Although I was considered quite bright in the small primary school I attended, when I started high school as an undiagnosed autistic child I became incredibly overwhelmed and found the only way to cope with the extra sensory and social pressure was to coast through. I fell behind with work as I spent most of my time just trying to cope with the school environment. Having developed an apprehensive relationship with academia, I always hoped I might be able to access university. I had to drop my a-levels in 1995 when I was 18, so I could work full-time and move to a flat when it became obvious I ..read more

If you are a mature student, returner to learning or someone who has experienced a disrupted education, you may be anxious about the support available for anyone not familiar with higher education and its challenges.  Starting your higher education journey is one of the most exciting times of your life, but we realise you might have some concerns as well. Whatever they might be, you don’t need to worry as the University of Liverpool offers lots of support. Our Student Services team, who offer a huge range of services, including mental health support like counselling, a Mental Health Advis ..read more

Storm Lillian might have been causing chaos across the North West, but nothing could dampen the spirits of everyone involved in this year’s Return to Learn Day. For the second year running, the team at Go Higher invited potential mature learners to experience a full day of talks and tours on campus. The day was (high) kicked off on a musical note, with Dr Freya Jarman (below left) leading listeners through the history of the multiple meanings of singing high notes in Western music. Covering everything from Tiny Tim to Barbara Streisand, our visitors quickly warmed to the topic and were keen to ..read more

My name is Stephen Kearns and I am the module co-ordinator for the maths module on Go Higher. I remember when I was in junior school and would rush home to work on my mathematics book because I loved solving the problems and getting the smiley faces on my work. I always considered myself to be quite clever and thought I’d do really well in school. But, secondary school was a different experience. The pupils just wanted to mess around ensuring the teacher spent most of her time dealing with the disturbance rather than teaching the class. Many teachers were absent through illness and substitute ..read more

I joined the GoHigher programme at just 19, I had always wanted to opportunity to be able to help others and wanted to serve justice and after doubting my self, it gave me an opportunity to follow my dream. I didn’t think I was capable of Law after leaving  school so took an NVQ route and planned on going into engineering. As a woman in STEM, it was extremely difficult to be taken seriously, so I thought, why not just put the shift in to do what I really wanted to do? Not only did I get into my goal university studying my dream subject, but I for the first time enjoyed learning, I fe ..read more

I became a student at Go Higher in September 2020 (during the Covid lockdown). As a mature student who left school without taking my GCSE’s, the prospect of going back into the education system seemed pretty daunting. University seemed unattainable for the likes of me, after all I’d been out of education for over 25 years, why would I subject myself to such torture? This mentality came from an old, conditioned mindset I’d adopted after what I can only describe as a difficult time in secondary school. I had dyscalculia and dyslexia, so would sometimes struggle with processing inf ..read more

One of the most enjoyable days in the Go Higher calendar is an evening in mid-July when we celebrate the achievements of the Go Highers who have just completed their Diploma and are looking forward to beginning their degrees in September. Joining these students at the celebration are former Go Highers who have completed their undergraduate studies and are about to graduate. These former students are always an inspiration and encouragement to Go Highers about to embark on that journey. So what degrees are our Go Higher progressing to in 2023? Most stay at the University of Liverpool and this ye ..read more

We speak to Go Higher graduate Michelle Middleman after she completed her PhD in Egyptology – capping off an incredible journey starting with finding Go Higher at a University Open Day. How did you first hear about the Go Higher course and what inspired you to apply? I first heard about Go Higher at an open day. I had attended to find out more information about the Egyptology degree. By happy coincidence I came across the Go Higher course and it was the perfect fit for me. My children were 5 and 10 at the time and with Go Higher, you only need to be on campus for one day a week, which was idea ..read more

Sign up to Return to Learn Day April 2024 at Eventbrite April saw a hugely exciting event for Go Higher as we opened the doors of the University for those who were potentially looking for their route back into education. Our “Return To Learn Day” was a chance for those who had heard of our access diploma to get a further look behind-the-scenes at what we do, who we are, and why this course could be the right next step for them. Through a wide range of organised sessions, informal chats and tours around different aspects of the campus – we wanted to offer prospective students a chance to a ..read more

An army veteran from Wirral is now studying for a PhD in PTSD in Classics and Ancient History after enrolling in the University of Liverpool’s Go Higher access course. Phil Hurworth hopes that his PhD research, examining post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in ancient Greek tragedy plays, will help former military personnel understand and share their experiences of battlefield trauma and PTSD. 57-year-old Phil, from Birkenhead, joined the army when he was just 16, leaving school with no qualifications. He served in the Royal Artillery for ten years until 1991 when he left the army t ..read more