Maybe you have dropped out of high school or perhaps you don’t want to go through the hassle of taking your A Levels. In this case, you may be curious about whether it is possible for you to skip college and head to uni.
You will be able to discover if this is possible here as well as figure out how to make it work for you.
Is It Possible for You to Skip College and Go Straight to University?
In some instances, it is possible for you to skip college and go to university instead – however, this avenue isn’t accepted by all schools – what’s more, you do have to get an alternative accreditation before you will be accepted into university.
Can You Skip College and Go to University in the US?
In the UK, there is a difference between college and university. In this part of the world, school is compulsory up until you are 16. By this point, you will have completed your GCSEs.
After this, you have the option of moving on to college. During this period, you will prepare for a set of exams known as the Advanced Levels or A-Levels.
Students use their A-Level results to apply and get into university.
In the US, however, there is no difference between college and university. There are simply two terms referring to the same education level. It should be noted that college is the most common term used.
As a result, in the US, you can’t skip college and move on to university as they are one and the same.
When Can You Skip College in the UK?
Well, this does depend on the university that you want to attend. There are some top-tier universities that require you to complete college and to take you’re A-Levels.
Therefore, you first need to check with the universities that you wish to apply to. If they require you to go to college then you don’t have an alternative, you have to complete this level of education.
If this isn’t a requirement for your desired university, though, then you can skip college.
You should bear in mind that just because you can skip college doesn’t mean that the university will accept you once you have completed your O Levels. Instead, you have to complete another form of accreditation before you can be accepted into university.
How Can You Skip College and Go Into University?
If you can’t or don’t want to do you’re A Levels, then your best option is an Access to Higher Education diploma.
This is largely available to individuals over the age of 19, but can technically be taken by anyone who has completed their GCSEs and has passed in both Math and English.
While most universities do accept an Access to Higher Education diploma, not all of them do. As such, this is something that you will need to check ahead of time.
This diploma is the equivalent of 3 A Levels. Once you complete it, the grades are converted to UCAS points. These can be used to apply to university.
If you are planning on getting an Access to Higher Education diploma, you can complete it as a full-time or part-time student.
As a full-time student, you can complete the diploma in just a year. As a part-time student, you can take two years or longer. One of the benefits of this diploma is that it is flexible and can be organized around a job or other responsibilities.
An Access to Higher Education diploma is one of the best options for skipping college and going to university. This is because many of the courses for this diploma are organized with the help of universities. This makes this diploma widely acceptable.
Can You Skip College By Taking a Foundation Course?
A foundation course isn’t as good of an alternative as an Access to Higher Education diploma.
For one thing, foundation courses are often attached to a specific university. Due to this, you actually have to have completed some A Levels before you can take a foundation course. This means that you cant skip college.
There are some foundation courses that will take you on if you haven’t done your A Levels or gone to college but there aren’t many around.
You should also be aware since these foundation courses are offered via universities that they can be a lot more expensive than a diploma. This is because, in essence, you are paying for an entire additional year at university.
A foundation course isn’t nearly as flexible as a diploma, either.
Can You Skip College and Go to University Right Away?
It is possible for you to skip college and avoid doing your A Levels but you still have to do some kind of work before you will be accepted into university – this often involves getting an Access to Higher Education diploma.