College to university: Articulation routes

What are articulation routes?

If university is your goal, you might be able to get there by going to college first. This is where 'articulation' comes in.

So, what exactly is it? It's a way of providing more opportunities for people to study at degree level.

Colleges run Higher National Certificate (HNC) and Higher National Diploma (HND) courses. These often have an agreed path to a related degree course at a university. You're not guaranteed a place but when you earn your HNC or HND you can apply for a degree course, even going in to second or third year in some cases.

These are often called 'articulation routes'. But not every college or university refer to them the same way. We know, confusing, right? Some other common terms used to talk about articulation routes include:

• ‘1 + 3’ or ‘2 +2’ (this refers to studying two years at college and then two years at university, or one and three) 
• advanced entry
• articulation agreements
• college pathways
• degree link
• direct entry

Many universities also run similar programmes aimed at helping you make the transition to degree study from college.

Associate student schemes

These work in a similar way as you'll do an HNC or HND at college and then progress to 2nd or 3rd year of a degree course. But with an associate student scheme, you're guaranteed a place on the degree when you complete your college course.

Integrated degrees  

With an integrated degree, you still spend time at college for a year or two before going to uni. But you're a full university undergraduate student for the full time you're studying.

You get the benefit of smaller classes and more practical study at college, while still being a university student. You'll also be able to build up confidence before you move on to uni.

Why do an articulation route?

There are lots of reasons why you might want to think about going to college and doing a course where there's a recognised route to university. Here are a few to think about:

1. Improve your chances of getting in. You may not have the qualifications you need to apply for a degree or you may be applying for a very competitive course. An articulation route doesn't guarantee you entry to uni. But it'll show that you're committed to the subject. You'll gain additional qualifications through your HNC or HND that could increase your chances of being accepted.
2. Ease your transition to university. You might not feel quite ready for 4 years at uni which is absolutely fine. Going to college first and then transitioning to uni in second or third year may feel like a more comfortable option for you.
3. Take advantage of convenient travel or accommodation. You might find an HNC or HND course that's closer to home or has more affordable accommodation or travel. Why not use it as an opportunity to advance your learning while saving some money?
4. Kickstart a career change. If you're thinking about going back to education, you may find that college is the perfect first step for you. A course with a pathway to uni will allow you to top-up the qualifications you need while getting back into the swing of learning.

How to explore college to university options

You can browse college and uni courses with an agreed articulation route on Pathways. They cover articulation routes for degree courses at these universities: 

• Abertay University
• Edinburgh University 
• Edinburgh Napier University 
• Heriot-Watt University 
• Kingston University (delivered at Edinburgh College) 
• Queen Margeret University
• St Andrew’s University 
• Stirling University 
• The Open University 

If you want to explore options not covered by Pathways, we've gathered some useful resources. Check out some handy information from the following universities: 

• Aberdeen University
• Dundee University: Life Science, Humanities & Environmental Science
• Glasgow Caledonian University
• The Glasgow School of Art
• Robert Gordon University
• Scottish Rural University College: Email their admissions team using admissions@sruc.ac.uk for information about advanced entry through HNC and HND courses
• Strathclyde University
• University of the Highlands and Islands
• University of the West of Scotland

Articulation is not available for The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS). This is because the number of teaching hours delivered through HND study isn't equal to a first year of study at the RCS.

Colleges and universities may also hold open days where you could speak to them about their articulation options. Another opportunity to get information is through UCAS Discovery Events, check out their site for all the information you need. 

Want more information?

You can always reach out to one of our friendly careers advisers who’ll be happy to chat through your options and help you find the right opportunities.

You can call us on 0800 917 8000 and speak to careers advisers. We’re open Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5pm. You can also go along to your local centre.

If you’ve still got some questions about articulation routes, Pathways have put together a handy FAQ page. You can use it to find the answers to some common questions.