Access to HE Diploma (Health Science Professions) at Lift College: key facts
Lift College's Access to HE Diploma (Health Science Professions) costs £79.99 a month after a 7-day free trial, studied 100% online with no exams.
What it is: an Access to HE Diploma, a QAA approved Level 3 qualification for adults who want to go to university without A Levels. QAA says Access to HE Diplomas are accepted at over 140 universities every year.
Where it leads: Allied health degrees such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietetics, operating department practice and paramedic science.
UCAS points: up to 144. The diploma carries UCAS tariff points, which universities accept for entry to many degrees; 45 graded credits at Distinction give 144 points.
Credits: 60 in total, 45 graded at Level 3 and 15 ungraded.
Study: 100% online, start any time, typically 12 to 18 months at your own pace.
Assessment: coursework only, no exams. Tutor marking in 3 to 5 working days, and you can resubmit to improve your grade.
Price: £79.99 a month after a 7-day free trial, £67.99 a month if you start without the trial, or £815.99 for a year paid up front. No contract, pause or cancel any time, 14-day money back guarantee on every payment.
Awarding body: TBC.
Comparing providers? See the best online Access to HE Health Science Professions courses in the UK, with prices and study times from learndirect, Distance Learning Centre, Open Study College, Stonebridge, Academy Online Learning, Access Courses Online and Learning Curve Group.
Behind every patient who walks again, regains grip strength, or returns to a job they love is an allied health professional who made it possible. Physiotherapists, occupational therapists, podiatrists, and orthoptists work at the rehabilitation core of the NHS, and the Access to HE Diploma (Health Science Professions) is the qualification that takes adult returners to these careers.
This Level 3 qualification is awarded by TBC Awarding Body, a QAA licensed Access Validating Agency. It is for adults aged 19 and over who want to study Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Podiatry, or another allied health science at a UK university without the A level qualifications traditionally required for entry.
You will study 60 credits covering human anatomy, physiology, pathology, rehabilitation science, psychology, sociology of health, research methods, and professional practice. The curriculum maps directly to what allied health degree programmes expect from their first-year students.
Studied 100% online, typically over 12 to 18 months, with no exams. Assessment is entirely through essays, case studies, reflective writing, and a final research project. You earn up to 144 UCAS points based on your grade profile. Tutor feedback is delivered within 3 to 5 working days on every submission.
Allied health professionals are among the most in-demand NHS workforces, Health Education England has consistently identified physiotherapy and occupational therapy as high-priority shortage professions.
The diploma prepares you for the academic rigour of a three-year allied health degree and for the clinical placement element that begins in year one. Most placements are arranged by universities, the diploma is purely academic preparation.
Start anytime. Study around your existing life. If rehabilitation and clinical science are where you want to build your career, this is your route in.