Medicine - Level 3 Access to Higher Education Diploma

If you would like to study either Medicine or Dentistry at university, but left school without the qualifications you need, then this Access to HE course could be for you.

This is the new qualification recently recognised by QAA as the only recognised route to medical school but is also accepted on other medical-related degrees.

Julie Mizon, Access Manager, QAA, said: 'What we’ve done, with the help of the Medical Schools Council and medical schools themselves, is to develop a national framework that better prepares Access to HE students for a medical degree and career.

'The new framework will give medical schools greater confidence in recruiting students with an Access to HE Diploma in Medicine, and that means better access to the profession for adults and those without traditional qualifications. It’s an exciting step forward, and I can’t wait to see the impact it will have in the coming years.'

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.

This course will help you get the qualifications you need to study medicine or dentistry at university.

You will learn study skills such as report writing, reading and comprehension of numerical data, preparation for exams and professional behaviours for medical practitioners.

You will also have a personal tutor who will support you during the year and who will advise you on your applications to higher education institutions.

Please note that this course is only suitable for those wanting to study strictly medicine or dentistry at university – if you are instead interested in other medical-related degrees such as pharmacy, dental hygiene, radiography, or biosciences, then please consider our Access to Higher Education Medical Biosciences Diploma instead.

For this Access to Medicine programme, we complete a total number of 60 credits:

45 credits from graded academic subject content units at Level 3

15 credits are required from ungraded units at Level 3

Topics covered can include:

• Biology / Human Biology – 15 graded Level 3 credits
• Chemistry – 18 graded Level 3 credits
• Physics & Maths – 9 graded Level 3 credits
• Experimental and Practical Work – 3 graded Level 3 credits
• Study skills – 15 ungraded Level 3 credits including Professional Behaviours

The course is taught as a Blended programme with both on-site and online learning. Typically, this will require you to attend College 3 days a week, each day is 4.5 hours:

• 2 days are online teaching & learning via Teams
• 1 day is on-site in our specialised laboratories at the Angel Campus

You will need:

• To be aged 19 or older
• A minimum of two weeks relevant work experience
• GCSE English and Maths at grade 6 or above (or A*- B)
• You must take a UCAT at an independent centre before starting the course and achieve a score of at least 630, with a minimum of 550 in each section, equating to a total score of 2520 (achieving band 1 or 2 is highly recommended)
• All applicants must have an interview 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. The science units are graded to pass, merit or distinction; you cannot resit units to achieve upgrades.

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

Please be aware that the course is demanding, and it is expected that a similar number of hours of independent study per week is required to complete coursework and revise for in-course exams.

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. 

We recommend that you check you have completed relevant work experience, such as work placements in clinics, surgeries, hospitals, residential homes etc. in preparation for your personal statement.