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Access to Higher Education courses

These courses are designed to provide a route to higher education if you don’t have the right qualifications or experience to start one. Access courses aim to introduce you to a subject area, develop your study skills and build your confidence and ability with higher education study. Access courses are recognised by universities across the UK and allow entry on to higher education programmes at Bedford College and beyond. Our Access courses take one year to complete.

We currently offer Access courses in:

• Access to Business Studies
• Access to Computing
• Access to Midwifery
• Access to Nursing
• Access to Science
• Access to Social Care Professions
• Access to Social Studies
• Access to Teacher Education

» Student guide to Access courses

Student loans

If you’re aged 24 or older, a resident of the UK and looking to study a qualification at Level 3 or 4, you will be able to apply for a low-interest 24+ Advanced Learning Loan to cover your tuition fees. You will only start to repay this once you’ve completed your course and you’re earning over £21,000.

Progressing from Access?

If you take one of our Access courses using a 24+ Advanced Learning Loan and then progress on to a higher education course, your loan will be written off when you complete your higher education qualification.