Pre-Access to Higher Education (Reading College)

To be eligible for a place on this programme, you do not need any formal qualifications.

For university however, you will need to have a GCSE at grade 4 (C) or above in both English and maths, or a Functional Skills Level 2 qualification. It is advisable that you have these qualifications prior to starting your Access level 3 course as the skills you will have gained from studying these qualifications will really help you on this programme.

Please note: If you wish to go on to study a medicine degree, most universities require five GCSEs, including English, maths, and science at grades 7–9 (A–A* equivalent).

• Applicants are advised to contact their university of choice to confirm the criteria.
• Some degrees require that you have some relevant paid or voluntary work experience, and this will also be checked at interview.
• Applicants must be aged over 19 and have been out of full-time education for a year.
• You will have a numeracy and literacy assessment to check your suitability to study at Level 3 and may have the opportunity to re-take either a maths or English GCSE alongside this course.

If you don't meet the entry criteria, don't worry! We have a range of one-year, Pre-Access courses available to help you get started.

There is also a wide range of support available at the college for students, including financial support.