Progressing to University

Thinking of your next steps after college?

Many students progress from an HNC or HND to University. In a typical year, more than 220 of our students apply to University. College staff support students to make their University applications via UCAS.

We have many formal agreements with Universities across Scotland. These are often referred to as 'articulation agreements'. The agreements allow students to progress to particular degrees with advanced entry e.g. to year 2 or 3 of a degree. Some Universties allow College students to enter some degrees in years 2 or 3, even without an articulation agreement with the College in place.

As the majority of HNCs and HNDs at Forth Valley College have entry requirements of 2 Highers at C grade, articulation agreements help many students to progress towards a degree, even when they may not have achieved at school the Highers usually required by Universities to take on degree-level study. This is because universities recognise the content of HNCs and HNDs as relevant to many of their degrees, especially as an HNC is broadly equivalent to year 1 at university, and an HND (year 2) is broadly equivalent to year 2 at university.

Benefits of articulation agreements

  • Advanced entry to University
  • Complete your degree within 4 years
  • No time or SAAS funding wasted
  • Easy progression from college to university

What is 'articulation'?

Articulation is simply when a student enters a degree at year 2 or 3 by using an HNC or HND which they have completed at college:

• HNC to year 2
• HND to year 3

This helps students to complete a 4-year undergraduate Honours degree by going to college then university. By using advanced entry, it takes the same amount of time to achieve a degree, which means you don't 'waste' any time or SAAS funding by studying at college first.

According to Universities Scotland, over 4,000 students articulated from college to university with full credit for their Higher National (HN) qualification in 2017/18.

We've worked with the majority of universities throughout Scotland to create agreements where most of our HNCs and HNDs are linked to degrees. This is to help make progression to university as easy as possible. We work with most Scottish universities, and most universities deliver on-campus and online information sessions for our HNC and HND students during term-time.

Some universities welcome applications from all students on HNC and HND courses for entry (e.g. year 1, 2 or 3), even where a formal agreement is not in place. Applications would be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Please note, even where we have a formal agreement in place, this does not guarantee any student a place on any degree at any university - each university admissions team decides on which students are made offers. Universities strongly encourage college students to apply, and many universities have staff who specialise in supporting college students to apply, and move on to university.

Universities with articulation agreements

  • Abertay University
  • Edinburgh Napier University
  • Glasgow Caledonian University
  • Glasgow School of Art
  • Heriot-Watt University
  • Open University
  • Queen Margaret University
  • Robert Gordon University
  • University of Aberdeen
  • University of Dundee
  • University of Stirling
  • University of Strathclyde
  • University of the Highlands and Islands
  • University of the West of Scotland

Partnership Degrees

We have partnership arrangements in place with four Scottish universities to allow students to complete the first stages of their degrees at Forth Valley College, while moving on to the university to complete the remainder of their degree.

We offer partnership degrees across a range of subject areas including but not limited to: Art & Design, Computing, Engineering, Media, Science, Tourism etc.

We are currently accepting applications for courses starting in September 2023.

Applying via UCAS

We encourage and support our students to apply to university via UCAS from various HNC and HND courses. The application deadline each year is 31 January and we have a system in place to manage applications and support students to meet the deadline. Please note, this is an online application process which is be done via the UCAS website.

Lots of useful information about the applications process is available on the UCAS website, including a degree search facility, tutorial videos and infographics to help illustrate each step of the application process.

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Contact Details

University Partnership Officer
Telephone 01324 403009
Email lisa.baxter@forthvalley.ac.uk
Support and Guidance Team
Telephone 01324 403000
Email supportandguidance@forthvalley.ac.uk