- Who is eligible for the Pathway to Healthcare programme?
The Pathway to Healthcare programme is open to students entering Year 12 in September who have a genuine interest in pursuing a career in healthcare or medicine. Students must have support from their schools to apply, including approval for time off where necessary to attend events. Students who are interested in applying to the Pathway to Healthcare programme must meet the following criteria:
- Entering Year 12 in September at a school/college in Birmingham, Solihull or the Black Country region.
- Studying both Chemistry and Biology A Level.
- Have achieved at least five GCSEs at Level 9–4. This must include Double Science or Chemistry and Biology at level 6 or above, as well as Maths and English Language.
Students that do not meet these grades may be considered for the Pathway to Healthcare Programme but, please note, you will not be able to apply for the MBChB Medicine degree at Aston University.
Students must also meet at least one of the following widening participation criteria. Places on the programme are limited. If the programme is oversubscribed then places will be offered by random allocation to all eligible applicants until the programme is full
- Live in a POLAR 4, Quintile 1 or 2 area (check if your home postcode is eligible)
- Attend a school or college in a POLAR 4, Quintile 1 or 2 area (check if your school/college postcode is eligible)
- Come from a home where neither parent has attended a university in the UK or abroad
- Have a disability or are in receipt of a personal independence payment
- Is a care leaver or has experience of being looked after by a local authority
Please note students who enter the Pathway to Healthcare Programme are not guaranteed a place on our MBChB medical degree or life and health sciences degrees. On successful completion of the Pathway Programme, students who wish to apply to Aston University, who fulfil all our admissions and other entry criteria and are successful with their application, will be eligible for a contextual offer.
- Why choose Aston's Pathway to Healthcare?
- 84% of students on our most recent cohort have applied to study a medicine or healthcare-related course at university.
- Access to a wide range of medicine and healthcare experts to help you decide on your future career path.
- A level boot camps and application preparation to ensure you are fully prepared to apply to university.
- Help with making an informed decision about your future career choices.
- A single point of contact at Aston University who will support you throughout the university application process and your time at school or college.
- Special consideration from Aston admissions tutors and eligibility for a contextual offer if all of our admissions and entry criteria are fulfilled.
“The Pathway to Healthcare Programme has given me an insight into what university is really like and helped build my confidence about my own journey into higher education – it was a real eye-opener”.
“The Pathway to Healthcare Programme gave me the opportunity to flourish and realise my potential. It helped me develop my grades and social skills. It’s an incredible opportunity that I would highly recommend”
Former Pathway to Healthcare students
- Current healthcare partners and Outreach Champions
The Pathway to Healthcare programme at Aston University engages 120 sixteen to eighteen year-olds every year with interactive, healthcare-inspired workshops. These workshops encourage and support students to aspire, apply and attain a degree in medicine or the healthcare professions.
One of the main hurdles for the Widening Participation students that we support is the shortage of information, advice and guidance around the roles or careers they can pursue within the healthcare sector. One of the most important elements to overcome is the need to secure a work-experience placement within the sector.
The following healthcare providers have partnered with Aston University to support our Sir Doug Ellis Pathway to Healthcare students. These Healthcare Outreach Champions support our students across various healthcare settings such as GP surgeries, medical centres and hospitals, providing real insight into what it's like to work within the healthcare sector. We cannot thank them enough for their continued support for the programme. Our current Healthcare Outreach Champions are:
- BG Health
- Birmingham City Hospital
- Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospitals
- Coventry Road Medical Centre
- Darlaston Family Practice
- Dudley & Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
- Firstcare Practice
- Halcyon Medical
- Hampton Surgery
- Iridium Medical Practice
- Oldbury Health Centre
- Omina Practice
- Rotton Park Medical Centre
- Sandwell Hospital
- Sarephed Medical Centre
- Smethwick Medical Centre
- St Wulfstan Surgery
- How to apply
Applications are now closed. Applications for our next Cohort on the Pathway to Healthcare Programme will open in July 2022.
- Contact us
Any questions?
Contact us directly at pathways@aston.ac.uk
- Find out more
If you are interested in finding out more about the Outreach events and activities which we run at Aston University, including our other Pathway to Aston Programmes outside of healthcare subjects, please visit our central Student Recruitment and Outreach webpages, or contact us directly at SRO@aston.ac.uk or call +44 (0)121 204 4771.
