Further Education
Further Education (FE) includes all the courses on offer to students after they have left school at 16. It includes vocational, technical and work-based courses, as well as courses leading to qualifications that would enable them to go on to Higher Education (HE) such as GCSEs, A levels and AS levels. FE is primarily taught in Further Education (FE) colleges (sometimes referred to as community colleges) but it can also be work-based or taught in adult and community learning institutions.
The largest group of people in FE are those aged between 16 and 19, but many other people undertake full-time or part-time FE courses. For example, FE colleges also run courses that more mature students might want to take to help them with their work or career, or for personal development.
Quote from a headteacher in an Aimhigher Kent and Medway Partnership Survey 2008-2009:
"The AH initiative and framework has enabled the College to employ a full-time Co-ordinator and HE Advisor. The success of all initiatives is dependent on the framework, but most importantly. the personnel. She has been a highly successful "change agent" un changing the attitudes and aspirations of our students, their parents and members of staff. The activities and opportunities provided by her have engaged our students in wanting to experience university visits and links which in itself, has convinced so many young people to aspire to and progress on to university. This change has also changed attitudes of our students to the value of academic endeavour. The Aimhigher Initiative has been one of the most important ands influential over the 15 year history of the college."
Higher Education
Higher education (HE) refers to studying for qualifications such as Diplomas of Higher Education (DipHEs), bachelor's degrees eg: Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Sciences (BSc), Master's degrees eg: Master of Arts (MA) and Master of Sciences (MSc), and the award of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Many courses take place in universities, but plenty are also taught at HE colleges, specialist art institutions and agricultural colleges.
Students taking HE courses are usually aged 18 and over, and aged 17 and over in Scotland. Undergraduate courses last from one to four years and students may choose to stay on as postgraduates into their early 20s. An increasing number of 'mature' students are also choosing to start their undergraduate studies after the age of 21, usually after having worked for a few years.
Getting a degree doesn't necessarily mean 'going to university'
HE level courses are often called 'university courses' or 'degrees' but you can study for HE level qualifications, including degrees, in a wide range of different ways and places. More and more people who want to study in HE want to stay in their local area and not go away to university. Full-time study at a university rarely means being in class from 9am-5pm five days each week, most students are only in class for 10-15 hours per week.
You can study at home with distance learning courses, for instance from the Open University and a number of other providers. Doing it this way means you can follow a study timetable that is tailored to your life. Normal HE student funding rules do not necessarily apply for distance courses. Please check with your Local Education Authority or the Open University before making an application.
