Coming from college
We welcome applications from students who are currently or have previously studied at College on either an HN or Access programme. Our Associate Student Scheme allows you to study for your HND at one of our partner college (further details below) whilst guaranteeing your place at Edinburgh Napier university.
Please take a look at the information below to help you consider your options after college and don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.
'Articulation/advanced entry' explained
Transitioning from college to the second or third year of university is called 'articulation', which can also be referred to as advanced entry.
Many of our degree courses allow advanced entry, but this will also depend on your college HN and the course you wish to study at university. Have a look for the course you're interested in by browsing our study areas, and then click on a course to find out if advanced entry is possible and if there are particular entry requirements.
Here is Myles a College direct entry student who articulated from Dundee & Angus College talking about his experience (film is 3 mins).
College Access Programmes
The Scottish Widening Access programme (SWAP) supports access to higher education for adult learners returning to education. It runs access courses in colleges across Scotland, providing routes to university degree courses at partner universities. Edinburgh Napier is a SWAP partner please see their website for further information about their access courses to Edinburgh Napier.
The university also considers other access programmes for degree entry, please contact us for further information.
Edinburgh Napier Associate Student Scheme
The Associate Student Scheme allows you to study for your HND at one of our partner colleges (see list below) whilst guaranteeing your place at Edinburgh Napier university. The guaranteed place is subject to you successfully completing your HN studies, with the required grades in your Graded Units and meeting all other entry requirements. This guarantee is offered on a number of degree programmes within the School of Computing, and the School of Engineering & the Build Environment.
Why be an Associate Student?
Becoming an Associate Student enhances your college experience. You have dual student status, having student cards for both college and university and access to the facilities of both. As an Associate Student of Edinburgh Napier, you will take part in a planned programme to support your transition to university study whilst also gaining access to a range of student services offered by Edinburgh Napier University, including library facilities, the Jack Kilby Computing Centre, University gym membership and Student Union sports clubs.
School of Computing College Partners:
- Borders
- Dundee & Angus
- Edinburgh
- Forth Valley
- Fife
- West Lothian
School of Engineering & The Built Environment College Partners:
- Borders
- Edinburgh
- Forth Valley
- Fife
- West Lothian
How do I join the Associate Student Scheme?
Applications for the Associate Scheme open in September each year. All applications are done through the college, your college lecturer will provide you with details once you start your HN programme. If you have any questions about the Scheme, please email wideningaccess@napier.ac.uk.
Support for College Direct Entry Students
Edinburgh Napier University accept the highest number of articulating students in the Edinburgh region. We're well equipped to make the transition from college to university as smooth as possible for students by providing pre- and post-transition support and guidance. You'll even have a dedicated Coming from College Adviser who will be there to support you right through to graduation.
Pre-transition support
Let’s Start
In June (prior to a September start), offer-holders in the Schools of Computing, Engineering & the Built Environment, The Business School and Applied Sciences (Sport & Exercise, Social Science, Biological, Biomedical) are invited to pre-entry transition events called Let’s Start.
The aim of Let’s Start is to help ease your transition into the university. It is an opportunity to meet your classmates, attend preparation and orientation workshops, find out details of your programme from your programme leader and take part in lectures and tutorials so you know what to expect.
Let’s Start provide attendees the opportunity to:
- attend a subject-specific university lecture and tutorial delivered by your future lecturer;
- attend ‘an academic skills for university’ workshop;
- get help from a range of professional services staff, including funding, careers, mental health, employability, personal development, and disability services;
- receive more information after the event, including a useful ‘Preparing for University Study’ toolkit;
- opt-in to complete a piece of standard university course work over the summer months, which will be marked so you know what to expect in your classes;
- enjoy an informal pizza lunch with fellow students and University staff.
What students say:
‘It gave us an idea of what to expect’.
‘I found out more information about the course I will be doing’.
‘I like how the university is so supportive of their students.’
Signposts (Week 0)
Signposts to Success is a one-day workshop for students coming from college to a selection of programmes at Edinburgh Napier. The programmes that are supported are:
- Accounting (direct entry to years 2 and 3)
- The Business School (direct entry to years 2 and 3)
- Communication, Advertising & PR (direct entry to years 2 and 3)
- Nursing and Midwifery (access course to year 1 and direct entry to year 2)
- Social Sciences (direct entry to years 2 and 3
- Sport & Exercise Science (direct entry to years 2 and 3)
In the workshops, you will:
- Meet and socialise with other students studying on your programme or in your school
- Find out more about studying at the University
- Practise some of the key academic skills students will need to succeed, including academic reading and writing, referencing and using library databases
- Identify the personal, academic & professional support that is available at the University.
Getting Started (Freshers' Week)
Getting Started is a series of two-hour induction workshops for all Direct Entrants to programmes throughout the university.
In these workshops, you will:
- Identify differences between your previous experiences and University expectations in terms of academic levels, ways of teaching and assessment, and "independent learning" (the university model);
- Meet and socialise with other students studying on your programme or in your school;
- Identify the personal, academic and professional support that is available at the University to help you have a great time studying here;
- Identify what you are going to do to make a successful start to university life.