One-year access courses for people wanting to go to university could be thrown open to 16- to 18-year-olds after their adult-only status was ruled illegal by the Quality Assurance Agency last week.
New guidance opens the floodgates to under-19s, with the prospect of gaining an A-level in one year rather than following the standard two-year course.
The QAA, which is responsible for standards in higher education, has warned FE colleges they can no longer stipulate an age limit for the courses, even though they are intended specifically for adults.
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