Access to HE
Pages
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions What can I study? There are a wide range of Access to Higher Education Diplomas available such as Science, Health Care and Humanities. Courses offering a specific subject, such asNursing or Social Scie... Go to page
Access to Higher Education Diploma
Access to Higher Education Diploma It is an alternative to A levels and recognised by all universities and higher education providers in England and Wales. It is designed to help people who want to go onto higher education but they ... Go to page
Diploma Approval
approval form for the addition of named Access to HE Diplomas.... Go to page
Access to Higher Education
develop, quality assure and award the Access to HE Diploma through our providers in Wales and beyond. The Level 3 Access to HE Diploma is a nationally recognised qualification regulated by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) and aimed... Go to page
History
History Agored Cymru has an impressive pedigree in the development of Access to Higher Education courses, the Open College Network (OCN) Movement and credit in Wales. From the first 18 students to gain credits in Clwyd in 1990, over 6... Go to page
Science
Access to Higher Education Diploma – Science 
News
Qualification, Quality Assurance and Training Update - June 2024
Qualifications, Quality Assurance, and Access to HE. Your support and collaboration have been incredible, and we hope this bulletin will assist you as you continue to support your learners. Weve given the bulletin a fresh new look, ma... Go to news item
Qualification, Quality Assurance and Training Update - Sept 2024
This edition includes updates on new and withdrawn qualifications, vital quality assurance resources, training opportunities, and key dates for upcoming events. We hope you find it helpful as you continue supporting your learners. A... Go to news item
Documents
Case Studies
Where Are They Now: Emma Hughes – From Access to HE Course to Aspiring Nurse Leader
The last time the Agored Cymru team spoke to learner Emma Hughes was in 2023, after she won the Agored Cymru Learner of the Year Award for Outstanding Commitment to Study. Now in 2025, we caught up with Emma to hear all about her experience... Go to case study
Coleg Gwent AHE Learners to Begin Ambitious Futures in Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science, and More
Coleg Gwent’s Access to Higher Education - Medicine (Access) learners are proving just how transformative the right support and structure can be for those wanting to pursue a new career path... Go to case study
Higher Level Qualifications for the Creative and Cultural Sector
In partnership with Creative & Cultural Skills, Agored Cymru, the awarding body of choice for education and training providers in Wales, has developed the first of their kind higher level qualifications for the Craft, Design and Cultural H... Go to case study
Mum of three, Caroline Read, turned her life around after enrolling on an Access to Higher Education nursing course
After becoming a mum at a young age Caroline Read from South Wales, found herself suffering from depression and failing to find any ambition.... Go to case study
Agored Cymru's Access to Higher Education Diploma provides a 'gateway' to a new life for single-mother of five
After leaving school at 15 with no qualifications and an ingrained belief that she was ‘stupid and would never amount to anything’, single mother of 5, Lauretta Hughes, defied the odds to become the Agored Cymru’s annual Access to Higher Ed... Go to case study
Mature Student from Swansea Proves Determination and Hard Work Really Does Pay Off
33-year-old mother-of-three, Vicki Brooke (née Gooden) from Swansea, found the confidence and determination to go back to college to pursue her dream of becoming a midwife... Go to case study