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Adult Education

Belfast Metropolitan College, Queen’s University and the University of Ulster run evening classes in languages, arts, crafts, new media and technology.

Courses are open to all adult learners with or without previous study or knowledge. Students pay term fees and buy their own books and materials. Written assignments are optional. Courses do not involve examinations.

The courses are leisure and lifestyle interest and sometimes inspire a student to consider further, more academic study.

Day and evening classes in GCSE and A-Level languages and sciences are also taught at Belfast Metropolitan College. Courses are open to adult learners or recent school leavers who want to repeat subjects to obtain better grades.

If you have O’Levels or GCSE grades but did not study A-Levels and now want to go to university, you can study a two-year, fee-paying access course. If you already passed A-Levels but want to study in a new discipline, you enter the second year in September and complete by the following May. Access courses are recognised by universities and taught at Belfast Metropolitan College,

The course involves attending about nine hours’ teaching each week, and submitting regular assignments and other course work. Exams are taken in May and results published in June. The access course gains you points equivalent to three A-Level grades.

You need to apply through UCAS to get a place on an undergraduate course. Your course tutor or the careers office in Belfast Metropolitan College will advise you on making an application through UCAS.

The Educational Guidance Service for Adults (EGSA) helps adults who are considering returning to education or studying for the first time. EGSA will advise about making the best choices so that you find a course and a learning pace which suits you.