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The Advanced Diploma is designed to be a good route into a university course. (If you study a Foundation or Higher Diploma you'll have to do a Level 3 qualification before going on to Higher Education.)
What UCAS says
UCAS (the university admissions service) gives each type of qualification a UCAS points score. These are used to show the value of different qualifications and how they compare to each other. Universities use UCAS points to help decide whether to accept a qualification.
The Advanced Diploma has been given a maximum of 420 UCAS points (depending on what grades you get), which is the same score as 3½ A levels at grade A (in other words, 3 A levels and an extra AS level).
This means UCAS says that an Advanced Diploma student should be counted the same as a typical A level student.
What the universities say
Many universities have confirmed that they'll accept Advanced Diploma students; however some say that it will depend on the Additional/Specialist learning options that the students select.
Important – If you plan on going on to Higher Education after your Advanced Diploma, talk to a teacher or adviser about your Additional/Specialist learning choices. What you choose may restrict which Degree courses you can take.
If you've got a specific university or course in mind, contact the university's Admissions office and ask them about which Additional/Specialist learning they recommend.
University of Birmingham:
We encourage applications from those offering new Diplomas. Diploma candidates should consult the admissions office to check that their Diploma is suitable for their chosen programme.
Cambridge University:
No-one's finished an Advanced Diploma yet, so people are concerned about whether some universities will accept Diploma students. The UCAS website has a list of what each university has said about Diplomas – click UCAS 14–19 Diploma statements to see this.
