SFC funding for access initiatives

Schools for Higher Education Programme

The Schools for Higher Education Programme (SHEP) supports regional collaboration between schools, colleges and universities to increase progression to higher education in both colleges and universities.

The programme supports the Senior Phase of CFE (Curriculum for Excellence), focused on school pupils S3 to S6. Working with schools in each region where fewer than 22% of pupils progress to higher education, the programme targets activity on pupils who are at risk of not achieving their full potential and those achieving but who don't recognise their potential.

Further information on the work of the individual programmes can be found at:

• North programme (Aspire North).
• Fife and Tayside programme (LIFT Off).
• South East programme (LEAPS).
• West programme (FOCUS West).

Schools for Higher Education Programme [PDF] lists the target schools included in the programme.

Scottish Wider Access Programme 

The Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAP) works in partnership with colleges and Higher Education Institutions across Scotland to provide routes into Higher Education for adults with few or no qualifications, or whose qualifications are out-of-date.

SWAP Access Programmes are one year full-time courses at colleges across Scotland. Successful completion of a SWAP Access Programme can lead to a guaranteed place on a Higher National or degree course at a college or university.

For details of current SWAP programmes running at different colleges, please see:

• EAST of Scotland (SWAP East programmes).
• WEST of Scotland (SWAP West programmes).

For more information on SWAP, please contact Anna Wallace, tel: 0131 313 6605,
email: awallace@sfc.ac.uk.