Study As A Mature Student
There are many ways you can experience higher education. Around a third of undergraduates in the UK are mature students of all ages and backgrounds (dataset provided by UCAS).
Generally, if you are over the age of 21 you are considered to be mature student. You may have taken gap years to volunteer and travel the world, or you may perhaps have been working in a completely different field and are now looking for a new exciting challenge.
What Are The Benefits?
There are many different reasons to enrol on a higher education course. This might include the desire to start a new career or develop an existing one, to turn an interest into something more, or to take a ‘second chance’ and open a new chapter in your life.
As a mature student you may be worried about how you will cope with the demands of academic work – particularly if you’ve been out of education for a few years. There’s lots of support available to help you make the most of your time at university and ensure you reach your full potential.
Higher education offers excellent opportunities including:
- Explore a subject you find interesting or rewarding.
- Progress your career by increasing your skills and knowledge.
- Change direction to take on a new challenge.
- New life experience
Don't worry about whether you are qualified to study at university as your original education or work experience may be enough, and if not, there are Access to HE courses you can complete to gain entry.
Higher education is for everyone – regardless of age. Every year thousands of adults take the opportunity to develop themselves, and their careers, through higher education. Below we have included a helpful guide put together by UCAS which provides tips and advice for mature student applications.
Mature student tips and advice
Mature Students excel
As a mature student you benefit from a range of experiences which you can carry forward into your new academic life. These life experiences can help you a lot, embedding your thinking and equipping you better for your new challenges and opportunities. You will probably notice that you bond with your professors and tutors much more easily, and become a part of our health science community alongside your peers. It helps that maybe you can talk with them about various concepts in both theory and in practice, and also relate their teaching to your previous working life or study.
Hear from our students
Hear from one of our mature students Glen, who talks about how he manages working and studying. Read more here.
“Just go for it! If it’s something you want to do, then things like age shouldn’t hold you back and there is a wide range of ages at AECC UC already”
Assisting Your Progression
AECC University College offer an extensive support network for all our students when they arrive on campus:
Learning Services
Staff deliver teaching and training courses in a range of IT and Research Skills required for studying at University.
Disabilities, Dyslexia, and Additional Support
Let us know if you have any specific requirements and find out what support you may be entitled to.
Tutor Support
We allocate you a personal tutor throughout your journey with us, and all our tutors abide and celebrate our 'open door policy', so if our academic staff are not busy marking, you can always knock on their door and ask question whenever you need.
Childcare
We are is committed to supporting students who have children and/or caring responsibilities.
Student Life
Make the most of your university experience. Our fresh, vibrant Students' Union provides a hub of activity on campus and beyond, bringing a positive attitude and fresh new ideas – students representing students!
Your Application and Key Timings
You will need to make a formal application through UCAS by Wednesday 25 January. The UCAS website is your main source of information. It’s worth spending some time familiarising yourself with what you will need to do and how it works.
Open Days
Come along to one of our (currently virtual) open days and talk with current students. Find out more about what it is like to live and study in Bournemouth, find out more about the courses we offer, the mixed methods of learning, and the rewards of academic life at AECC University College.
Book an Open Day
Accommodation
Find a place you can call home. We have a range of accommodation to suit your preference and budget. Claim your room in central luxury halls, only two miles away from campus and a short walk to Bournemouth's bars, restaurants and sandy beaches.
Discover More About Accommodation
Fees and Funding
There are two main expenses at university; tuition fees and living costs. Depending on your circumstances and course, a range of financial provision is available. You can find out about financial assistance for course fees and EU funding. If you live outside of the EU, we recommend contacting your country specific funding organisation to find out what is available to you.
Common questions
A mature student is classed as somebody starting their degree at the age of 21 or over.
If you are uncertain of your choices, you can start by looking at our undergraduate degrees.
Identify the degrees that interest you, and read up on these in depth using the relevant departmental web pages. While age is not an issue, it is important to ensure you have the required qualifications to ensure a successful application.
If you have been out of formal education for a long time you may need to undertake further study before applying for a degree. You can find out more information on our course pages or can contact admissions@aecc.ac.uk
If you know what degree you wish to study, visit our undergraduate course page which lists all the undergraduate degrees taught at the University. Select the degree you are interested in to find out more information.
Yes you can. We have open days over the course of the year where you will be able to view our facilities and on campus accommodation a well as having the opportunity to speak to academic staff and students.
There is an abundance of student accommodation available with plenty of choice from student halls to private landlord rentals.
It is possible, provided you manage your time effectively for module study. Many students are employed on a part-time basis through local employers.
Student Services offer support, guidance and information to help you make the most of your time at AECC University College. Offering wellbeing advice, counselling, academic skills and communication support
Supporting You
Every effort is made to help you with the shift to university life, making it stress-free.
We support our students through buddy-systems and personal tutor allocation. If you do have any questions, please do send us an email. Our Admissions team will be happy to help you, simply email admissions@aecc.ac.uk
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