Higher education (HE) is university-level study at Level 4 or higher and includes all undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Undergraduate courses include: BA, BSc, Foundation Degree. Postgraduate programmes are Masters and PhDs as well as some professional qualifications.

There are many different types of HE courses as well as different methods of study. which may suit you in terms of work and family commitments. Some HE courses are delivered in local colleges, others at university and some can be studied on-line.

Some courses are full-time and others can be part-time.

Higher education develops qualities that are valued by employers, such as problem-solving and communication skills.

Doing a higher education course could give you an edge in the job market: forecasts predict that half of jobs that become vacant between 2004 and 2020 will be in areas of work most likely to demand graduates.

Also and on average, people with a higher education qualification tend to earn more over their working life than those without.

If you decide to go for higher education, there’s financial help available. For full-time courses, you can apply for Student Loans to cover your fees and living costs. You won’t have to start paying these back until you have left your course and are earning over £15,000 per year.

You may also qualify for a non-repayable Maintenance Grant. There may be extra, non-repayable help available if you have a disability, or if you have children or adult dependants. You may be able to get additional help through a bursary from your university or college.

For part-time courses there are no regulations stating how much universities or colleges can charge in tuition fees. Contact your university or college to find out how much they charge.

Many FE colleges, and Swindon College is one of them, work in partnership with local universities to offer a range of full and part time higher level programmes closer to home so that people leaving school or wishing to return to education can access a higher education course without the cost or upheaval of having to move away to study. So check with your local colleges to find out what HE courses they offer. They more than likely have a HE course to suit you!

In the UK traditionally students would leave home when they wanted to study at university. This tradition is changing and more and more students are choosing to study at a local college or university and get their degree closer to home. There are a few reasons why, when choosing where to study, more and more people opt for a local college or university:

Financially: Probably the biggest factor of all. Going away to university is expensive. Expenses like rent, bills, food, transport can be significantly reduced by staying at home.

Family, friends, community: Studying locally enables you to remain close to your friends and family but at the same time you can take advantage of the things that being a student has to offer - a wider social group, clubs and societies, a Student Union, nights out and so on. You can also keep any part time jobs you might have.

Universities and colleges are increasingly aware of the needs of disabled students and students with specific learning difficulties. They can provide support in a number of ways – and you may be able to get extra financial help.

You could consider doing an Access course. Access courses are entry routes into higher education (HE) specifically designed for mature students (those aged 19+). These courses lead to a nationally recognised Access Certificate award, and are designed to help people develop the necessary confidence and knowledge for getting onto a degree or diploma course.

Another option is the Open University (OU) where you study through distance learning. The Open University don’t insist on any qualifications before you sign up for one of their courses.

OU advantages: flexible learning, studies fits around a full time job, and you can study in the comfort of your own home but you do have to be well organised and disciplined.

OU disadvantages: expensive, time consuming, less support than other universities and you may miss the sense of student community.

Some universities and colleges recognise that many students, particularly mature students, enter university with an extensive range of expertise, skills and knowledge derived from a variety of professional, vocational, community, leisure and personal contexts. They may have an Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) Scheme whereby applicants are offered the opportunity to enter higher education at the level appropriate to their previous learning and experience. This means that applicants may be given credit that counts towards the award for which they propose studying. To do this an applicant's prior level of attainment and volume of learning must be identified, assessed and where appropriate given credit.

If this applies to you, contact the universities or college that you would like to apply to, to find out if they have an APL scheme.

You could consider doing a Foundation Degree (FD). FDs are higher education qualifications that combine academic study with work-based learning. Designed jointly by universities, colleges and employers, they are available in a range of work-related subjects.

A Foundation Degree usually involves learning in the workplace as well as at university or college. You’ll get the chance to work on real projects, making a real difference - and picking up the technical and practical skills needed for your chosen line of work.

Typically, you’ll be able to learn in a way that suits you: whether it’s at college, through distance learning or online. It usually takes around two years to complete a full-time course. Part-time courses may take longer.