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No qualifications trying to get into university

Hi guys. I have no qualifications just functional skills maths and English. I was withdrawn from my access course due to medical reasons so I was unable to attend. I wanted to know if there is any other route to get into university without actually having the right entry requirements. I am 20 years old but however am doing a caring job with an agency. I'm trying to go to university for September or January to study nursing. Please help??
Original post by Bree1231
Hi guys. I have no qualifications just functional skills maths and English. I was withdrawn from my access course due to medical reasons so I was unable to attend. I wanted to know if there is any other route to get into university without actually having the right entry requirements. I am 20 years old but however am doing a caring job with an agency. I'm trying to go to university for September or January to study nursing. Please help??


It's not easy to get into nursing these days and I don't think functional skills in Maths and English will do it. More and more is expected of nurses and know people at my university where nursing is taught that expected to get in and didn't in with much more than your functional skills.
But that's not to say you shouldn't try.
Original post by Bree1231
Hi guys. I have no qualifications just functional skills maths and English. I was withdrawn from my access course due to medical reasons so I was unable to attend. I wanted to know if there is any other route to get into university without actually having the right entry requirements. I am 20 years old but however am doing a caring job with an agency. I'm trying to go to university for September or January to study nursing. Please help??

Hi, I’m afraid you need a level 3 qualification to get into university, so completing an access course (possibly with gcse maths & English too depending on the university requirements) is your best option.
Would you be open to applying for the access course again?
Reply 3
Original post by mel_l218
Hi, I’m afraid you need a level 3 qualification to get into university, so completing an access course (possibly with gcse maths & English too depending on the university requirements) is your best option.
Would you be open to applying for the access course again?


Yes however I would have to pay for the access course again and as a 20 year old, I have no idea where I could easily get 3k from
Original post by Bree1231
Hi guys. I have no qualifications just functional skills maths and English. I was withdrawn from my access course due to medical reasons so I was unable to attend. I wanted to know if there is any other route to get into university without actually having the right entry requirements. I am 20 years old but however am doing a caring job with an agency. I'm trying to go to university for September or January to study nursing. Please help??


Unfortunately there is no way for you to access either a September or January intake for nursing.

You would need to complete a qualification such as a Level 3 BTEC or Access course in order to be eligible. You may also need to sit GCSE English and Maths, as not all universities accept functional skills. Access courses take at least one year to complete and you would likely not be able to start one of these until September.

Your only other option is one of the new apprenticeships however these are few and far between, and often only offered to experienced HCAs working in that ward for a long period of time.
Original post by Charlotte's Web


Your only other option is one of the new apprenticeships however these are few and far between, and often only offered to experienced HCAs working in that ward for a long period of time.


From what I have seen of these so called apprenticeships is because they are a replacement for secondment, applicants are expected to have the appropriate qualifications to apply for university, or can prove to their funding trust that they have the academic ability to pass the degree component of the apprenticeship.

Do universities still accept that OU course? I think it was called the K 100.
Original post by moonkatt
From what I have seen of these so called apprenticeships is because they are a replacement for secondment, applicants are expected to have the appropriate qualifications to apply for university, or can prove to their funding trust that they have the academic ability to pass the degree component of the apprenticeship.

Do universities still accept that OU course? I think it was called the K 100.


With the apprenticeships applicants are still required to have the basic GCSE requirements or equivalent but don't need other qualifications as their experience is taken into account. It does, however, take 4 years as standard rather than the usual 3 for the actual degree.

Wasn't sure about the OU course but have just looked and it seems to have been stopped. It has been replaced by K101 which it seems is recognised by the OU but not necessarily by any other university.
Original post by Charlotte's Web
With the apprenticeships applicants are still required to have the basic GCSE requirements or equivalent but don't need other qualifications as their experience is taken into account. It does, however, take 4 years as standard rather than the usual 3 for the actual degree.

Wasn't sure about the OU course but have just looked and it seems to have been stopped. It has been replaced by K101 which it seems is recognised by the OU but not necessarily by any other university.


Oh right ok, is this including the nurse associate course as a component of the apprenticeship? My last trust would only accept onto the NA training programme if applicants had GCSEs and I think some further study to be accepted into the role, so I’d imagine they’d want more evidence of a likely return on their investment for someone going straight through an apprenticeship to RN.
https://www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/finance-and-support/tuition-fees-and-student-loans/advanced-learner-loans you can get a loan for an access course. I would say complete the access course as it will allow you to get into a university course, but also will prepare you for the demands of university. Because even if somehow you were able to get into university, going in with just english and maths qualifications could mean you are not fully prepared for the course. Good luck and i hope it works out :smile:
Original post by Bree1231
Yes however I would have to pay for the access course again and as a 20 year old, I have no idea where I could easily get 3k from


How much of it did you complete? If you had to leave because of medical reasons, you could ask if you are able to complete the course or what existing funding is available for you to do the course. You might not have to pay the full amount only what won’t be covered by funding.
Reply 10
Original post by mel_l218
How much of it did you complete? If you had to leave because of medical reasons, you could ask if you are able to complete the course or what existing funding is available for you to do the course. You might not have to pay the full amount only what won’t be covered by funding.


See I asked them if I could leave about a month ago but they said to me complete the course as I only had one module left however, I couldn't attend as much due to medical reasons and they decided to kick me off whilst I was getting the work done so now I'm in the last month stuck on a sticky one haha 🤦🏽*♀️
Reply 11
Original post by moonkatt
Oh right ok, is this including the nurse associate course as a component of the apprenticeship? My last trust would only accept onto the NA training programme if applicants had GCSEs and I think some further study to be accepted into the role, so I’d imagine they’d want more evidence of a likely return on their investment for someone going straight through an apprenticeship to RN.


Im going to have to try this, many thanks!!

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