Who is the Programme for?

Guidance to help you navigate if the Access Programme here at the University of Edinburgh might be a good fit for you.

Access Programme students at induction

Our Access Programme is designed to help people who have been out of education for a few years to take their next step into higher education.  

It’s perfect for anyone who lives in and around the Edinburgh area who would like to get their degree, but doesn’t have the necessary qualifications, and has been out of formal study for three years or more.  

We also welcome applications from people whose education has been affected by challenging or exceptional circumstances, meaning they don’t have the usual qualifications for entry to university. 

These circumstances could include (but aren’t limited to): 

If this sounds like you, please get in touch at col.access@ed.ac.uk, so we can look at your individual situation and offer guidance on your next steps. 

When applying for the Access Programme, please note that you should: 

  • Ideally live or be a resident in Scotland. We welcome applications from outside of Scotland, but please note that this is not a distance-learning course. Living outside of Scotland may also affect your fee status. 
  • Have been out of formal full-time education for at least three years and not be in full-time education on any other course (at school or college) while studying on the Access Programme. 
  • Meet our English language requirements if English isn’t your first language — you’ll need an equivalent of IELTS 6.0 overall, with no element below 5.5.
  • Plan to progress to an undergraduate degree, ideally at the University of Edinburgh. However, completing the Access Programme may also help you move on to degree study at other universities. 

Please Note

The Access Programme is a competitive course, and spaces are limited. Meeting the above criteria or submitting an application does not guarantee a place.  

We encourage all applicants to share their experiences, motivations, and goals clearly in their application to help us understand their suitability for the programme.  

We shall prioritise applicants who have not previously studied at university, and who do not already hold a degree.

Reading and Writing Skills 

You do need to be quite confident in reading and writing in English. You might enjoy personal writing, such as keeping a diary or blog, or have experience of more formal writing in a job or as a volunteer. All applicants will be asked to demonstrate a level of English language competency. We need to be sure that you will be able to manage with course readings and written assessments as well as listening and participating in classes. If you have any concerns or questions regarding your English language level, please contact us to discuss.

Computing Skills

You will also need to have some basic computing skills, such as using email, accessing the web and using Microsoft Word (or similar word-processing software).

Art & Design Skills                                   

If you are applying for the Access Art and Design strand, then you should already be creating your own artwork and be engaged with ideas in Art and Design.

Language Skills

Students on our Languages and Culture strand will learn French from beginners level and will be able to apply to undergraduate programmes in subjects such as Arabic, Chinese, Gaelic, German, Italian, Japanese, Persian, Russian and Scandinavian Studies.  

Non-EEA Nationals

Our Access programme is not suitable for non-EEA nationals who do not have existing immigration permission which allows study as they do not meet University requirements for sponsorship under the Tier 4 or Student Visitor routes.

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