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Higher Education

Stay local, go far!

You don’t have to go to university to achieve a higher education qualification. Whether you are looking to upskill, retrain or future proof your career, we can help you achieve your ambitions.

At Harlow College, we offer a whole range of courses for adults, with the opportunity to learn online, take classes in College, or a mixture of the two, all designed to help you with your personal or professional development. Our HE courses are flexible, allowing you to fit your study around personal commitments or a part-time job.

We are Ofsted graded Good as a College and have excellent teachers who can help you develop your skills. We also have great links with industry and access to a wide range of professional resources.

We offer Higher Education courses at Levels 4 and 5. These include Higher National Certificates (HNCs), Higher National Diplomas (HNDs), Professional Diplomas and NCTJ Journalism qualifications. These qualifications are designed to give you the skills to put your knowledge to practical use.

HNCs and HNDs are highly valued by employers and can also count towards membership of professional bodies and other employer organisations.

If you plan to study Higher Education at Harlow College, you may not have to pay for tuition fees upfront. Help may be available towards the cost of your college course as well as maintenance with either a 19+ Advanced Learner Loan or a loan or grant from Student Finance England. If you are under 19 at the start of your course, some of these courses will be free.

Higher Education FAQs

Why study Higher Education at Harlow College?

Harlow College is a vibrant, state-of-the-art campus with fantastic teaching facilities and tutors with years of industry experience. You will learn in smaller class sizes, meaning you get more one-to-one support from your tutor. The College is easily accessible by car and public transport. Harlow Town station is served by the Stansted Express, with frequent fast train s from London Liverpool Street and Cambridge. The College also offers a range of services to students which include: The Skylight Restaurant, our fully licensed restaurant offering delicious food at affordable prices; the Food Court, our onsite canteen for breakfasts, hot dinners and snacks; Costa Coffee Shop and Starbucks in our University Centre building; great discounts available at our Hair and Beauty Salons and an onsite gym.

How do I pay for my Higher Education course?

There are several options of financial help available for Higher Education courses, ranging from 19+ Advanced Learner Loans to a Student Loan from Student Finance England.19+ Advanced Learner Loans:Advanced Learner Loans are available for courses at Level 3 to 5 and are only paid back once you start earning £27,295 a year (before tax and other deductions).The Student Loan:

Colleges and universities charge tuition fees for Higher Education courses. Most people are eligible to receive a student loan to cover this fee. This loan is available from the government via Student Finance England.

As a Higher Education student you can apply for a range of financial help with living and study costs, loans (which have to be paid back), and grants which don’t have to be paid back. If you plan to study Higher Education at Harlow College, you may not have to pay for tuition fees upfront. Every new student may be entitled to a Tuition Fee Loan that will cover your fees and this won’t be paid back until you're earning a certain level of income.

More information about Tuition Fee Loans

Financial advice and guidance is always available from our Admissions team. Call 01279 868100 or email:

Do I qualify for a Higher Education course?

To qualify for one of our higher education courses you need to be:

Aged over 18 years
Have either a level 3 qualification like A-levels or a vocational qualification like a BTEC or Access to Higher Education Diploma
Have relevant work experience in the field you want to study if you haven’t got a level 3 qualification
Non-native English speakers or those who have not studied the final two years of school in English should demonstrate capability in English at IELT 5.5 standard.
Mature students with relevant knowledge and skills, demonstrating a commitment to the chosen subject will be considered.

Study in our new Institute of Technology

The South East Institute of Technology (SEIoT) is situated on the Harlow College campus and is a close partnership between high-performing further education colleges, universities and employers, helping to ensure that what we offer is based on what the economy and local communities need and that our students have the best possible career prospects.

Underpinned by significant government investment to fund industry-standard facilities and equipment, IoTs represent an exciting new model for skills delivery. We will be opening our brand new Institute of Technology Centre in September 2023, where students will be able to study advanced technical courses in the areas of computing and cyber security, engineering, business, healthcare, and travel and tourism management.

See our range of higher level courses at the Institute of Technology

What if I’m not quite ready for a Higher Education course?

Not got the qualifications yet to progress to one of our HE courses? Don’t worry. We have a range of intensive one-year courses aimed at students over 19 years of age. We will help you find your path with pre-Access and Access courses to your preferred HE course.

If you are over 23, you may not have to pay anything upfront. An Advanced Learner Loan may be available to you. If you complete the course and your degree, the loan for Access may be wiped. Find out if you are eligible for Advanced Learner Loans

Call 01279 868100

Read our Access and Participation Statement

Read our Student Protection Plan

Ask a Question
Level: 3
Study Mode: Part-time
Start Date: September 2025

Childhood Studies – Access to Higher Education Diploma

This course will be in line with the current T-level course in Early Years to give the Access to HE learners a similar experience in a shorter time frame. Students graduating from this course will be able to apply to different professional roles and or progress onto Early years in Education Foundation Degree or Early Childhood Studies BA such as advertised at Anglia Ruskin University.

This Access to HE Diploma is to include a two week placement at minimum. This will be optional for the Access course but highly recommended.

The Course will give learners a great foundation of knowledge and confidence to go onto the next level of education such as HNC, Degree apprenticeship or university.

The one year intensive course prepares them for the fast pace intensive nature of courses.