Access to Higher Education
Your pathway to a nursing degree and a career that truly makes a difference. Study 100% online at your own pace, no exams, flexible start dates, dedicated tutor support.
An Access to Nursing course (formally the Access to Higher Education Diploma in Nursing) is a Level 3 qualification for adults without A-levels who want to study nursing at university. It takes around one year of full-time study, or longer part-time online, and is accepted by UK universities as an alternative to A-levels for nursing degree entry.
The Access to Higher Education Diploma (Nursing) is a nationally recognised Level 3 qualification, designed specifically to prepare adults for university-level study in nursing and healthcare. Awarded by Skills & Education Group Access, it is widely accepted by universities across the UK. Related healthcare pathways include Access to Midwifery and Access to HE Radiography.
Whether you’re changing career direction, returning to education after a gap, or building on healthcare experience, this diploma gives you the academic foundation and the UCAS points you need. Our 88% pass rate — compared to a 78.4% national average — reflects the quality of support our learners receive from enrolment to completion.
The access to nursing online course is delivered entirely through our dedicated learning platform. You study at your own pace, submitting assignments when you’re ready. A dedicated personal tutor guides you through every unit, offering feedback, support, and encouragement throughout your 12–month journey.
Assessment is entirely portfolio and coursework based. There are no exams — you demonstrate your learning through written assignments, case studies, and reflective pieces at each level, and your final grade directly determines the UCAS points you earn. For a full breakdown of NHS pay and career progression once you qualify, see our NHS roles and salaries guide.
This Access to Higher Education Diploma is one of more than 20 Access pathways we offer. For the full picture, including how Access to HE compares with A-levels and which universities accept it, read our complete guide to Access to HE Diplomas. You may also be interested in the Access to HE Diploma (Midwifery) or the Access to HE Diploma (Health Professions). Not sure which pathway fits your degree? Start with what is Access to HE.
Considering this Access route into a nursing degree? Read our complete guide on how to become a nurse for entry routes, NMC registration and Band 5 salary expectations.
All 16 units are mapped to university entry requirements and designed to build your academic skills progressively across the diploma.
Build the foundations of university-level writing before your nursing degree begins. You learn how to plan and structure a written response for a specific audience and purpose, develop an argument from an outline to a finished draft, and apply academic conventions consistently, a skill carried into every subsequent assignment.
Develop the active reading techniques that distinguish university study from school. You explore different reading strategies, examine how language and context shape meaning across academic and clinical texts, and master note-making methods that turn dense source material into usable, well-organised knowledge.
Examine how effective communication shapes patient outcomes and professional relationships. The unit covers the principal methods and barriers of communication in healthcare settings, analyses why strong interpersonal skills are central to safe care, and explores the legal and ethical duties of confidentiality and accurate record keeping.
Investigate what it means to practise as a registered health professional in the context of the Nursing and Midwifery Council's standards. You examine the conduct, performance and ethics expected of those on the NMC register, explore effective communication and teamworking in clinical environments, and begin to build a personal and professional development plan grounded in your own reflective practice.
Understand the core principles of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and the legislation that underpins them, including the Equality Act 2010. You evaluate the effectiveness of NHS policies and initiatives in promoting equitable care across diverse patient populations, building the critical awareness expected of every healthcare professional.
Explore the biological building blocks that underpin all human physiology. The unit examines cellular structure and organisation from organelles to tissue types, analyses the chemical and physical activities that sustain cellular function, and traces the cell cycle from growth through division, providing the foundation for all subsequent anatomy and physiology study.
Investigate how chosen healthcare roles have evolved alongside shifting regulatory and service demands. The unit examines the regulatory frameworks that govern professional registration, and evaluates how multidisciplinary team working improves the safety, coordination and quality of care delivered across NHS and independent settings.
Apply numerical methods directly to the demands of clinical practice. You work fluently with the four operations, decimals, fractions and percentages in the context of clinical measurements and medication calculations, and develop confidence using a calculator and cross-checking strategies to minimise error in healthcare settings.
Analyse how the body regulates itself through chemical messengers. The unit explains the role of hormones and endocrine glands, examines homeostasis and negative feedback mechanisms in maintaining physiological balance, and traces how specific hormones act on target tissues to coordinate bodily functions.
Evaluate the social determinants of health through the lens of poverty. You compare definitions and theoretical explanations of poverty, trace its historical changes in Britain from the post-war settlement to the present, examine the measurement approaches used by government and researchers, and assess the impact of recent anti-poverty policy on health outcomes.
Examine the architecture and mechanics of the body's structural framework. The unit covers the organisation of the skeleton and its role in locomotion, analyses the physiology of muscle contraction at the cellular level, and traces how bone develops from cartilage, providing essential grounding for understanding injury, rehabilitation and mobility in nursing practice.
Investigate how society defines, diagnoses and responds to mental ill health. The unit evaluates the genetic, neurochemical and environmental factors that contribute to mental health disorders, analyses a range of therapeutic and care strategies from pharmacological to psychosocial approaches, and explores the major sources of psychological stress and the evidence base for effective coping.
Explore the body's defences against pathogenic threats and the clinical interventions that support them. You examine how different bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites are transmitted and cause disease, analyse the immune response, evaluate how vaccination confers protection at population level, and study the mechanism of antibiotic action and the challenge of antimicrobial resistance.
Build clinical and compassionate understanding of one of the most significant long-term care challenges facing the NHS. The unit covers the causes and prevalence of major dementia types including Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia, the diagnostic pathway from initial assessment to formal diagnosis, and the treatment and person-centred care strategies that support individuals and their families.
Analyse the body's primary communication and control network. The unit examines the structural organisation of the central and peripheral nervous systems, explores the electrochemical nature of nerve impulses and action potentials, and assesses the principles of synaptic transmission, including the role of neurotransmitters in coordinating responses to internal and external stimuli.
Examine the models and strategies that guide public health intervention in the UK. The unit evaluates current frameworks for health promotion, explores NHS and government initiatives such as health education campaigns and screening programmes, and assesses the contribution of a specific agency or organisation to improving population-level health outcomes.
This course is designed for adult learners aged 19 and over. Formal academic qualifications are helpful but not always required — we assess each application individually.
Our enrolment advisers assess each application individually. We look at your life experience, motivation, and readiness to study — not just your qualifications.
Speak to our team — we're here to help you find the right course and funding option.
Call 01202 006 464This Access to Nursing course online is 100% coursework-based and typically completed in one year (12 months). There are no exams — you demonstrate your learning through a portfolio of written assignments, case studies, and reflective pieces.
All assessment is portfolio and coursework based — no exams
Assignments are submitted online through the learning platform
Your personal tutor provides detailed written feedback within 5 working days
You can resubmit work if your first attempt doesn’t meet the required standard
Final grades are determined by your performance across all 16 units
Grades awarded: Pass, Merit, or Distinction — each corresponding to different UCAS point levels
An access to higher education nursing diploma opens the door to a rewarding career in healthcare. Here are some of the career paths available to graduates.
£28,407 – £42,618typical salary range
Provide direct care to patients in hospitals, GP surgeries, and community settings. NHS Band 5–6.
£28,407 – £42,618typical salary range
Support patients with mental health conditions in clinical and community environments.
£35,392 – £42,618typical salary range
Deliver healthcare to patients in their homes, managing complex care plans in the community.
£28,407 – £42,618typical salary range
Specialise in caring for children and young people in hospitals and community settings.
£43,742 – £50,056typical salary range
Lead nursing teams and manage healthcare services. Requires additional experience and qualifications.
£28,407 – £42,618typical salary range
Support women through pregnancy, labour, and postnatal care (requires a midwifery degree).
Graduates of this course go on to universities across the UK, including Russell Group institutions. Enrol today and start your journey.
All plans include the same full course content, dedicated tutor, and your awarding body certification.
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Yes — the Access to HE Diploma is a nationally regulated Level 3 qualification approved by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), and it is the standard pathway mature learners use to access university. Online delivery does not affect recognition; the award is identical whether studied online or in a classroom. Individual universities set their own grade conditions, so confirm the specific grade requirements with your chosen nursing admissions team before you enrol — most nursing programmes specify a mix of Distinction and Merit grades.
There is no single threshold — each university sets its own conditions — but most nursing degree programmes require around 120 UCAS points, which corresponds broadly to a Merit and Distinction profile across your units. Competitive programmes typically specify a minimum number of Distinctions (often 30–45 credits at Distinction level). Once you have a conditional offer, our enrolment team can help you build a study plan around the grade profile you need for your target institutions.
You need to be aged 19 or over, hold UK residency, and have GCSE Maths and English at grade 4/C or equivalent — Functional Skills Level 2 in each subject is also accepted. Relevant healthcare or care experience is valued but not formally required. Access to HE is specifically designed for adult returners to education, so a gap since your last studies is entirely normal. Every application is reviewed holistically — if you are unsure whether you are ready, our admissions team can assess your suitability before you commit.
The typical completion time is 9–12 months, based on around 10–15 hours of study per week. Because the course is self-paced and fully online, you can complete in less time or spread it over up to 24 months — fitting your studies around work, family, and other commitments. There are no fixed term dates; you can start at any point in the year and progress at a pace that suits your life.
No. The Access to HE Diploma is 100% coursework and portfolio assessed across all 16 units. You submit written assignments online and receive detailed written feedback from your tutor. There are no timed examinations, no exam halls, and no end-of-course tests at any point. Units are graded at Pass, Merit, or Distinction — these grades determine your UCAS points total and your competitiveness for university entry.
You can earn up to 144 UCAS points — equivalent to three A-levels at top grades. The exact number depends on your grades across the 16 units: a Pass profile earns approximately 96–120 points; Merit earns 120–132 points; Distinction earns up to 144 points. Most nursing degree programmes require 120 UCAS points, so a Merit profile or above opens the widest range of choices. UCAS confirms the Access to HE points tariff on their website.
The Access to HE Diploma can be paid in full upfront with a pay-in-full discount, or you can spread the cost interest-free with a flexible monthly payment plan. There is no Student Finance scheme for Access to HE through learndirect — you pay learndirect directly, with no credit checks. Once you progress to your full undergraduate degree at a UK university, you can apply for the standard Student Finance package (tuition fee loan and maintenance loan) in the normal way. Our enrolment advisers will walk you through the payment options and confirm the right plan for your circumstances.
The nursing pathway is built around three core subject areas: Biology (human anatomy, physiology, and the science underpinning nursing practice), Sociology (health inequalities, social determinants of health, and care systems), and Psychology (health behaviour, patient communication, and mental health). Alongside these, you complete core study skills and academic writing units that prepare you for assignment-based degree study. All content is written specifically for aspiring nurses — not generic science or health studies.
Yes — the course is built specifically for adult learners with existing commitments. Everything is delivered online with no fixed lecture times or attendance requirements. You access materials and submit assignments whenever it suits you — evenings, early mornings, or weekends. Many learners complete this programme while working full time or managing family responsibilities. We recommend setting aside roughly 10–15 hours per week, though this is entirely flexible around your schedule.
The Access to HE Diploma is a Level 3 qualification specifically designed for adults aged 19 and over who want to progress to university. Unlike A-levels, it is assessed entirely through coursework — there are no written examinations. It earns up to 144 UCAS points and is recognised by universities across the UK as the standard mature student entry route. The QAA (Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education) regulates all Access to HE qualifications nationally, ensuring they meet consistent academic standards regardless of provider.
An Access to Nursing course (formally the Access to Higher Education Diploma in Nursing) is a Level 3 qualification for adults without A-levels who want to study nursing at university. It takes around one year of full-time study, or longer part-time online, and is accepted by UK universities as an alternative to A-levels for nursing degree entry.
Yes — our Access to Nursing course is delivered 100% online. You study at your own pace with no fixed lecture times, no campus visits, and no in-person exams. A dedicated personal tutor supports you throughout, and the qualification you earn is identical to a college-based Access to HE Diploma. It is the same nationally recognised Level 3 award, regulated by the QAA and accepted by UK universities for nursing degree entry.
The Access to Nursing course typically takes around one year (12 months) to complete full-time, based on roughly 10–15 hours of study per week. Because it is self-paced and fully online, you can finish more quickly if you have more time to study, or spread your studies over up to 24 months part-time to fit around work and family commitments.
I’d left school at 16 without any qualifications and had been working as a healthcare assistant for years. I knew I wanted to become a Registered Nurse but thought my time had passed. This course proved me completely wrong. The tutors were brilliant and I’m now in my second year of my nursing degree at university.
Sarah M.
Access to HE (Nursing)
As a single parent working part-time, I couldn’t have done a classroom-based course. The flexibility of studying online was a game changer. I completed all 16 units in just over 11 months and got a Distinction. Accepted onto my first-choice nursing degree straight away.
Priya K.
Access to HE (Nursing)
The quality of tutor support is what sets this apart. My tutor always gave me detailed, constructive feedback and genuinely seemed invested in my success. I was really nervous about going back into education at 34, but the team made it feel very manageable from day one.
James T.
Access to HE (Nursing)
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