u/This_Ad5455

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to start an Access to HE Diploma (Humanities) in September 2026 and I’m looking into studying either a Level 3 Music or Level 2 Dance course part-time alongside it.

I wanted to ask:

1. Has anyone done a performing arts or dance/music course part-time alongside an Access to HE? Is it manageable workload-wise?

2. For anyone who has applied to a UAL Level 3 Dance course — what did your portfolio of work need to include? I have a background in ballet, cabaret, hip hop and flamenco having trained from a young age, but I’m returning to it after a break.

Would that be enough or would they expect recent work?

Any advice would be really appreciated 💛

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to start an Access to HE Diploma (Humanities) in September 2026 and I’m looking into studying either a Level 3 Music or Level 2 Dance course part-time alongside it.

I wanted to ask:

1. Has anyone done a performing arts or dance/music course part-time alongside an Access to HE? Is it manageable workload-wise?

2. For anyone who has applied to a UAL Level 3 Dance course — what did your portfolio of work need to include? I have a background in ballet cabaret, hip hop and flamenco having trained from a young age, but I’m returning to it after a break.

Would that be enough or would they expect recent work?

Any advice would be really appreciated 💛

Hi everyone. I previously asked here about the grades needed for top unis via an Access course, but now I’m looking for the "human" side of the story from those who have actually walked the path.
I’m currently planning a major pivot into specialist interpreting and wildlife/scientific research. I left the traditional school system a few years ago before finishing my A-levels to focus on my personal development and find a path that actually aligns with my goals. To clarify — my end goal is an MA in Conference Interpreting. The veterinary and medical fields are the specialist areas I want to work in, not separate qualifications I’m pursuing

I'm now looking at an Access to HE Diploma as my bridge to university. Since I’m aiming for a very non-traditional career path (eventually opening an animal sanctuary and funding research), I’d love your insight on a few things:

• The Transition: How did you find the physical and mental jump from being "out of the system" for a few years back into a formal academic course?
• Academic Writing: For those who chose Access over A-levels, did you feel it prepared you for the logical and high-level writing demands of a degree?
• The "Age Gap": How was your experience being an "old soul" in a sea of younger students? Did you find that having more life experience made you more focused on your niche goals?
• The Blueprint: How did you stay focused and handle people who didn't "see" your vision because it wasn't a "standard" or "simple" career path?
I’m not looking for an ordinary or simple life, so hearing from others who "rebelled" against the standard script to find their own purpose would be incredibly helpful.

I’m a native English/Spanish bilingual (born in Mexico, grew up in the UK). I’m looking to use my Spanish for international wildlife missions and research.

To clarify — my end goal is an MA in Conference Interpreting. The veterinary and medical fields are the specialist areas I want to work in, not separate qualifications I’m pursuing.

• How did you move from "home Spanish" to
• technical/scientific Spanish?
• Do you get to travel back to Spanish-speaking countries for work?
• What was your pathway from your first qualification to your current specialty?

I am a native English/Spanish speaker exploring my options in interpreting. While I have a deep personal connection to medical work (due to family history with cancer research), I am also looking at the Veterinary and Wildlife niche. I’d love to hear from you:

• Your Journey: What was your specific entry route? Did you take a BA/MA pathway or a certification route?
• The "Why": Why did you choose the human medical sector over other technical or scientific niches?
• The Environment: For the "free spirits" here—how do you find the hospital environment? Do you ever find opportunities for international travel or field-based research work within medical interpreting?
• Professionalising Fluency: For the native/heritage speakers, how did you move from conversational "home" Spanish to the high-level technical C1/C2 terminology needed for things like oncology or surgery?

To clarify — my end goal is an MA in Conference Interpreting. The veterinary and medical fields are the specialist areas I want to work in, not separate qualifications I’m pursuing

Hi everyone, I’m currently exploring my path into interpreting. I’m a native English/Spanish speaker with an interest in high-level niches like Veterinary and Medico-Legal research. I’m curious about your journeys:

• What is your specific specialism?
• Did your love for languages come from a desire to travel, and does your job actually allow you to see the world?
• What was your entry route? (I’m looking at an Access to HE course vs. A-levels).
• How did you bridge the gap between your BA and your MA/specialisation?

Has anyone gone from Access to HE straight into a top 10 university? What grades did you need?

ps. My end goal is an MA in Conference Interpreting.

I’m trilingual EN/FR/ES and want to work in veterinary/medical interpreting for UN/NGO field work — what qualifications beyond a BA would you recommend?

I’m trilingual (English, French, Spanish) and want to specialise in veterinary/medical interpreting — where do I start?

I’m starting Access to HE in September — Humanities or Social Sciences, which did you find more useful for a Languages degree?