university, course and subject. See UCAS Tariff points for Access to HE Diplomas for more information.

Adding Access to HE is straightforward. If you’re already approved to work with Gateway Qualifications, our team will guide you through the process of becoming an approved Access to HE provider. We’ll explain the requirements, answer any questions, and support you from application through to delivery.

Get in touch with our Business Development Team and we’ll help you get started.

Absolutely. If you’re already delivering Access to HE Diplomas, we can help you transfer your provision to Gateway Qualifications. We’ll guide you through the process and make the transition as straightforward as possible.

Access to HE centres receive comprehensive support from our dedicated team, helping you deliver with confidence from day one. This includes access to teaching and learning resources, assignment briefs, guidance documents, quality assurance materials, templates, and practical tools designed to support delivery. We also offer training and tailored support to help you meet the needs of your centre, staff and learners.

Our approach is designed to make delivering Access to HE as straightforward as possible, with clear processes, flexible assessment arrangements and expert guidance throughout your journey.

Our moderation process is designed to reduce the burden on Centre staff and moderators at the busiest time of the year. We understand the pressures involved in collecting samples of work, supporting learners to complete outstanding units, marking and internal verification, all of which can build up towards the end of the academic year.

To help ease this pressure, we have moved the main sampling phase earlier in the cycle. This reduces the workload associated with final moderation and gives Centres more time to prepare for final awards boards with confidence.