What does it mean to be a mature student in Scotland?

There may be funding differences depending on your age and circumstances, so you should check this with the individual conservatoire.

Where do I start?

If you are not sure what you want to do, it is worthwhile talking to a careers adviser, who can help you look at the choices open to you. Careers Scotland can offer individual career guidance interviews or you can telephone them for information and advice during normal office hours on 0845 8502 502, Typetalk 18001 0845 8502 502 or Textphone 0141 889 8581. If you prefer to speak to someone face-to-face you can also find details of your nearest Careers Scotland centre on the website.

You can also contact Learndirect Scotland which aims to promote high quality, flexible lifelong learning opportunities for everyone, regardless of age, background or ability. A national network of more than 450 quality-assured learning centres covers the whole of Scotland. Learndirect Scotland can also help to find childcare opportunities. singer

The Learndirect Scotland freephone helpline is 0808 100 9000. It offers free advice on thousands of learning opportunities across the country.

Most conservatoires have open days and special visits where you can speak to course tutors about entry to particular courses.

What do I need to get in?

As well as the 'normal' entry requirements, other equivalent qualifications are also acceptable, including SQA modules, HNC, HND, Access courses and work experience.

For information about Access programmes taught in Scotland, please visit the Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAP) website.

As a mature applicant, you may not need all the qualifications listed against the courses, but this will vary depending on the course and the conservatoire. You should contact them and ask for advice.

How do I go about getting qualifications?

There are a number of ways of becoming qualified for entry to higher education after you have left school and it is a good idea to look at them all before deciding which is best for you.

Highers

You can attend college or your local school on a full-time, part-time or flexible learning basis to obtain the qualifications you need for a particular course.

Higher classes are also available through your local adult education programme. You can study Highers over one, two or three years. In practice, most people who intend to study Highers will do so in one or two years, but this will depend on the subject and whether you have studied it before or not. The tutor or lecturer can help you decide which is the best option for you. For entry to some higher education courses, Highers have to be obtained in one sitting and you should check this first.

If you already have some qualifications or relevant work experience, you may find it useful to visit the Accreditation of Prior Learning section of the UCAS website.