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Adult Learner

Thinking of furthering your future? Have questions about finance or how to juggle home and study life? NSSW offers impartial information, signposting and Careers 1:1s for eligible students

NSSW Adult Learners Support

Welcome to the Next Steps South West adult learners support page. Here you will find specific tools and resources designed to help you as an adult learner as you embark on your Higher Education journey. You can also sign up to the new adult learner newsletter here.

Want access to specific information?

Have questions or looking for further details on career changes, re-training or going back to work after childcare or unemployment? Discover Lifepilot – an online resource helping adults progress to higher level study.

Looking for more personalised advice?

If you are aged 19+ and already enrolled on a NSSW Partner College course, book a 1:1 Advice Session with a qualified Careers Advisor and discuss your individual learning needs. Register here for your session.

Adult Learner Newsletter

  • Be in the know – receive the latest adult learner newsletter, sign up here for all the latest advice sent straight to your inbox.
  • Click here to download and share the NSSW Adult Learner Support digital flyer.

Stats on Adult Learners in Education

In 2019/20 there were around 254,000 mature undergraduate entrants at UK universities; 37% of all undergraduate entrants.

NSSW, your local Uni Connect programme is embarking on extending our outreach programme to adult learners. Our collaborative approach, that brings together higher and further education provider partners, and local industry and third sector partnerships, plus being part of a national Uni Connect network, and funded by the Office for Students means that we are impartial. You can find out more about our work here: About Us.

Why return to study?

We’re working longer, and the world is changing faster, with recent events accelerating this, so changing whole careers, not just jobs, has become the new normal. Most of us will likely change industry once — perhaps multiple times — throughout our lifetimes. This can be both daunting and exhilarating. Making the decision to retrain can be about igniting new or dormant interests and unlocking your potential.

Visit the links below for further information relevant to those returning to study.

Adult Learner Newsletter

Sign-up to our dedicated Adult Learner Newsletter to receive the latest information and resources relevant to you.

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Mature Students in England

This House of Commons briefing paper provides information and statistics on mature students and discusses the decline in mature student numbers and highlights policy issues affecting these students.

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National Skills Fund

An overview of the National Skills Fund which aims to help adults to train and gain the valuable skills they need to improve their job prospects and support the economy.

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Lifepilot

Helping adults progress to higher level study - from apprenticeships and degrees to real stories and resources to help you improve your skills.

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UCAS - Applying to Study

As an adult learner your personal circumstances may be different from those of average undergraduates - UCAS have put together a compressive guide to help adult learner complete the application process.

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Student Finance – How it Works

Read our Student Finance Page to get up-to-date with all the latest information about student funding, from loans and applications to repayment considerations.

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Resources for Students

Resources by NSSW - covering everything from, level 3 options and different types of qualifications, to applicant and student finance guides.

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Resources from National Careers Week

Compiled by Humber Outreach Programme (HOP) during National Careers Week 2021 these resources are particularly relevant for adult learners looking at changing career pathways, what it is like to be an adult student and issues around financial constraints.

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HE Knowledge Hub Podcast

Our podcast explores all aspects of HE, we speak to experts and get answers to crucial questions, plus hear from recent graduates about the obstacles they had to overcome to study at HE level.

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Unibuddy

If you have a specific question you can't find the answer to - try Unibuddy, our online platform that enables you to connect directly with a current HE student or member of the NSSW team of your choice who will be able to provide information and additional signposting where necessary.

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