Access to Higher Education: Nursing, Midwifery and Healthcare Professions

Open to those aged 19 and over, our nationally recognised Access to HE courses give you the skills, knowledge and qualifications you need to go to university, or explore a change of career. This course focuses on Healthcare professions such as Nursing and Midwifery. It’s perfect if you want to explore careers like these or study relevant degrees in the future. If you don’t have traditional entry requirements for university, everything you learn means you’ll be fast-tracked to start a degree the following September. If you have been out of education for a while, it’s not a problem, with our small, supportive environment designed to bring yourself and other like-minded students together. Whatever your aims or future goals, there’s no better place to start.

Studying more about healthcare and how the world influences it means exploring three exciting subjects; Biology, Psychology and Sociology. In each, you’ll discover fascinating topics to shape your future, such as living organisms, the human body and the science of the mind, to the study of how society functions and social policy. Dynamic lectures, group projects and practical sessions are designed to replicate what you would do at university, so you can explore your options early. Taking part in these alongside like-minded students will also grow your confidence, teamwork and management skills, which are perfect for any degree. UCAS application support is a key part of our courses, with our dedicated Careers and Support teams on hand to guide you through the process. Choosing EKC Ashford College means that whatever your next steps, you’ll leave confident, focused and ready for a meaningful future.

To test your knowledge of the healthcare world and to ensure you’re ready for university study or a new career, assessments take place throughout the year. In addition to producing a portfolio of work, you can expect to take part in a unique blend of essays, reports, presentations and timed in-class activities, for you to showcase your new skills and abilities.

This study programme is designed to help you move quickly toward advanced jobs, higher education, or apprenticeship opportunities if you know what you want to do next and meet the entry requirements needed for success. Achieving a Level 3 qualification will improve your future earning potential and career choices. It also allows you to progress to Higher Education, Higher Apprenticeships, and Degree Apprenticeships. These can lead to roles like advanced technician or skilled supervisor at Level 3, and eventually to management or professional status as you continue your studies. To study at Level 3, including all T Level and A Level programmes, you will need an average entry score of 5.0 from your best 6 GCSE subjects, ideally including English and Maths.

Former students have gone on to universities across the country, studying a range of degrees from Paramedical Science to Midwifery, to other fields such as Chemistry. Access to HE qualifications have also been used to kickstart careers in numerous healthcare roles. For former student, Haleh, studying here has been instrumental in her next steps: “I achieved three distinctions in my Access to HE course. My next step is university, and I’ll be starting Physiotherapy at London South Bank University. My time at College has been incredible and the community has become my family. The support was a big bonus as it’s not just focused on your studies. I now know what I want to do.”