HUDDERSFIELD youngsters who have studied advanced diplomas will soon be among the first taking the new courses to apply to university.

Young people who started studying advanced diploma courses in 2008 will submit applications in autumn for degrees starting in 2010.

The students have taken two courses, one in Creative and Media and Society and the other in Health and Development.

Although the diploma is a new qualification, around 80% of undergraduate university courses are open to students with them.

Diplomas are qualifications for 14 to 19-year-olds which have been developed with universities and employers to combine classroom learning with hands-on experience, so that students are better prepared for work or higher education.

As well as learning about a specific vocational sector, students continue to study English, maths and IT.

Diplomas come in three levels – foundation, higher and advanced – and are graded in the same way as GCSEs or A-levels.

Foundation diplomas are worth five GCSEs, the higher diploma is worth seven GCSEs, graded A* to C, and the advanced diploma is worth three-and-a-half A levels at grade A* to E.

Prof Michael Arthur is vice-chancellor of the University of Leeds, one of the universities accepting diploma students.

He said: “The diploma provides a new way of learning that engages young people from all backgrounds.

“Young people who take a diploma will gain valuable skills for higher education such as independent learning, critical thinking and teamwork. These are the kind of attributes we look for in our prospective students.”

Some of the university courses have even been developed with the diploma in mind.

Schools Minister Sarah McCarthy-Fry said: “If you do the right diploma and get the right grades, you can access the vast majority of undergraduate courses.

“I congratulate universities for their broad-minded acceptance of the new qualification.”