From Access Course to Medical Degree
No A-Levels but always wanted to study Medicine? I’ll be explaining what Access to Medicine (HE) courses are and why they’re a good alternate route into medicine.
The journey into medicine from disadvantaged backgrounds has been long and arduous. A study found that only 7% of students in the UK were privately educated, yet made up 28.5% of medicine and dentistry students in the UK. Only 4.1% of students were from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The Medical Schools Council believes that an applicant’s chance of entering medical school should be dictated by factors such as academic ability, motivation and conscientiousness. As a result, medical schools are making a concerted effort to level the playing field for applicants who have come from a disadvantaged background. This term is referred to as widening participation.
What is an Access to Medicine Diploma?
The Access to Medicine & Dentistry (HE) Diploma is a Level 3 UK qualification aimed to prepare students (usually 19+) to study medicine as an undergraduate. It is designed to prepare individuals from non-traditional or underrepresented backgrounds who did not obtain a Level 3 qualification, such as A-Levels. You can still apply to study an Access to Medicine course if you hold older A-Levels in non-science subjects.
Unfortunately, if you’ve completed science A-Levels within 3 years of applying to an access course but didn’t get the required grade for medicine, you will not be considered for the course.
Access to Medicine courses aren’t designed to be a fall-back to fast-track A-Levels to get onto a medical degree – it is an opportunity for those who have had time away from formal education or those whose A-Levels grades were impacted.
Who can apply?
If you are 19+ you can apply to join an access course however, it is mainly for mature learners. Whilst you can be 19-20 and technically able to apply to the Access to Medicine, it is likely that UK medical schools will not recognise this qualification if you have recently completed A-Levels, so please reach out to universities before studying an Access to Medicine course.
You may wish to apply if…
- You later realise you want to pursue medicine and don’t possess (STEM) A-Levels
- You were at a disadvantage during your examinations (bereavement, homelessness etc)
- You’re a refugee or migrant (you can also apply for an Access to Medicine course)
🎓 Graduates can apply too...
Not every graduate can (or wants) to apply for graduate-entry medicine. Therefore, graduates are eligible to study an Access to Medicine course too!
If you have completed a science degree such as biomedical sciences or nursing, you may be able to apply for all variations of medicine programmes directly without the need to complete an access course.
If you haven’t completed a science degree… it’ll be more favourable for your application to complete an Access to Medicine Diploma. It’s important to do thorough research to ensure you meet the requirements of the university you intend to apply to, usually a 2:1 is sufficient enough for most universities.
How much does it cost?
The cost varies depending on each course provider so it’s important to research yourself. On average, the cost of a single course is around £3,350.
If you’re 19-23 at the start of the course and haven’t completed a Level 3 qualification before, the course fee is waived. An Advanced Learner Loan can be used to cover the cost of the course if you’re >23 years old. If you successfully complete the Access Course AND your degree, then the Advanced Learner Loan is written off!
If you’re 19-24 at the start of the course and have an active Education, Health & Care Plan (EHCP), any course up to and including Level 3 will be fully-funded by the government.This means you won’t have to pay course fees or pay essential equipment.
An important note...
You might incur additional costs through accommodation, travel, stationary and equipment so it’s important to be aware of this when applying. College of West Anglia is the only college, at present, to provide grants and bursaries to help cover the cost of expenses.
What is the course structure & content like?
Each provider will deliver the course in different ways, so it’s important to research the provider you intend on studying with. Generally, the course is full-time, 3-5 days per week across 1 year. You’ll also be required to undertake self-directed study outside of these core hours.
The content is equivalent to A-Levels – but, you will only learn what is relevant for medicine. You’ll cover core sciences such as Human Biology, Chemistry and Physics and some supplementary classes such as study skills and statistics (depending on the provider).
Which universities accept the access course?
More universities accept the Access to Medicine course than you’d think, including Oxbridge and London universities – notorious for their low acceptance rate! Most universities require you to achieve 45 Level 3 Credits at Distinction (A*) to gain entry into medical school.
- Oxford
- Cambridge
- Bristol (guaranteed interview for access students)
- King’s College London
- UCL (only accepts College of West Anglia)
- Edinburgh
- St George’s
- Southampton
- Liverpool
- Manchester
- Exeter
- Anglia Ruskin
- Brighton & Sussex
- Lancaster
- Leeds
- Kent Medway
- Hull York
- Newcastle
- University of East Anglia
- Aberdeen
Which colleges provide Access to Medicine courses?
Not all courses are accredited... don’t be caught out!
It is incredibly important to preface that medical schools only QAA accredited courses. Most courses are face-to-face, it’s not recommended to complete an online access course. They might sound appealing and flexible but they’re not competitive enough to enter to medical school.
Below are a list of courses compliant with the descriptor for medicine. Distance-learning or courses not compliant are not included in this list. Clink the links below to find out college specific information such as location, website and contact details.
- College of West Anglia
- City Bristol College
- Eastleigh College
- CTS Education
- East Sussex College Group
- Egraduate College
- South Bank Colleges
- The Sheffield College
- City and Islington College
- Gateshead College
- Morley College
- Coleg Gwent
- Richmond upon Thames College
- Oaklands College
- York College
- Chichester College Group
- East Coast College
- LTE Group – Manchester College
- Nottingham College
- Harlow College
- Truro and Penwith College
- Bolton College
- LTE Group – Fielden Campus, Manchester
Do I need GCSE’s and UCAT?
You should aim to meet the GCSE requirements for the medical school you intend to apply to! In some cases, they may waive requirements in lieu of work experience and completion of the access course.
I wouldn’t risk this… therefore it’s beneficial to think about re-sitting GCSE’s as a private candidate prior to commencing the course (if you have multiple to resit).
Resitting GCSEs as a private candidate can be financially challenging, with one GSCE costing ~£400 in total. Some providers offer the opportunity to resit one GCSE for free alongside studying the course.
Medical schools look more favourably at candidates who have achieved grades..
You don’t need a UCAT score prior to applying to an access programme. If you intend to start medical school the same year as completing the access course, you might want to think about completing the UCAT before starting college.
Other resources
- Find out if your college is QAA approved
- QAA Access to Higher Education Descriptor
- Insight into College of West Anglia’s Access to Medicine course
- Dr. Rebecca Bradford – How to Get Into Medicine As A Mature Student With No A-Levels
- Nurse Bellinda – Access Course to Medicine with a Nursing Degree
- Balancing work while studying an Access Course