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Can I get into university without A levels?

I've just left college with no A levels but I really want to go to uni next year! How do I get in? I'm only 18 so I can't do an access to higher education course this year???

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Original post by Kourtney18
I've just left college with no A levels but I really want to go to uni next year! How do I get in? I'm only 18 so I can't do an access to higher education course this year???


Without any level 3 qualifications, it's more or less impossible to go to university, with the exception of a few foundation courses. Sorry.

You will have to do either level 3 BTECs, A-levels, an Access to HE diploma, the IB, or other equivalent qualification to get into most courses at university.

Remember - don't go to university just for the sake of it. Go because you want to study something you're passionate about.
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 2
Avatar for Kourtney18
Kourtney18
OP
There must be a way without wasting any more of my time at college, I hated college so I don't really want to go back. Thank you for your advice though 👍🏻
Original post by Kourtney18
There must be a way without wasting any more of my time at college, I hated college so I don't really want to go back. Thank you for your advice though 👍🏻


You're welcome. :smile:

There isn't, unfortunately. Except for some foundation year courses (a lot of which will require level 3 qualifications anyway), there is just no way to get into any university with just GCSEs under your belt.

You don't need to go back to college but you do need to get some sort of level 3 qualification. Have you looked into any Access to HE diplomas? The deadline for this year's will have passed already so you may want to consider something else like self-studying A-levels to avoid wasting another year. Alternatively, if you want to do the Access diploma, you could work/volunteer for a year and then apply for Access courses for next year and then apply to university the year after. Just don't rush - university is going to cost you tens of thousands of pounds so you should go for the right reasons and the right course.
Reply 4
Avatar for kaizzu
kaizzu
2
Pretty sure you need some sort of level 3 qualification in order to get into uni, the only exception being if you've been working for years and the course is related to that field. So yeah, what Hydeman said.

Access courses can be quite easy and are done in a year, you could try to find out if any place offering an access course would take you at your age. But really, you shouldn't be going to uni just for the social life, it's similar work as you did in college.
Reply 5
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Kourtney18
OP
I just don't want to be old when I go, like I don't want to start a course when I'm like 20 with loads of 18 year olds😂
Reply 6
Avatar for kaizzu
kaizzu
2
20 is old.... lol, it won't be noticeable at all if you're two years older, I started uni at 22 and I didn't feel too old nor did any of the 18/19 year olds care at all about my age.
Original post by Kourtney18
I just don't want to be old when I go, like I don't want to start a course when I'm like 20 with loads of 18 year olds😂


20 isn't old! Nobody notices or cares about such small age gaps at university and, to be honest, if you end up getting onto a course and university that you hate, you're likely to have a fairly miserable time there. There are others ways to success other than going to uni...
Reply 8
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Kourtney18
OP
Original post by Hydeman
20 isn't old! Nobody notices or cares about such small age gaps at university and, to be honest, if you end up getting onto a course and university that you hate, you're likely to have a fairly miserable time there. There are others ways to success other than going to uni...





I can't think of any other ways to success unless you already have a wealthy family, which I don't...
Original post by Kourtney18
I can't think of any other ways to success unless you already have a wealthy family, which I don't...


Yes but you have to realise that just going to university and doing any degree you can won't make you successful. In order to be successful, you'd have to do a degree that you like and would be happy using the skills from that degree in for most of your working life.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Kourtney18
I can't think of any other ways to success unless you already have a wealthy family, which I don't...


Apprenticeships..
Original post by Kourtney18
I've just left college with no A levels but I really want to go to uni next year! How do I get in? I'm only 18 so I can't do an access to higher education course this year???


What did you do at college?
Original post by kaizzu
20 is old.... lol, it won't be noticeable at all if you're two years older, I started uni at 22 and I didn't feel too old nor did any of the 18/19 year olds care at all about my age.


im starting this year and i did extra years at college so i thought i would be older, however meeting people online from my uni quite a lot of them are the same age/older than me - lots of gap years and extra years
look into any foundation courses or access courses you could do
Reply 13
Avatar for Juno
Juno
20
You might want to consider studying with the Open University, as they don't have any entry requirements. You would need to take one of their access modules first, but if you're prepared to study hard then it could work for you. But it is distance learning so you would need to be dedicated and self motivated.
Original post by Juno
You might want to consider studying with the Open University, as they don't have any entry requirements. You would need to take one of their access modules first, but if you're prepared to study hard then it could work for you. But it is distance learning so you would need to be dedicated and self motivated.


This. Unless he/she wants to go to university purely for the party lifestyle and not to do a degree, which is the impression that I'm getting...
Reply 15
Avatar for Juno
Juno
20
Original post by Hydeman
This. Unless he/she wants to go to university purely for the party lifestyle and not to do a degree, which is the impression that I'm getting...


Well, OU modules can be used for uni entry, so they could always study with the OU now and transfer once they've got enough credits - but this wouldn't be a quick solution, so probably wouldn't help with the "I don't want to be old" problem.
Playing devil's advocate here - if you've just left college with no A-levels what makes you think you'll be ready for uni next year?
Original post by Juno
Well, OU modules can be used for uni entry, so they could always study with the OU now and transfer once they've got enough credits - but this wouldn't be a quick solution, so probably wouldn't help with the "I don't want to be old" problem.


Fair point. Another problem with doing that would be that student finance is generally only available for your first degree (I've heard people somehow bend this rule but I don't know anything beyond that) so she would have to find the money for transferring to a 'normal' university herself which, as she's said, isn't an option because her family's not wealthy.
Reply 18
Avatar for Juno
Juno
20
Original post by Hydeman
Fair point. Another problem with doing that would be that student finance is generally only available for your first degree (I've heard people somehow bend this rule but I don't know anything beyond that) so she would have to find the money for transferring to a 'normal' university herself which, as she's said, isn't an option because her family's not wealthy.


If she's transferring mid degree then student finance wouldn't be a problem. As you've said, it's available for your first degree, so doing part of the degree with the OU and part at brick uni doesn't change the fact that it's the first degree.
Original post by Juno
If she's transferring mid degree then student finance wouldn't be a problem. As you've said, it's available for your first degree, so doing part of the degree with the OU and part at brick uni doesn't change the fact that it's the first degree.


Hmm. Guess it's just the age problem, then. :h: I personally think she should wait but she seems to be in a hurry to get into any course at all. There are some foundation courses left in Clearing, I think.

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