Nursing - Level 3 Access to Higher Education Diploma

Please select 'View Details' on your chosen centre for information about this course.

Topics covered can include:

Biology

• The Blood
• The CV system
• Cells
• Human Biology
• Musculoskeletal
• The Digestive System
• Drug Calculations

Psychology/Sociology

• Early Socialisation and Attachment
• Health and Illness
• Psychological Abnormalities
• Introduction to sociology
• Gender and Family
• Health inequalities

Health Studies

• The Role of Health Care Professional
• Health Promotion and Health Education

You will need:

• To be aged 19 or older
• GCSE English and Maths at grade 4 or above (or A*-C); however, you will be considered for the course if you have one GCSE at grade A*-C in Maths or English and the other at grade D with the offer of GCSE classes in addition to the course
• Ideally, a GCSE in Science, or equivalent qualification

All applicants must have an interview to confirm that the course is suitable for them.

Please note that applicants for a degree in Nursing are expected to have significant experience of voluntary or paid work in a healthcare setting.

This course is assessed through coursework assignments, tests and examinations throughout the course, which are set and marked by your teachers and externally moderated by OCN London.

Assessment is continuous over the whole year and is based on a number of set pieces of work such as essays, projects, presentations and tests.

Adults - Access to Higher Education

If you will be aged 19 to 23 prior to the start date of your course, and do not already have a full Level 3 qualification, you may be eligible for a Level 3 entitlement, in which case your study with us will be free. Otherwise, you will have to pay the fees yourself or apply for an Advanced Learner Loan.

Please see here for the documents you will need to show us.

Some courses will have other associated costs, such as for specialist materials and trips. Many of our students are eligible for financial support, see here for details.

If you are aged 19-24 and this is your first Level 3 course, you may be eligible for free tuition. 

If you are 24 years or older you will need to apply for an Advanced Learner Loan. Student Finance England will ‘write off’ any outstanding Advanced Learner Loan balances you owe for an Access to HE course once you complete a higher education course. This means you do not have to repay it if you complete your University degree course. 

Once you have completed your Access to HE course, you can progress to a Higher Education degree at a university or college. 

You should check requirements for specific degree courses - different Higher Education institutions may have different entry requirements for similar courses.

The Access to Higher Education Diploma (Nursing) is a Level 3 qualification which prepares adult learners without traditional qualifications to study Nursing at university.

The qualification gives you the relevant academic subject knowledge needed for higher education study, and the opportunity to develop study skills to help you to succeed. Access Diplomas are well-established and widely accepted by universities, qualifying for UCAS tariff points that are comparable to the tariff points for three A levels.

This particular course will provide you with the foundation knowledge of a range of healthcare professions, including Mental Health, Adult, and Child Nursing, Midwifery, and other related degrees. You will learn important study skills relevant to science, including undertaking effective research, collecting and analysing scientific data and writing experiment reports and essays. Additional modules will help you develop your study and research skills and assist with your personal development for further study.

You will study modules including:

• The Role of the Health or Social Care Professional
• Anatomy and Physiology
• Cells
• Genes and inheritance
• Human Tissues and Systems
• Communication Skills in a Professional Setting
• Ethical Dilemmas
• Mental Health Conditions
• Arithmetic Skills for Health Studies

You will need to:

• Be aged 19 or older
• Have four GCSEs at grade 4 or above (A* - C), including GCSE English, GCSE Maths and GCSE Science (Double Award)
• Have at least 2 weeks of relevant work experience
• Attend an interview to confirm that the course is suitable for you

This course is assessed through coursework assignments, tests and examinations throughout the course, which are set and marked by your teachers and externally moderated by OCN London. Assessment is continuous over the whole year and is based on a number of set pieces of work such as essays, projects, presentations and tests.

Adults - Access to Higher Education

If you will be aged 19 to 23 prior to the start date of your course, and do not already have a full Level 3 qualification, you may be eligible for a Level 3 entitlement, in which case your study with us will be free. Otherwise, you will have to pay the fees yourself or apply for an Advanced Learner Loan.

Please see here for the documents you will need to show us.

Some courses will have other associated costs, such as for specialist materials and trips. Many of our students are eligible for financial support, see here for details.

Learners primarily progress to Higher Education study in areas related to Health Sciences. These may include some of the following areas of Degree level study:

• Adult Nursing
• Child Nursing
• Mental Health Nursing
• Midwifery
• Health Promotion
• Public Health
• Occupational Therapy
• Related Science Degrees

If you would like to study Nursing at university but left school without the qualifications you need, then this Access to HE course could be for you. Each year, over 20,000 Access to HE students apply for a degree course at a UK university; if you go on to complete a relevant degree at university, your Advanced Learner Loan will be written off by Student Finance England.

Our Nursing Access to Higher Education course is specifically designed to help you gain access to nursing courses at the higher education level. You will study a range of nursing topics, including nursing studies, health sciences (including biology), psychology and sociology.

You will also learn key presentation skills, seminar skills and writing skills that will be crucial at university level. Throughout the course you will undertake a research project and participate in lessons aimed at preparing you for higher education, helping you focus on developing your academic, literacy and examination skills.

From September 2020, degree-level nursing and midwifery students will have access to an annual grant of between £5,000 to £8,000, to help with living costs - the grant is not means-tested and will not need to be repaid.

Topics covered can include:

Biology

• The Blood
• The CV system
• Cells
• Human Biology
• Musculoskeletal
• The Digestive System
• Drug Calculations

Psychology/Sociology

• Early Socialisation and Attachment
• Health and Illness
• Psychological Abnormalities
• Introduction to sociology
• Gender and Family
• Health inequalities

Health Studies

• The Role of Health Care Professional
• Health Promotion and Health Education

You will need:

• To be aged 19 or older
• GCSE English and Maths at grade 4 or above (or A*-C) or English and Maths Functional Skills at Level 2

All applicants must have an interview and assessment to confirm that the course is suitable for them.

This course is assessed through coursework assignments, tests and examinations throughout the course, which are set and marked by your teachers and externally moderated by OCN London.

Assessment is continuous over the whole year and is based on a number of set pieces of work such as essays, projects, presentations and tests.

Adults - Access to Higher Education

If you will be aged 19 to 23 prior to the start date of your course, and do not already have a full Level 3 qualification, you may be eligible for a Level 3 entitlement, in which case your study with us will be free. Otherwise, you will have to pay the fees yourself or apply for an Advanced Learner Loan.

Please see here for the documents you will need to show us.

Some courses will have other associated costs, such as for specialist materials and trips. Many of our students are eligible for financial support, see here for details.

Once you have completed your Access to HE course, you can progress to a Higher Education degree at a university or college. 

You should check requirements for specific degree courses - different Higher Education institutions may have different entry requirements for similar courses.