Access to Higher Education Diplomas offer an alternative route. If you want to take an Access course and you are over the age of 19, you may be eligible for an Advanced Learner Loan to pay for the course fee. If you complete this and then go on to complete a course in Higher Education, the remaining balance of your Advanced Learner Loan, including any interest on it, will be written off.
You don’t have to start a Higher Education course immediately following your Access course. If you get a job in between and are earning more than the repayment threshold, you would start to repay the Advanced Learner Loan. Alternatively, if you study a Higher Education course part-time while working and earn more than the repayment threshold, you would start to repay the Advanced Learner Loan.
When you have finished your Higher Education course, the Student Loans Company will write off the balance on the Advanced Learner Loan that you took out to fund your Access course. You will be contacted with confirmation of this.
By now you may be asking yourself “Why does my Advanced Learner Loan get written off if I go on to complete a course in
Higher Education?”
The simple answer is that Access to Higher Education Diplomas are designed to enable people who have few, if any, qualifications to study in Higher Education. As such, their main aim is to support progression to Higher Education, which is not the case for other courses funded by the Advanced Learner Loan.
In addition to gaining subject knowledge, our Access courses aim to develop and enhance your essential study skills in preparation for university studies, including referencing, academic writing and ICT skills. Highly-qualified and experienced Access to Higher Education tutors will provide one-to-one guidance and support to help with your university application.
