Access HE courses offer people a second chance.  

Many people in the UK had a disrupted education when they were younger and their career prospects suffered as a result.  

Access HE courses offer a lifeline to these people by giving them the opportunity to study for a degree or professional qualification. Some courses are specific to a particular degree – like law or midwifery – while others prepare students for university study in general.  

Many access HE students are older than typical A-level students and are likely to have been out of education for years. This means they may need a little extra support with learning, finance and UCAS.  

Financial advice 

There’s loads of financial support out there for access HE students – but many people just don’t know about it. Students over 19 are eligible for a government-backed advanced learning loan to pay for their course – they just need to apply online. The loan is written off when the student completes a higher education course, so they don’t have to pay it back. 

Funding is different for different courses, so some students may need a little extra support with their application.  

UCAS support 

UCAS is alien to people who haven’t been to college or sixth form – but it’s a vital part of the higher education journey. The UCAS system has been updated recently and different qualifications at different grades are now worth different points. As a rule, a distinction access HE course is worth 45 points – the same as 3 As at A level.  

Students can use an online calculator, but they may need extra support to work out their options after completing access HE.  

Frequent feedback 

Many access HE students have been out of education for a while, so they’ll need frequent feedback to assure them they’re on the right track. If you use elearning software to deliver courses, you can log in to access students’ work, send feedback, set assignments and keep in touch. Providing feedback online is quick, convenient and personal – meaning you can offer more support to students. 

Part-time programmes 

Making sure students on part-time programmes get the support they need is really important. Using elearning software is a great way to manage students when they’re not in the centre. They can work online wherever they are – and you can provide support online too.   

 

Using elearning software to deliver access HE courses has tons of benefits. Students can learn in a way that suits them – anytime, anywhere, on any device. Delivery is easy to manage too as the whole learning journey is completed online.  

At OneFile, our learning software is already used by centres to deliver access HE courses. Centres can use OneFile to create content, plan activities, set assignments, mark work and collaborate online. And OneFile is completely flexible so it can be used for a wide range of courses – from midwifery to art and design.  

To see how you can use OneFile in your centre, download our free guide.