Access to Higher Education - A full explanation

What is an Access to higher education course?

Access to higher education courses (Access courses) provide a preparation for higher education (HE) for mature students who have few, if any, other qualifications. They address the particular needs of adults who may have left school early and been out of education for a number of years. Courses are specifically designed to equip them to succeed in studying at university level. Access courses are targeted, in particular, at groups which are under-represented in HE.

Some Access courses prepare students for particular HE courses, such as Access to Law, Access to Nursing, and some provide a more general preparation for HE. Access courses include a number of academic subjects relevant to the student's intended progression route in HE. They also usually include a compulsory core element, including study skills, which equip students who may have little or no recent experience of studying with the essential skills to do so.

Most courses can be completed in one year, and many are also available on a part-time basis, to allow students to study over two or more years. Assessment is usually by a combination of coursework and examination, and most allow students to accumulate credit towards the Access to HE certificate as they progress through the course.

The majority of Access courses are offered in further education colleges, but some are provided in adult education centres, community centres, and universities. They are developed and approved on a local basis, by colleges and universities working together, so that they can take into account the needs and circumstances of local groups, as well as the opportunities within particular HE institutions.

Access courses are recognised by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) through their inclusion in a national scheme. A student who successfully completes an Access course is awarded a certificate bearing the QAA Access logo:

How is QAA involved in Access to higher education?

QAA regulates the national recognition of Access courses. It is responsible for assuring the quality of recognised Access courses, and the adequacy of standards of student achievement on these courses. QAA has established a scheme through which it can meet these responsibilities, The QAA Recognition Scheme for Access to Higher Education in England Wales and Northern Ireland (the Recognition Scheme).

How does QAA's Recognition of Access courses work?

The Recognition Scheme has three elements:

• National level: QAA has overall responsibility for the management of the framework, and the implementation of the Recognition Scheme;
• Regional level: regionally-based Authorised Validating Agencies (AVAs) - consortia of further education and HE institutions - are licensed by QAA to approve Access courses and to award QAA-recognised Access certificates to students;
• Local: providers of Access courses deliver the courses and recommend learners to the AVAs for the award of Access certificates.

QAA itself does not directly recognise individual courses or award certificates to students: it licenses the AVAs to do this, and regulates the way in which AVAs undertake their responsibilities. There are currently 24 licensed AVAs across England and Wales, and all of these operate according to the requirements of the QAA Recognition Scheme for Access to HE.

Responsibility for the overall operation of the Recognition Scheme lies with a QAA Board committee, the Access Recognition and Licensing Committee (ARLC). A body wishing to be granted a licence as an AVA must apply to the ARLC for approval. The ARLC monitors AVAs through the receipt and scrutiny of annual reports, and standard data about recognised courses and students. The ARLC also oversees a process of periodic review of AVAs, following which reports are published which specify any conditions that the AVA has to meet before its licence can be renewed.

How can I find out more?

1 statistical information on Access courses, students and their progression into and through HE:

QAA annual summary of data available about Access to HE, Key Statistics.

Collation of a range of data from other agencies involved in this work.

2 about individual Access courses:

When Access courses have been formally recognised through the approved processes of a licensed AVA, they are included on the UCAS website (database of QAA-recognised Access courses) , which provides details and contacts for over 1,000 courses in England and Wales.

3 about individual AVAs:

Contact details for all AVAs are available via the UCAS website (database of QAA-recognised Access courses). Reports on all AVA reviews undertaken by the QAA are published.

4 about how QAA carries out its work in this area:

A full description of the framework for the national recognition of Access courses is provided in The QAA Recognition Scheme for Access to Higher Education in England Wales and Northern Ireland.