Law Law Where can I study? Most courses are delivered in further education colleges, although some adult education centres, community centres and universities also offer What is Access to HE? Access to HE courses. To progress to a higher education course in Law, you The Access to Higher Education Diploma courses are designed to provide will want to study an Access course in Law. Some centres also run the underpinning knowledge and skills needed to progress to a degree or Humanities and Social Science or Social Science Diplomas that include a diploma course in higher education. These courses enable adults who do not focus on law, alongside other subjects such as politics, psychology, history, have the necessary level 3 qualifications (such as ‘A’ levels) required to literature or sociology. enter higher education to acquire the Access to HE Diploma, which is Greater equivalent in standard to these qualifications. Bexley College What will I study? City and Islington College The qualification is structured so that it meets the Quality Assurance Agency Kingston College for Higher Education’s (QAA) Access to HE Specification requirements. Lewisham Southwark College All Access to HE Diplomas are made up of units of assessment that amount London School of Business Management to 60 credits. Each credit represents 10 notional hours of learning. Most units are for either 3 or 6 credits. The qualification’s 60 credits include 45 graded South Thames College credits at level 3 that must be achieved from units that have academic Westminster Kingsway College subject content. The remaining 15 credits will be from study skills units that will both provide you with the skills to study the Access course and prepare You can search for Access courses nationwide at: www.accesstohe.ac.uk you for study at Higher Education. Most of these are at level 3 (ungraded) but some may be at level 2 depending on your course at the college. How much will it cost? The subject specific units available to study as part of the qualification will Fees vary between providers. If you are 24 or over, you may be eligible for a vary between providers. You could study subjects in areas such as civil law, 24+ Advanced Learning Loan. The loan you take out for your Access to HE company law, criminal law, politics, sociology and the legal system. Diploma will be written off once you have completed a Higher Education course. You can apply through your college or directly to the Student Loans Are there any entry requirements? Company. If you are between 19 and 23, you may be eligible for some Although there are no formal entry requirements some providers may ask funding if this is your first full level 3 qualification. Please check with your you to have GCSE Maths and/or English at grade A* to C. In some cases, provider. When considering costs, remember to factor in living costs. you may be able to study one of these GCSEs alongside the Access to HE Diploma. It is likely that the provider will ask you to sit an English and maths To find out more, visit: diagnostic test and you will be asked for an interview as part of the www.ocnlondon.org.uk/learners/what-is-access-to-he.aspx application process.

How much commitment is required?

Most providers require a commitment of two to four days or evenings a week in class with additional study expected in your own time. The majority of Access to HE courses run for one year follow the academic year, running from September to July, although some providers will run an intensive group from January to July.