Qualification Suite
Access to Higher Education (HE)
Qualification Level
Level 3
Guided Learning Hours
600
Total Qualification Time
N/A
Regulation Number
N/A
Access to Higher Education (HE)
Qualification Overview
Who are these qualifications for?
Access to Higher Education Diplomas are for learners aged 19+ who do not have the qualifications required to enter HE. Each year around 30,000 learners in the UK take Access to HE courses, and many go on to succeed in higher education and embark on life changing new careers.
Provide your students with the keys to success in their career or future degree
Providing your students with the best route to success is key to helping them to achieve their goals and reaching their career targets. Access to HE offers an alternative to A-levels or equivalent qualifications, paving the way to eligibility for higher education institutions across the UK for students who may not have achieved the required grades or qualifications for university.
Are you looking for alternatives to provide your students with a bright future? At Ascentis, we offer a wide range of diploma titles with an equivalent Level 3 qualification that sets them up for success. Get in touch with our team today to learn more and discover why we’re the best fit for your requirements.
What types of Access to HE diplomas are there?
We currently offer more than 25 diplomas across a wide range of different specialisations and industries. Our Access to HE Nursing and Midwifery course is one of the most popular options for students. We also offer coverage for many different career paths, for example, engineering, e-sports, forensic science, and computing.
This comprehensive selection provides the solid foundations for continuing training in their preferred subject area. As an educator, your goal is to help students succeed in their future career paths. We support this goal by offering high-quality courses, flexible assessments, and remote learning solutions that fit various circumstances and skill levels.
Unit Breakdown
If you’d like further information on any of these HE Diplomas please contact hello@ascentis.co.uk
| A
Allied Health Professions Art and Design Automotive Engineering |
B
Built Environment Business |
C
Childhood Studies Counselling & Psychology |
| E
Education Engineering Science Environmental Science Esports |
F
Forensic Science |
H
Health & Social Care Health Sciences and Well-being Humanities |
| L
Law |
M
Media Make-Up and Hair Design Medicine Mental Health and Wellbeing Music Technology |
N
Nursing & Midwifery |
| P
Paramedic Science Physio and Sports Therapy Policing and Criminal Justice Primary Teaching |
R
Radiography |
S
Science Social Science Sports Science |
Additional Information
Funding
HE Funding
Access to HE Diplomas can be fully funded for adult learners aged 19 to 23 years who have not yet attained a first full level 3 qualification (equivalent to 2 A levels) by the Adult Skills Fund (formerly Adult Education Budget). This would be either nationally by the ESFA (till March 2025) or by a Mayoral Combined Authority, for residents of that devolved authority.
In 2024 to 2025 the national rates for Access to HE diplomas have been increased from the previous levels as part of the simplification of the funding formula for adult learners.
The increases are in some cases significant but please remember that the Guided Learning Hours for these are now assumed to be 600. The table below shows some examples of the new rates compared to the previous rates in the Single Activity Matrix (SAM).
| Qualification | GLH | SAM £ | Weighted rate/hr £ | New Rate £ | Weighted rate/hr £ | Difference £ |
| Access to HE Radiography |
600 | 3,384 | 5.64 | 5,040 | 8.40 | 1,656 |
| Access to HE Social Sciences |
600 | 3,022 | 5.04 | 3,600 | 6.00 | 578 |
| Access to HE Education |
600 | 3,384 | 5.64 | 4,320 | 7.20 | 936 |
| Access to HE Policing |
600 | 3,022 | 5.04 | 4,320 | 7.20 | 1,298 |
It is also important to note that although some of the devolved authorities have been able to use the new improved rates, this is not the case for all of them, e.g. Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) or West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). So, providers need to know whether their Access to HE programmes are funded at the new national rates or differently. Some of the devolved authorities also apply uplifts to provision for residents of their area, e.g. West of England Combined Authority applies a 5% general uplift to eligible provision.
The table below shows how rates of funding for Access to HE Diploma in Education (40010910) differ.
| Funder | GLH | Basic rate of Funding £ | Weighted rate of funding £ |
| ESFA/ DfE | 600 | 3,600 | 4,320 |
| Advanced Learner Loan | 3,022 | 3,384 | |
| GMCA | 3,218 | 3,604 | |
| WMCA | 3,391 | 3,797 | |
| West of England | 3,780 | 4,536 |
For all other learners aged 19 and over, Access to HE Diplomas are funded by an Advanced Learner Loan. If a learner completes the Access to HE course and goes on to complete a higher education qualification the loan is written off. Currently, the funding rates for loan funded diplomas are still based on the rates applied before 2024 to 2025.


