College students and mature students

College students

A significant number of our new students each year are students who have come from college. They could be studying a SWAP access course, a HNC or HND, or even a portfolio development course. We happily accept college students with a range of qualifications.

If you are studying a HNC or HND, then you could gain advanced entry into year two or three of our degree programmes. Alternatively, entering year one is also an option.

If you are considering a HNC or HND route into university the pathways website is a great research tool to use. This app has been designed to help you discover what HNC and HND qualification will give you advanced entry into years two or three of your chosen degree. If your college or course isn’t listed, please get in touch and we’ll let you know what your options are. Even if your college isn’t listed, but your course is, you can use the app as a guide to what might be possible.

We offer a wide range of support to students coming from college. This includes advice on finances, childcare, and making the transition into university. We go to several college career fairs every year, and we’d be happy to come and talk to your class. Just ask your course leader to get in touch with us.

We also provide tailored support sessions for college students at all our on-campus events, including Open Days and Offer Holder Days.

Associate student scheme

An associate student scheme is an alternative route to entering one of our degree programmes whilst also benefitting from time at college. This means you study for one or two years at college and then come into year two or three of the related degree programme at Heriot-Watt.

When you take part in the scheme you benefit from the facilities and resources available at both your college and at our university. You’ll study a HNC or HND, and sometimes an additional course with us, and be guaranteed a place at Heriot-Watt if you get the grades required to progress.

Applications are made directly through the college website, not through UCAS, and applications normally open around December or January for a course starting in August.

We have partnerships in place with courses at local colleges, providing routes into these degrees:

All of our Biological Sciences degrees - through Forth Valley College
BEng (Hons) / MEng Civil Engineering or Structural Engineering through Forth Valley College
BEng (Hons) / MEng Chemical Engineering through Forth Valley College
BSc (Hons) Computer Science through either Borders College, Edinburgh College or Fife College
BEng (Hons) / MEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering through Edinburgh College and Forth Valley College
BEng (Hons) / MEng Mechanical Engineering through Edinburgh College and Forth Valley College
BA (Hons) Design for Textiles through Glasgow Clyde College
BA (Hons) Fashion through Glasgow Clyde College

Mature students

Being a mature student isn’t about age. It’s about your educational journey. A mature student is someone who’s been out of education for some time and who hasn’t studied at university before. Normally this means three to five years out of formal education (depending on your circumstances) such as high school or full-time college courses.

We welcome large numbers of mature students into Heriot-Watt every year, mostly through college or Open University courses. This includes those completing HNC, HND qualifications, or an access course such as those run by the Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAP).

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Transcript

Video transcript:

Beverley: I was really nervous about the thought of going to University as an older student. I mean, I was 38 by the time I started uni and I was like "oh, what am I doing going here with all these kids" you know, but it was just fantastic. I needn't have worried; it was brilliant! I found like-minded people and you know, other mums, that were all there for the same thing: they really wanted to be a primary teacher as well and and we just sort of bonded. It was great.

Kerriann: Not everybody knows what they want to do when they're in high school or even after they left high school. I didn't really know fully what I wanted to do until I'd had lots of life experiences and bringing life experiences to the table has really just helped enhance my whole journey.

Tony: I knew that I wanted to get a degree but I didn't know how to really go about it or like, what the process of doing it was, you know?

Karen: My aim was always to be a nurse and I've progressed that and I'm now three years on, just about to revalidate.

Melanie: I wanted to be a forensic scientist but I think doing a science degree it completely opened so many doors. I'm in a better place than I ever imagined I would be though.

Kerriann: I am working as a primary school teacher and that's exactly what I set out to achieve. Where I started this, the SWAP course.

Karen: When you're at college how did you feel about going to uni?

Melanie: It was absolutely terrifying. In college it was a very small, close, and very personal but University is a big place. Once I got to University and I realised that I'm on a journey and I'm there for a reason and with an end goal. Their lecturers and the staff were just brilliant.

Tony: It's not going to be easy at the start. You're going to have nerves, you're going to have questions, but that's completely to be expected.

Beverley: It's not like at school. At school, you're told what to do and when to do it, sort of thing. You've got to manage your own time and make sure you read everything you have to read. You've got to go out there and find the things you've got to read it's not all this time to do sort of thing.

Kerriann: You end up having such a community, like a little family along the way so for so many years, you've developed so many close friendships that you'll keep on for life. It's never too late to go into higher education, you know, because a lot of people are stuck in their jobs that they and they think there's no other options or it's they can't do because they've got children, I've got two children myself you can definitely do it. I went to do the SWAP access course when my daughter was one and yeah, it was challenging going back into education, but I've never looked back and it's been the best thing for me and my children.

Karen: So what did you get out of University?

Melanie: I got a completely different life out of the University.

Tony: SWAP course has enabled me to actually see a future for myself, not just working job to job you know.

Beverley: it was definitely all worth it. All the all the hard work was definitely worth it. I wouldn't change a thing.

Karen: I've become more independent than I was before. I was always leaning on other things to help me through but now I've gone and I had to do the work myself. It was only me that could qualify and get to where I am, and now I am where I want to be which is helping people.

Tony: I'm a lot happier than I was previously and enabled me to get a good decent amount of education out of it too.

SWAP provides access courses designed to help mature students get into university. Courses are designed for anyone who has been out of education for some time and who has few or no formal qualifications. We are part of the SWAP East partnership in the east of Scotland, but we also warmly welcome students from the west of Scotland on access courses provided through the SWAP West partnership.

To find the right access course for you, you can search the possible degree progressions on the SWAP East section of the SWAP website. Alternatively, get in touch with SWAP directly, or email us at wp@hw.ac.uk: -