Entry Requirements

Access to Higher Education prepares adults without traditional qualifications such as A Levels for study at university. This diploma is widely recognised by UK universities and Colleges. You will be given the opportunity to develop not only academic knowledge in your chosen subjects but also broader study skills to help you succeed at university and is suitable for students aged 19 or over.

Acceptance onto the Access programme is conditional on you:

• Providing evidence of achievement in English Language at GCSE grade A* - C or Grade 4 and above.
• Providing evidence of achievement in Mathematics at GCSE grade A* - B or Grade 5 and above.
• A satisfactory reference.
• Applications from students whose first language is not English are welcome. We require evidence of proficiency in English (including writing, speaking, listening and reading), the required minimum is; IELTS (SELT); 6.0 overall (minimum 5.5 in all components) International candidates are also actively encouraged to access the International Students webpage.

If you do not currently hold the correct GCSE entry requirements, or do not specify them on your application, it will be automatically transferred to the Adult Literacy/Numeracy department. If you are working towards GCSEs this year in readiness for September, please let us know this when you apply as you will still be invited in for an interview.

Selection to discuss your suitability for the course and whether the course is right for you is by interview and evidence of your GCSE qualifications. As part of this process you may be required to complete online assessments and submit a short piece of writing. Advice can be given about alternative ways forward if necessary.

Please research Higher Education requirements very carefully. A STRONG COMMITMENT IS NEEDED AS THE COURSE IS VERY INTENSIVE.

Candidates will be given a Digital Skills assessment and will be offered a short course to improve this area of their knowledge if this is deemed suitable.

Assessment

You will be supported throughout the course by a personal tutor who will also give you guidance in applying for Higher Education courses. All students study a core of communications, research and study skills. You will be awarded credits on completion of each units with a Pass, Merit or Distinction grade. All credits are awarded are awarded at level 3 which equates to A-level study. Assessment is continuous over the whole year and is based on many set pieces of work such as essays, projects, presentations and examinations.

Progression

The Access to Higher Education Diploma in Engineering is widely recognised by UK universities. If you are planning to study a degree course at a specific university, it would be useful to contact them to check that the Access Course you have chosen is in an appropriate subject area and is recognised by the university or college. Please be aware that university entry criteria can change at any time.

Once you have successfully completed your Access course, you can progress onto a Higher Education courses at City College Norwich such as: HND Mechanical Engineering, HND Electrical Engineering or BSc in Professional Aviation Engineering Practice.

Students progressed to the following universities in 2018: UEA, Leeds University, Loughborough, Oxford Brookes, The Open University, Winchester, Brunel, Coventry and University of West England.

Career Progression

After completion many students progress into the following careers; Project Leader, Senior Mechanical Design, Engineer, Chief Engineer, Robotics, Bio-Medical Engineering, Motorsport, Project Manager, Architecture, Computer Science, Flood and Coastal and Automotive Engineering, Maths and 3D Design.

Fees

Please contact the Advice Shop for information on fees and financial support which may be available. We recommend you also check our Finance pages for further information including student travel offers.

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