All correspondence including notification of interview and course offers will be sent to your personal email address. Please ensure you have regular access to this email, as failure to keep up to date with College communications could result in you not securing a place on your chosen course. We may also send text updates and reminders to your mobile number and lecturing staff may also contact you to offer you further guidance. Please let us know of any change to your email address or mobile number as soon as possible by emailing admissions@src.ac.uk.

The admissions team will issue communications to your registered email address to keep you updated on your application and the next steps. Some courses require applicants to attend a Pre-Enrolment Advice Session (PEAS) before an offer can be made. If you are invited to a PEAS, it is compulsory that you attend as this is a key part of the admissions process. Please ensure you monitor the email account you provided on your application. Interviews usually take place between January and June and may be delivered on campus, via telephone or video call.

If you applied for more than one course, we have recorded this on your application. However, we will only process your first choice for interview. If you would like to be interviewed or require more course information on your second choice course, please phone the College admissions team on 028 3025 9798.

HLA Application Process

Stage 1: Apply Now! Applications are open for all higher level apprenticeships. Apply online through the SRC Application Portal (links from each course page). If you have already secured an employer you will still need to make an application through the SRC Application Portal (and refer to stage 4 below).

Stage 2: You will be sent a link to access an Employer Additional Information form (EAI). This form is sent to all employers who have confirmed recruitment intentions. This is the only information employers will receive to shortlist and invite you for interview. Use this as an opportunity to sell yourself. Be sure to make the best first impression.

Don’t panic - we are here to help! We will direct you to guidelines and a video tutorial online and will also invite you to attend a careers session - all for extra help and guidance. Remember to submit your form before March 2024 for it to be sent to HLA employers in our first pool of applicants.

Stage 3: You are required to attend a mandatory Pre-Enrolment Advice Session (PEAS). You must attend in order to obtain an offer on a HLA programme. You will have the opportunity to meet and speak with the curriculum team at this PEAS.

Stage 4: Your EAI form will be shared with employers.

Alternatively, at this stage if you have an employer in mind, you can contact the HLA team at SRC for guidance and we will assess employer suitability.

Stage 5: March 2024 - August 2024 – Employers will shortlist, interview, and make job offers.

Employers are responsible for contacting you (the applicant) directly to invite you for interview. SRC are not involved in the shortlisting or interview process. Employers are responsible for contacting you directly to make you a job offer.

Please contact the HLA Team if you have been unsuccessful in gaining an interview or securing a job at hla@src.ac.uk

Gaining entry onto the HLA programme is conditional on you securing a job offer, holding an offer of a place on a course and meeting the academic entry requirements for each individual HLA. SRC will endeavour to support you to secure a job offer by sharing your EAI form with SRC registered employers for shortlisting purposes. As noted at Stage 4 above, we will assess independently sourced employer suitability.

Stage 6: August 2024 - On A-Level results day, you must upload your results to the SRC Application Portal to prove that required qualifications have been achieved.

• If you have met the academic entry requirements and have a job secured, we will confirm your place on the course and inform your employer. Your employer will begin to draw up a contract of employment.
• If you have met the academic entry requirements but not yet secured a job offer, please don't panic. Your EAI form will be shared with employers as part of the second pool of applicants.
• If you have not met the academic entry requirements, please contact the SRC Careers Team to discuss alternative options, including Clearing.

Stage 7: September 2024 – All HLA programmes commence.

Please note: The HLA programme will run subject to sufficient enrolments. Although you may be in receipt of a FIRM course offer, the College reserves the right to only run the course if sufficient enrolments are in place. In the case of a HLA programme becoming oversubscribed, places are allocated based on the date an employer makes a job offer.

Costs: There are no costs incurred as Higher-Level Apprenticeships are funded by the Department for the Economy and the European Social Fund.

Eligibility

• Residency conditions apply.
• Candidates should not be currently on any other government funded training programme.
• HLA candidates who already hold a HND, Foundation Degree or Degree in a related discipline may not be eligible.

To take part in the Higher-Level Apprenticeship programme you need, as a minimum, to:

• Be employed or be about to take up permanent paid employment as an apprentice or be an existing employee moving to a new job role, with a Northern Ireland based company.
• Work a minimum of 21 hours per week (which includes time for ‘off-the-job’ training).
• Have achieved all necessary entry qualifications determined by the relevant sector.
• Pass any entry tests specified by the relevant sector.
• Be the minimum school leaving age in Northern Ireland.

Employer Additional Form (EAI)

Your submitted and approved Employer Additional Information Form (EAI) form will be sent in the first pool of applications directly to employers for them to undertake recruitment activities. This EAI form is the only piece of information the employer will receive, so make sure you read the documentation on how to complete an EAI form and use the opportunity to sell yourself and create the best first impression possible. Please use the same personal email address and password that you created to access the SRC application portal.

Key Dates

All EAI forms submitted and approved by 16 June 2024 will be sent to employers as part of ‘Pool 1’ which is week commencing 17 June 2023 for employers to undertake recruitment and selection. EAI forms submitted and approved after 17 June 2024 will be sent to employers as part of ‘Pool 2’ which will be sent to employers post A-Level results day in August 2024.

Further Information

For any questions regarding the HLA process, please contact the HLA team.
E: hla@src.ac.uk
T: 028 3025 9664 /028 3839 7778

• A-Level applicants can apply for these courses on either a full-time or part-time (day) basis.
• Applicants can view A-Level subject combinations on page 3 of the A-Level Academy Booklet. Please note that combinations listed are for guidance and may be subject to change.
• The entry requirements for each A-Level subject for 2024-25, can be found on page 2 of the A-Level Academy Booklet. Subject entry requirements can also be found on each subject page in the A-Level courses section of the website.
• Eligibility and success in securing a place in the A-Level Academy is dependent upon applicants meeting the entry requirements for all A-Level subjects applied for.
• Attendance at a Pre-Enrolment Advice Session (PEAS) is compulsory for all A-Level applicants.
• Subject choice and selection will only be made during attendance at PEAS.
• Conditional Offers of places may be made at PEAS, including confirmation of subject choices. Conditional Offers will only become Firm Offers when the results of examinations are provided and that they meet the entry requirements for the course.

For information on the Open University specific Policies, Handbooks and Guidelines please visit Open University Handbook & Guidelines.

If you have applied for an apprenticeship programme, your offer is also subject to you securing a position of employment with a Northern Ireland based company. For details on the apprenticeship courses offered at SRC please visit apprenticeships.

If you have made a referral for learning support services by ticking the relevant section on your application form, please visit the learning support section of our website for information on the support provided at SRC. For further guidance on your learning support referral or if you wish to contact a member of the learning support team, please contact the team.

The financial assistance available will depend on the type of course and level of study you have applied for and your age at enrolment. To find out more about financial assistance available, please visit finance and funding.

EU/EEA and Swiss citizens who make an application to SRC must have immigration permission, either through the EU Settlement Scheme or through another category of the UK’s Immigration Rules.

Applicants who are non-EU/EEA or Swiss residents must have a valid visa or have immigration permission which permits them to study for the duration of their course. Applicants must abide by the immigration rules as listed in the UKVI guidance notes.

To receive funding for a Further Education course, evidence must be provided that the applicant has been a resident in the UK, Gibraltar, EEA or Switzerland throughout the three-year period preceding the first day of the first academic year. Failing this, international fees must be paid.

For full fee information, please carefully read SRC's Annual Schedule of Fees & Charges 2024-2025.

Follow our step-by-step guide with instructions on uploading evidence to your online application.

Our careers team provides information, advice and guidance to help you plan and achieve your next steps. They support students throughout their time at College and help applicants considering their options prior to joining SRC. To get in touch with the team please visit our careers advice pages.

Please follow these instructions to join an online PEAS MS Teams meeting. (Please note we recommend you download Microsoft Teams (MS Teams) well in advance of your interview to ensure you are familiar with accessing the app and using the features including sound and camera etc).

• 'Microsoft Teams' is available on Android phones and tablets, as well as iPhone, iPad and iPod touch (as well as PCs and Macs).
• To download Microsoft Teams on phone or tablet, open your device’s application store. If you are on Android, this is 'Play Store' and if on iOS, it is the 'App Store'.
• Type 'Microsoft Teams' into the search bar and press 'Go'. MS Teams will likely show up as the top result, but if not, scroll down a bit to find 'Microsoft Teams', published by Microsoft Corporation.
• Tap 'Install' on Android/iOS. You may need to accept some permissions before full installation.
• Enter your details to sign into 'Teams' - type in your email or phone number associated with the account you would like to sign in with. After entering your email or phone number, tap 'Sign in' to proceed. Tap 'Sign up for free' if you don’t have a Microsoft account already.
• You will then be asked to choose if you are creating an MS Teams account for personal use or business. Click on the appropriate option. Then enter your details, create a password and complete any other steps to create an account.
• Complete the welcome tour if prompted to do so.
• After entering your password, you may reach a page where it takes you through a small tour about some of Teams features. Read the content then tap 'Next' to proceed. At the end, you may have to click 'Got it' in order to proceed.

To join the PEAS interview, open the email which contains the hyperlink to the interview on the device you are planning to use a few minutes before the start of the meeting. Please ensure you can locate sound and video controls to participate. If you have any technical difficulties lasting longer than one minute, try to close the Teams app and click on the link again to join the interview.

Before applying to or enrolling on any course, you are encouraged to make yourself familiar with our terms and conditions. You are also encouraged to print and keep a copy for your records. The terms and conditions for enrolment and application will apply to all potential and existing learners. If you have any queries relating to these, please contact qualityhelpdesk@src.ac.uk.

If you have forgotten your login details or password for the online application portal, please click here to view details on resetting your account. You will need to log onto the SRC Portal.

For information on College contact details please visit Contact Us.