Information

Thank you for choosing to study the Access to Higher Education Diploma with us at University Centre Newbury (UCN) part of Newbury College. We are excited to meet you this coming September. In preparation, there are some points we need you to be aware of:-

• Over the summer period July/August, you should have received details from the college about the Advanced Learner Loan and applied for this. Should you have any problems with either of these processes please contact our Information Officer, Maria Corcoran This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 
• The course begins in w/c 4th September 2023 with Induction to the College. You will complete Enrolment forms on the day so please bring with you proof of ID (passport, driving licence, birth certificate, national insurance card/letter) and proof of previous English and Maths qualifications (if applicable). Induction sessions will run from 9:30 – 12:30 or 13:30 - 16:30 from Monday 4th Sept. to and including Thursday 7th Sept. It would be appreciated if you could email myself on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your preferred day for study (details below).

• The options for study day are given below. Please note that not all Diplomas are taught every day. Teaching will start week commencing 11th September 2023. 
  In college day may be  
  Tuesday 9:00 – 18:00 – Nursing and Midwifery, Science & Paramedic Science 
  Wednesday 9:30 18:30 – Nursing and Midwifery only 
  Thursday 9:30 – 18:30 - Nursing and Midwifery, Science, Paramedic Science and Health and Social Care Diploma 
  Not everyone will be able to choose the same day and there may have to be some compromise. This will be managed through mutual discussion.

As part of your course we will visit the Science Museum in London. This will be on Thursday 5th October 2023. The Museum is free but a cost for train travel will be necessary. If we do group bookings off peak this is approximately £25.00.

Preparatory Tasks

• Investigate which universities you may apply to. Many will hold open days over the summer or in the early Autumn.
• Begin your personal statement. There are many different resources on UCAS to help you with this – available by following this link and scrolling to the bottom How to write a UCAS Undergraduate personal statement | Undergraduate | UCAS You could also contact Karen Taylor at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and she may help you 
• We have attached three booklets below. We would like you to work through these over the summer and before you start the course, as it will prepare you for your first assignments. Most of you will be looking to achieve good grade outcomes from this course to go on to university, and writing excellent assignments will achieve this. 

There is no set textbook for an access programme, but much of what we do follows the A-level syllabus. There are some textbooks available, many are online, and we will go through these when you start in September. Below are some suggested activities according to the subjects you will be doing:-

• Social Issues in Healthcare is a subject that many of you will be completing and a good starting off point is to gain an understanding of the history of health/social care. (Science students do not take this unit) In addition to the recommended videos below, keep up with relevant stories in the news as these can often be used as examples in your essays: - 
  • Health before the NHS The Road to Recovery available at Health before the NHS 1 The Road to Recovery - YouTube
  • The NHS A difficult beginning available at The NHS: A Difficult Beginning - YouTube
• Biology – We recommend getting the CGP ‘Head Start to A Level Biology’ to build on knowledge from GCSE to A Level. Sections 1-6 cover Human Biology. This is relevant to all courses except for Health and Social Care. Head Start to A-Level Biology (with Online Edition): bridging the gap between GCSE and A-Level (CGP Head Start to A-Level): Amazon.co.uk: CGP Books, CGP Books: 9781782942795: Books It is available on Amazon for £4.95.

• Chemistry for those taking the Science or Paramedic Science pathway we recommend getting the CGP ‘Head Start to A Level Chemistry’ to bridge the gap between GCSE and A level. All sections, except for 6 & 7, will be useful. On Amazon this sells for £4.95 and is available using this link Head Start to A-Level Chemistry (with Online Edition): bridging the gap between GCSE and A-Level (CGP A-Level Chemistry): Amazon.co.uk: CGP Books, CGP Books: 9781782942801: Books

• Psychology – If you have no previous experience of Psychology a good start can be found on the free learning platform OpenLearn from the Open University. There is an introduction module ‘Starting with Psychology’ which can be found at Starting with psychology - OpenLearn - Open University. You will need to set up an account, but this may be a useful site for other assignments though out the year. This is studied by all courses except for Paramedic Science.

Finally, we just want to say have a good summer, and we look forward to meeting you in September 2023.

UCN students that have applied for a programme beginning in September 2023 will be invited to enrol from July 2023.

Apply Online

You can search UCN programmes here

Interview and Offer

Once your application has been processed, you will be invited to meet your tutor and discuss your chosen career development pathway. Following this meeting, your offer will be confirmed. Please ensure you confirm your acceptance of your offer to secure your place for September.

Enrolment 

Please note: Online enrolment is now closed. If you have not yet enrolled online please attend enrolment at Newbury College between 17:00 - 19:00 Thursday 31 August 2023.

From July onwards, UCN direct entry applicants (non-apprentices only) for September 2023 will be sent an email invite to enrol.

We have produced a short ' pdf How to Guide (345 KB) ' to support you with this process. 

Access to HE students, please see additional information to support your enrolment.

Students applying to study a Partner University Programme will be enrolled directly with the respective University:

• Level 6 and Level 7 Engineering
  Partner University: Buckinghamshire New University (UCN liaise directly with the Partner University to manage your enrolment)
• Level 6 BA(Hons) Management
  Partner University: University of Northampton (UCN liaise directly with the Partner University to manage your enrolment)
• Foundation Degree in Children's Learning and Development
  Partner University: University of Reading (please contact your course tutor if you haven't received enrolment information)

How to Pay

The fees due will be confirmed prior to enrolment, and you will be asked how you intend to pay for your programme. Please ensure your fees are paid in full before the start of your course.

You can pay:

• By card or cheque in person, at reception, or over the phone (01635 845000)
• By Instalment Payment Plan - these are considered for fees over £500. Please email the Finance Department to discuss This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 
• Via your employer - If your employer is paying your fees, please complete Employer Authorisation Form
• Using a Higher Education Student Loan - You may apply for a Higher Education Student Loan to pay your fees; applications must be submitted directly to the student loan company before 01 September. Further information on how to apply for a loan can be found on the gov.uk website.
• If you are enrolling on an Access to HE programme, you can apply for Advanced Learner Loan: How to apply - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

UCN Subscription fund

All students will need to pay a UCN subscription fee of £15 annually. This will be collected at the start of your programme and covers:

• Student card giving access to student discounts
• Contribution towards printing costs
• Free parking across the campus. 
• Careers advice and student support
• Enrichment activities

Starting your Programme

 These start dates are for both apprentices and direct entry students:

All policies and procedures related to University Centre Newbury are currently on the Newbury College website.

For more information please contact 01635 845000.

See policies

ACHIEVE YOUR DEGREE LOCALLY

University Centre Newbury (UCN) is now open and bringing higher education opportunities to West Berkshire. UCN provides a solution for the community that sees an expansion and the continuous development of higher education that supports businesses to develop talented employees and enables adults to excel in their careers while gaining nationally-recognised qualifications.

Students enrolling with us will be able to build upon their professional development up to postgraduate qualifications, through partnerships with Bucks New University and the University of Reading without the need to relocate. We also offer a huge array of flexible learning options to suit the needs of businesses and the community.

We provide degrees and other higher-level qualifications in the key sectors of Business & Finance, Leadership & Management, Digital Technologies, Engineering, Graphic Design, Health & Social Care, and Children’s Development & Learning.

We are supported by foundation partnerships with local businesses including Micro Focus, Vodafone, RoC Technologies, Xtrac, and Sovereign Housing. Our partnerships aim to address the needs of local employers and ensure training is relevant and specific, not only for new employees but also to increase the opportunities to upskill existing staff.

The dedicated UCN facilities within the Newbury College building has digital labs, teaching rooms and study space equipped with the technologies for flexible digital learning, to enable the successful delivery of the programmes.