Want to Complete an Access Course? Get a Free Trial with Stonebridge!

Written by Fiona

Thinking about starting an Access to Higher Education Diploma but want to be sure it's the right move for you? An access courses online free trial is the smartest way to find out. Stonebridge College’s 7-day free trial isn't just a quick look; it's your all-access pass to the course materials, tutor support, and online platform you'd use as a fully enrolled student. With zero commitment, it’s the perfect, risk-free way to see if an Access Diploma fits your goals.

Ready to see how it works? Let's dive in.

How a 7-Day Free Trial Unlocks Your Future

So, what can you expect when you sign up? Getting started is incredibly simple. You register for the trial, and your payment details are taken at checkout but not charged. No credit checks, no complicated agreements—just instant access.

Once you’re in, you can explore your chosen course. It’s a fantastic opportunity to get a real feel for the learning style and content. And if you decide it's not for you? You can cancel anytime within the 7 days without being charged a penny. It’s that straightforward.

You're in Control: Explore everything with no commitment. Cancel anytime before the trial ends if it doesn’t feel right.
Full Tutor Support: Have questions? Your assigned tutor is there from day one to provide personalised feedback and guidance.
100% Online: Study whenever and wherever suits you. The platform is designed to work seamlessly around your life.
Pay Monthly: If you love the course and decide to continue, you’ll roll onto a simple, affordable monthly subscription only after the trial ends.

The Stonebridge 7-Day Free Trial at a Glance

To give you a clearer picture, here's a quick breakdown of what the trial offers and how it directly benefits you. It’s all about giving you the confidence to make the right choice for your future.

Feature	Your Benefit
No Credit Checks or Agreements	Get started immediately without any financial stress or lengthy sign-up forms.
Full Tutor Support	Experience first-hand how our expert tutors guide you and help with assignments.
Complete Course Access	Explore the lessons and resources to ensure the content and learning style match your needs.
Cancel Anytime	If it’s not for you, just cancel before the trial ends. No commitment, no questions asked.

This isn't about rushing you into a decision. It's about empowering you with a real, hands-on experience of the course before you commit.

In just seven days, you can see if an Access to HE Diploma aligns with your career goals.

For instance, within hours of logging in, you could be exploring an introduction to academic writing. Or maybe you want to browse the specific outlines for different diplomas to see what each one covers.

If you’re aiming for a career in healthcare, you could sample the Nursing pathway, which covers essential topics like anatomy, patient care, and study skills. Or, if you have your sights set on management, the Business pathway teaches core principles in management, marketing, and research.

Other popular pathways you could try include:

Social Work: Introduces you to policy, community practice, and reflective writing.
Computing: Helps you build foundational knowledge in coding, problem-solving, and IT theory.

What Can You Explore During the Trial?

This free trial is your chance to properly test-drive the platform and the content. You can watch videos to get a feel for the teaching style, or download resources to review study guides offline.

To really make the most of it, we recommend you:

Look at sample assignment prompts to understand what's expected.
Message a tutor with a question to see how responsive and helpful they are.
Try the interactive quizzes to see how feedback is delivered.
Check out the Community Hub to see how you can connect with fellow students.

These activities are brilliant for helping you judge the platform's usability and see how studying fits into your daily routine.

By the end of day seven, you’ll have a clear idea of whether a Stonebridge subscription is the right next step for you.

Your Next Steps After the Trial

If you feel confident after your trial, you don't need to do anything! You’ll seamlessly roll onto the monthly subscription to continue your diploma pathway without any interruption. But the flexibility doesn't stop there. If life gets in the way, you can pause or cancel your subscription at any time.

Stonebridge’s subscription model is designed to ensure that your learning journey fits your life, not the other way around.

Understanding the Access to Higher Education Diploma

So, you're thinking about university but don't have the A-Levels you need? Don't worry, you're not alone. This is where an Access to Higher Education (HE) Diploma comes in – it’s a direct route back into education, built specifically for adult learners just like you.

It's a nationally recognised Level 3 qualification, which is equivalent to three A-Levels, and it’s accepted by universities right across the UK as a standard entry qualification.

Instead of juggling multiple subjects, you’ll focus on a single diploma pathway tailored to your career ambitions. This focused approach helps you build deep subject knowledge and master essential academic skills like research and essay writing. It’s the perfect preparation for the demands of a university degree. The best part? Doing this online gives you incredible flexibility. You can fit your studies around your work, family, or other commitments without rigid timetables or stressful commutes. You progress at a pace that works for you.

Why is an Access to HE Diploma a Great Choice?

This qualification is about more than just getting the credits you need for university; it's about rebuilding your academic confidence. Many learners who have been out of the classroom for years find that the structured modules are exactly what they need to get to grips with referencing, critical analysis, and time management.

For example, if you want to become a nurse but your school qualifications don't meet university entry requirements, an Access to HE Diploma in Nursing gives you the specific scientific and healthcare knowledge that admissions tutors are looking for. You'd find yourself diving into topics like human biology, psychology, and professional healthcare practices.

An Access to HE Diploma bridges the gap between your current qualifications and your university ambitions, providing a structured and supportive pathway to your dream career.

It’s this tailored curriculum that makes these diplomas so effective. Some of the most popular pathways include:

Business: Ideal for aspiring entrepreneurs or anyone looking to climb the management ladder.
Social Work: A direct route into a profession where you can make a real impact.
Veterinary Science: Perfect for those who are passionate about animal health and welfare.

The Rise of Online Learning

The move towards flexible online study is a massive trend in education. The UK’s online education market is expected to hit a value of $14 billion by 2027, with professionals making up around 45% of that online learner base. Many, perhaps like you, use an access courses online free trial to get a feel for a course's quality before committing.

This growth shows how digital platforms are opening up new doors for learners everywhere. For a wider view on how things are changing, it’s interesting to look at success stories like Vedantu's disruption in Ed Tech, which highlights just how much these platforms are reshaping education.

Ultimately, choosing an online Access to HE Diploma puts you firmly in control of your learning journey. If you want to dive a bit deeper, check out our detailed guide on what is an Access to Higher Education course.

Making the Most of Your 7-Day Free Trial

Right, so you’ve signed up for your access courses online free trial. The next seven days are your golden opportunity to see if this is really the right path for you. Think of it like a test drive; you get to check under the bonnet, feel how it handles, and make sure it’s a comfortable ride before you commit.

This is your chance to move beyond the course description and get a genuine feel for the learning environment. The goal here is to gather enough hands-on information to make a confident decision.

This infographic shows just how simple it is to get started.

With just a click, you can unlock a week of exploration without any commitment, putting you in complete control of your next steps.

Plan Your Exploration

A little planning goes a long way. Instead of just clicking around aimlessly, create a simple checklist of what you want to achieve. This helps you make sure you cover all the important bits that will influence your final decision.

Your week could look something like this:

Days 1-2: Course Content Deep Dive. Go straight to the modules that interest you most. If you’re eyeing up the Nursing diploma, dive into the initial units on human biology. Is the material engaging and well-structured? Is it what you expected?
Days 3-4: Put Tutor Support to the Test. This one’s crucial. Your tutor is your main point of contact, so don’t be shy. Send them a message with a genuine question about an assignment or a concept you find a bit tricky. Take note of how long it takes to get a response and how helpful it is.
Days 5-6: Check Out the Platform. How easy is the learning portal to get around? Can you find resources, submit mock assignments, and check your grades without any hassle? It’s also worth logging in on both a laptop and your phone to see how it works on different devices.
Day 7: Reflect and Decide. Look back over your notes. Did the trial meet your expectations? Do you feel motivated and supported? Taking a moment to reflect like this will make your final decision much clearer.

Get Hands-On with the Course Materials

Reading about a course is one thing, but actually getting stuck in is another. During your trial, make a point of interacting with the materials as if you were a fully enrolled student. This active approach gives you a much richer sense of the day-to-day learning experience.

By proactively testing each feature, you’ll know for sure if the course fits your learning style, your schedule, and your career goals.

For instance, download a sample assignment brief. Read through the requirements and think about how you’d tackle it. Does the task seem achievable? For more great advice, have a read of our tips for succeeding in online classes.

Final Checks Before You Commit

Before your trial runs out, take a moment to look at the practicalities. Double-check how to submit assignments, where to find your feedback, and how the modular structure works. Understanding these details now helps prevent any surprises later on.

By the end of your seven days, you should have a really clear picture. You'll know if the course content is right for you, if the support is reliable, and if the platform is user-friendly. This isn't just a trial; it's your personal discovery week.

Flexible Subscription Learning with Stonebridge

So, what happens after your access courses online free trial finishes? This is where Stonebridge stands out. Instead of being asked to sign a long-term loan agreement or find a huge sum of money upfront, you can simply continue with a flexible monthly subscription.

We designed this model for real life. It means there are no credit checks and no complicated credit agreements to worry about. You pay a manageable monthly fee, which gives you full access to all course modules, learning resources, and personalised tutor feedback. It removes the financial barrier that so often stops people from returning to education.

You Are in Control of Your Studies

The subscription model puts you right where you should be: in the driver's seat. You get to decide the pace and how much you commit, which is a massive advantage when you're juggling studies with a job, family, or anything else life throws your way.

Here’s a quick look at how this flexibility works for you:

Pay Monthly: A simple, affordable fee makes budgeting easy. No surprises.
Pause or Cancel Anytime: If things get hectic, you can pause your subscription. When you’re ready to return, you can pick up exactly where you left off.
No Long-Term Debt: This is a big one. You avoid the stress of a student loan, only paying for the time you're actively studying.

This approach reflects a modern way of learning. Just look at the UK government’s Free Courses for Jobs initiative, which saw over 108,000 enrolments between April 2021 and April 2025. It shows how much demand there is for flexible, career-focused education. You can read more about these national education statistics to see the full picture.

A Learning Structure That Fits Your Life

It’s not just the payment model that’s flexible; our courses are structured the same way. The diplomas are broken down into modules, so you tackle one unit at a time. This approach prevents you from feeling overwhelmed and lets you really focus on mastering one topic before moving on to the next.

This isn't about fitting your life around your studies; it's about making your studies fit seamlessly into your life.

We hear from so many students who said this model was the only reason they could succeed. We have parents who study after the kids are asleep and shift workers who power through assignments on their days off. You have the total freedom to build a study schedule that genuinely works for you, rather than one dictated by a rigid academic calendar.

This supportive structure, paired with one-to-one guidance from your tutor, makes the whole experience feel manageable and rewarding. If you're curious about what you could study, have a look through our full range of distance learning courses and find the perfect path for your career goals.

Is an Online Access Course Right for You?

Choosing to return to education is a big step, and it's completely normal to wonder if an online course will genuinely fit into your life. The great thing about an access courses online free trial is that it lets you find out with real experience, not just guesswork.

Before you even sign up, it's worth having an honest chat with yourself about your routine and study habits. Are you comfortable being your own boss when it comes to scheduling? Can you carve out dedicated time each week for your modules? These questions are about working out if the freedom of online learning truly fits your personality.

Real-World Scenarios for Online Learners

Forget the idea of a "perfect" study routine. Success is all about finding a rhythm that works for you.

For example, many parents get their most productive work done after the kids are in bed, using those quiet evening hours to dig into assignments. Others, who might work shifts, often dedicate a full day off to power through a whole module in one go.

Here are a few common approaches people take:

The Early Riser: Some learners get up an hour before anyone else in the house. That early morning quiet is perfect for getting a head start with a clear mind.
The Lunch Break Learner: A professional might use their lunch hour two or three times a week to watch video lectures or review course notes.
The Weekend Warrior: If your weekdays are crammed, blocking out a few hours on a Saturday or Sunday can give you that deep-focus time needed for tougher topics.

The key here is consistency. Online learning isn’t about finding massive, empty blocks of time; it's about weaving study sessions into the small gaps that already exist in your week.

Self-Discipline and Setting Goals

Online study places a real emphasis on self-motivation. Without a lecturer physically there to remind you of deadlines, you have to become your own project manager. This is another reason the 7-day trial is so useful—it gives you a taste of this responsibility in a low-stakes way.

Trying out the course for a week lets you see the demands and rewards first-hand. It helps you build a realistic study plan before you commit to the full thing.

It's also a good idea to think about your career goals. While you're figuring out if an online Access Course is the right move, why not also explore high-paying remote jobs that don't require a degree? It helps to have a full picture of all your options for professional growth.

The boom in online learning across the UK is proof of how well it works. In fact, e-learning environments can boost information retention rates up to 60%, a huge leap from the 8-10% often seen in traditional classrooms. Ultimately, this process is about being honest with yourself. If you know you struggle with time management, you can build a plan to tackle it. The free trial is your chance to find out for sure.

Still Have a Few Questions?

Thinking about starting an access courses online free trial? It’s only natural to have a few questions before you dive in. To put your mind at ease, we’ve put together answers to the most common queries we hear.

What Happens After the 7-Day Trial?

This is the big one, and the answer is simple. If you enjoy the course and want to continue, you don't have to do anything. Your account will automatically switch over to our flexible monthly subscription when your seven-day trial finishes.

Your payment details are taken when you sign up for the trial, but to be crystal clear: no money is taken for the first seven days. If you feel the course isn’t the right fit, just cancel before day eight. You won’t be charged a single penny. The power is completely in your hands.

Are There Any Hidden Fees?

Absolutely not. Stonebridge is built on transparency. You won’t find any hidden setup costs, charges for materials, or long-term credit agreements.

Our subscription is a simple pay-as-you-go model. If life happens and you need to pause or cancel your studies, you can do so at any time without facing any penalties. This approach is designed to take the financial stress out of the equation so you can focus on what really matters – your learning.

What’s the Tutor Support Like During the Trial?

During your free trial, you get the full student experience. That means you receive the exact same dedicated tutor support as any of our fully subscribed learners. We think this is a vital part of the trial, as it lets you see for yourself just how valuable that one-to-one guidance is.

You'll be assigned a personal tutor who's an expert in your chosen subject. You can contact them about anything from course content and assignment questions to general study advice. We encourage you to put this to the test—send them a message and see how quickly and helpfully they get back to you.

Your trial isn't just about reading content; it's about experiencing the complete support system that helps our students achieve their goals.

Will Universities Recognise My Access to HE Diploma?

Yes, without a doubt. The Access to Higher Education Diploma is a nationally recognised Level 3 qualification, equivalent to three A-Levels. It’s fully regulated by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) and is accepted by the vast majority of universities across the UK.

Every year, thousands of adult learners use this very diploma as their springboard into a university degree in subjects from Nursing and Business to Social Work and beyond. It’s a trusted, respected, and well-established pathway created specifically to help people achieve their higher education dreams.

Ready to see if online learning is the right move for you? You can explore our full range of courses and start your no-obligation trial with Stonebridge Associated Colleges today. Find out more at https://www.stonebridge.uk.com.