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Enrol Today for Access to Higher Education Diplomas Online

Online and workplace learning with RQF, Endorsed and Certified qualifications

Welcome to the learndirect Faculty for Access to Higher Education Diploma courses, where you can gain entry to most universities without the need for A-Levels. If you have ambitions of becoming a nurse, a teacher, a midwife, an engineer, or another high-level profession, you will likely need a degree to achieve your goals.

Traditionally, to secure a place at university you would need a certain number of A Levels, but now, most universities accept Access to HE Diplomas as equivalent qualifications. learndirect can help you move up to degree-level study by offering a range of accredited Access to Higher Education Diploma courses in an array of subjects.

Our career-specific courses are delivered online, giving you the freedom to tailor your study schedule around your existing commitments. What’s more, you won’t have to take any exams, and you could complete your course in less than a year! Learners have two years to finish an Access to HE Diploma, but on average, our learners take around 9 months.

While most universities accept Access to Higher Education Diplomas, we advise that you check the entry requirements of your chosen establishment before applying. By studying our nationally recognised online courses, you will gain essential foundational knowledge of a chosen subject, preparing you for your degree.

Enrol today to give yourself the best chance of studying a university degree!

Frequently Asked Questions

If you’re wondering “What is a Access Course?”, or “What is Access Course?”, it’s a Level 3 qualification designed to prepare adults without traditional qualifications (like A-Levels) for university study. So, what does Access to Higher Education mean? It means you can gain the knowledge, skills, and UCAS points needed to progress into higher education. These courses are widely recognised as an alternative route into university, making them ideal for career changers or those returning to education later in life.
Yes, you can. While traditional colleges may offer Access to Higher Education evening courses, learndirect’s online Access to HE Diplomas give you complete flexibility. You can study part-time around your work or family commitments, choosing when and where to learn. This means you can achieve your qualification without putting the rest of your life on hold.
Absolutely. All of learndirect’s Access to Higher Education Diplomas are QAA-recognised, which means they meet the quality standards required by universities. You can be confident that your qualification is widely accepted as a valid entry route into higher education.
If you’re wondering about universities that accept Access Courses, the good news is that most UK universities do. Each university sets its own entry requirements, so it’s important to check with the institution you’re interested in. However, Access to HE Diplomas are specifically designed to provide a recognised pathway into higher education and are accepted by the majority of universities across the UK.
Your Access to Higher Education Diploma doesn’t technically expire, once you’ve earned it, the qualification is yours for life. However, many universities prefer applicants to have studied within the last 2–3 years to ensure their knowledge is current. Because of this, it’s always best to confirm directly with the universities you’re applying to.

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Joe was a great help explaining things…

Joe was a great help explaining things in a perfect way I could understand as someone with a hidden disability! He was caring and very informative on every facet of the ins and outs! Thanks again Joe!

Brooklyn 10 Nov 2026
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Agent took time to explain things to me…

Agent took time to explain things to me thoroughly. Great experience

Samuel A. 10 Nov 2026
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I had a mistake happen with my end of…

I had a mistake happen with my end of course deadline, saying it ended a year earlier than it should have. Initially, the chat bot and the first response by a person I got were incredibly unhelpful and took me on a wild goose chase causing a lot of unnecessary stress over the weekend especially whilst working full time. Until today, I eventually got through to Sam at customer service and Edina (3rd time referral by the chat bot (I did both at once due to long hold times over the phone)), they both immediately sorted everything for me so 5* for them, they were incredibly helpful and knowledgeable I was expecting an argument like most customer service procedures but they were understanding and on top of everything, they immediately recognised there was a fault and went through the proper protocol to solve everything for me rapidly. I would recommend that the chat bot gets an update or more monitoring as it struggled to direct me to the right person several times and gave me the finance departments contact details, who then directed me towards the correct department.

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Signed up for GCSE maths less than a…

Signed up for GCSE maths less than a week ago and all is good so far.

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John was knowledgeable and was able to…

John was knowledgeable and was able to answer all my questions. He also seemed friendly, managed to create a connection with me by using what he knows about my ethnicity.

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Zoe was very helpful with all my…

Zoe was very helpful with all my questions and guided me through everything I needed to know. Was very friendly and polite

Nicola 9 Nov 2026
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