If you need more information and advice...

Having looked through the information on our website, you may wish to find out more about specific matters related to higher education.

The list below provides links to some external sources of information and advice on Access courses, quality assurance, studying with disabilities, grants, employment opportunities and careers for graduates.

Sources of information and advice

Access courses

Please visit the Access to HE website for further information and to access the course search facility.

Scottish Access courses

Contact the Quality Assurance Agency in Scotland: www.qaa.ac.uk

The Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAP): www.scottishwideraccess.org

Advice from further and adult education

If you are currently studying in further or adult education, it is worth approaching your tutor for help, as well as consulting your careers advisory service and careers library.

Advice from higher education

School and college liaison units within conservatoires will also help mature applicants.

Association of British Colleges (ABCC)

The only trade association in the UK dedicated to distance learning providers: www.homestudy.org.uk.

Careers Advice Service

The Careers Advice Service is a free, impartial and confidential service, provided over the phone and on the web, for adults seeking information and advice on courses and careers: www.careersadvice.direct.gov.uk

Careers companies

Some local careers companies offer an all-age information and advisory service. This is sometimes free, but a modest charge may be made. Look in your local telephone directory under Careers Service.

C2 - The Graduate Careers Shop

Operated by the University of London Careers Service, but open to any graduates at any point in their careers, C2 offers impartial, independent advice on any matter related to jobs and careers. Several services are available, on a sliding scale of charges: www.c2careers.co.uk

Directgov

Directgov is the website of the UK government providing information and online services. They have a section dedicated to mature students: www.direct.gov.uk/maturestudents.

Educational Grants Advisory Service (EGAS)

Provides advice on funding available for post-16 education and training within the UK. Primarily concerned with helping disadvantaged students: www.family-action.org.uk

Information, advice and guidance (IAG)

Local IAG services for adults are delivered by a variety of organisations, including Careers Scotland, educational institutions, and voluntary and community bodies. They offer free information and advice to individuals. Contact details for your nearest IAG service are available at your local library.

Learndirect

Guidance about training and employment opportunities. Working to rigorous standards monitored by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF): www.learndirect.co.uk

Libraries

Your local reference library will contain many of the sources of information you require and may have specially trained staff who will be able to help you.

Lifelong Learning Networks

Details about Lifelong Learning Networks (LLNs) - their main objective is to improve the coherence, clarity and certainty of progression opportunities for vocational learners into and through higher education: www.lifelonglearningnetworks.org.uk

National Extension College

A not-for-profit organisation that has been providing distance learning courses for over 40 years: www.nec.ac.uk.

National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE)

NIACE is a non-governmental organisation working to advance the interests of adult learners and potential learners: www.niace.org.uk

Open College of the Arts offers courses in art history, creative writing, fine art, music, photography, film & digitial media and textiles: www.oca-uk.com.

Open College Networks (OCNs)

The National Open College Network (NOCN) is the leading credit-based awarding organisation in the UK, offering high quality, flexible, credit-based qualifications: www.nocn.org.uk

The Open University (OU)

The OU is the UK's only university dedicated to distance learning: www.open.ac.uk.

Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) for Higher Education

This agency monitors the academic standards of courses run by conservatoires, universities and colleges on behalf of the government: www.qaa.ac.uk

Skill: National Bureau for Students with Disabilities

Skill is a national charity promoting opportunities for young people and adults with any kind of disability in post-16 education, training and employment across the UK: www.skill.org.uk

Workers Educational Association (WEA)

The UK's largest voluntary provider of adult learning: www.wea.org.uk