Access to HE Diploma (Nursing)

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: Nursing degrees (adult, child, mental health and learning disability) leading to NMC registration.

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 Nursing 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.

Picture a busy ward, the rhythm of handovers, the weight of clinical decisions, the moments of human connection that make nursing unlike any other profession. The Access to HE Diploma (Nursing) is the qualification that takes adult returners from where they are now to the start of a nursing degree and a career on the NMC register.

This Level 3 qualification is awarded by TBC Awarding Body, a QAA licensed Access Validating Agency. It is specifically for adults aged 19 and over who want to enter a UK nursing degree but do not hold the A level qualifications traditionally required. UK universities, including Russell Group institutions, accept the Access to HE Diploma in place of A levels for nursing degree entry.

Studied 100% online, typically over 12 to 18 months, with no exams. The diploma is fully coursework and portfolio assessed, essays, case studies, reflective practice, and a final research project across 16 units covering human biology, anatomy, psychology, sociology, pharmacology, law, and nursing values. Our nursing podcast series walks through the harder units in conversation, including the cardiovascular system in plain terms, health inequalities in modern Britain, and the mind and body link between stress and illness.

Registered Nurses enter the NHS at Band 5 (£32,073 starting salary) and can progress through specialist nursing, management, and research to Band 8 and consultant roles. Student nurses in England can apply for the NHS Learning Support Fund training grant of £5,000 a year once they begin their degree.

You will be supported throughout by a dedicated subject tutor with healthcare experience. Every assignment receives written feedback within 3 to 5 working days. You can refine and resubmit work to reach the grade you want.

You earn up to 144 UCAS points, equivalent to AAA at A level, which meets the entry requirements for most UK Nursing BSc (Hons) programmes. Most universities ask for between 96 and 144 points depending on the field of nursing and the institution. If you are weighing this diploma up against A Levels, apprenticeships and other routes, our comparison of which course is best for nursing walks through the trade offs before you commit.

Start anytime. If you have the compassion for nursing and the commitment to study, this diploma is the bridge to the career you want.