Pathways into Higher Education

There are lots of different routes into Higher Education, to suit different interests, aspirations, skill sets and previous qualifications. Some of them you might be more familiar with, like A Levels and BTECs, while others you might not have heard of, or might not understand too well.

In this section of our website you’ll find an overview of the some of the different qualifications which provide a pathway to Higher Education and links to our partner institutions who offer these qualifications.

Pathways into Higher Education

There are lots of different routes into Higher Education, to suit different interests, aspirations, skill sets and previous qualifications. Some of them you might be more familiar with, like A Levels and BTECs, while others you might not have heard of, or might not understand too well.

In this section of our website you’ll find an overview of the some of the different qualifications which provide a pathway to Higher Education, links to our partner institutions who offer these qualifications and some student success case studies.

Pathways into Higher Education

There are lots of different routes into Higher Education, to suit different interests, aspirations, skill sets and previous qualifications. Some of them you might be more familiar with, like A Levels and BTECs, while others you might not have heard of, or might not understand too well.

In this section of our website you’ll find an overview of the some of the different qualifications which provide a pathway to Higher Education, links to our partner institutions who offer these qualifications and some student success case studies.

T Levels

T Levels, or Technical Level Qualifications, are a Level 3 qualification.

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Access Courses

Access Courses are one year courses designed to prepare you for university study.

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Foundation Years

Foundation Years are a one-year course added on to the start of your degree. 

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HNCs

HNC stands for Higher National Certification, a Level 4 qualification.
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HNDs

HND stands for Higher National Diploma, a Level 4/5 qualification.

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Foundation Degrees

A Foundation Degree is a Level 5 qualification.

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Apprenticeships​

Apprenticeships can be a fantastic option whether you’re starting your career, want a change or have decided to upskill in your current job. As an apprentice you’ll be training for a specific industry, working in a real job while also completing valuable qualifications in a college, university, or training centre. During your apprenticeship you learn, gain experience, and get paid, enjoying benefits like holiday pay and pension contributions.

Click below to visit the Be More Apprenticeship Hub, provided by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. You can see local vacancies, find out more information about how apprenticeships work and how to apply, get support with applications and interviews and contact the Be More apprenticeship team for further help.

Qualification Level Comparison​

Our Further Education Partners

Each of the Shaping Futures partner FE Colleges also provides a comprehensive Further and Higher Education offer. You can see the options at each institution below:

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Our Higher Education Partners

Each of the Shaping Futures partner HE institutions offer a range of qualifications, from HNCs to Access Courses, as well as HE qualifications. You can see the options at each institution below:

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Quick Links

Parents & Carers

Teachers & Advisors

Students

Resources

Outreach

Contact

01517 957609

admin@shaping-futures.info

c/o The University of Liverpool
Foundation Building,
Brownlow Hill,
Liverpool, L69 7ZX

Policies

Privacy Policy

Accessibility

Safeguarding

Social

Website by Starbots Creative

T Levels

T Levels, or Technical Level Qualifications, are Level 3 qualifications that take two years to complete. These courses have been developed in collaboration with employers and businesses to ensure they fit the needs of industry and prepare learners for working life.

T Levels are 80% classroom learning and 20% practical experience, including a 45 day placement in a real business related to your course focus. 

There are various subject choices available for T Levels – check out the T Level website to see what’s on offer now and in development. You can also visit your local colleges’ websites to see what courses they currently offer!

Access Courses

Access Courses are a brilliant route for anyone who is interested in attending university, but is lacking the usual qualifications needed for entry, such as A Levels. Access Courses are usually offered at Further Education Colleges, last one year and are designed to prepare adult learners for study at university. They are offered in a wide range of subject areas, including nursing, education, business, engineering and more!

Access Courses usually require GSCEs at Grade 4/C in English and Maths, but many colleges will also offer pre-Access courses to enable you to achieve these qualifications if you don’t have them already. How Access Courses are delivered will depend on the college you study at – some take place during the day, while others are evening courses and the amount of days you’ll spend in college can vary. You can access support from Student Finance to fund your Access Course through an Advanced Learner Loan.

 

Foundation Years

Foundation Years are a one-year course added on to the start of your degree. They offer a supportive environment to get you to the level you need to be at to start and be successful at your course. Foundation Years can be a good choice if you don’t have the right subjects to start your chosen degree course, and usually have lower entry requirements so can expand your choice of course and university.

For example, Accounting and Finance BSc Hons at Liverpool John Moores University usually requires 112 UCAS points or BBC at A Level, but the same course with a Foundation Year only requires 72 UCAS points, or DDD at A Level.

Every Foundation Year programme is different, so research carefully to make sure it’s a good fit for your needs. Some might focus on study skills, while others focus more on transferable skills.

Although Foundation Years and Foundation Degrees sound similar, they’re very different qualifications – make sure you know what one is right for you!

HNCs

HNC stands for Higher National Certification. It’s a Higher Education. Qualification which is a Level 4 qualification equivalent to the first year of a degree, but focuses on practical skills to prepare you for the work place. It will usually take one year to complete if you’re studying full time and many institutions will offer the chance to progress onto a HND course after completion of your HNC.

HNDs

HND stands for Higher National Diploma, and they are very similar to HNCs, but are a larger Level 4/5 qualification, equivalent to the first two years of a three year degree and taking two years to complete. If you’ve studied a HNC and decide to progress onto a HND you’ll only need to do one additional year. 

Foundation Degree

A Foundation Degree is a Level 5 qualification equivalent to the first two years of a three-year degree programme. It takes two years to complete if you study full time and there are no set entry requirements for Foundation Degrees. In some cases, formal qualifications may not be necessary at all and institutions will accept commercial or industrial experience in their place. Although Foundation Degrees and Foundation Years sound similar, they’re very different qualifications! You can read more about Foundation Years here.