A one-year bridging programme into diploma and degree programmes, approved by the National Council for Higher Education. It was formerly called the Higher Education Certificate.
The Higher Education Access Programme (HEAP) is for people who do not have the qualifications required for direct admission under the current Uganda national admission criteria, and for holders of foreign qualifications that do not meet the requirements of the Ugandan education system.
Admission requirements
- UACE holders: two subsidiary passes in principal subjects at the same sitting. Applicants with one principal pass and two subsidiaries or more count as overqualified, and cannot be admitted
- Vocational qualifications at level 2 or 3 of the Uganda Vocational Qualifications Framework
- Foreign qualifications equivalent to UACE with an overall grade of C; proof of English proficiency where studies were not in English
- Qualifications equivalent to UACE as determined by NCHE or UNEB
- An ordinary certificate in a relevant discipline from an NCHE-recognised institution
The programmes
Higher Education Access Programme in Humanities (HEAP-H)
Combinations: English and Literature · Geography and Mathematics · Economics and Mathematics · Geography and Economics.
Leads to degrees such as teacher education, mass communication, law, social work, commerce, procurement, economics, development studies and human resource management.
Higher Education Access Programme in Biological Sciences (HEAP-B)
Combinations: Biology and Chemistry · Biology and Agriculture.
Leads to degrees such as medicine, pharmacy, nursing, medical laboratory science, food science, agriculture, environmental and veterinary sciences, and science education.
Higher Education Access Programme in Physical Sciences (HEAP-P)
Combinations: Physics and Mathematics · Mathematics and Chemistry.
Leads to degrees such as engineering, architecture, surveying, statistics, computer science, information technology and science education.
Duration and fees
One year (two semesters), day programme. Total fees per semester, tuition and functional: UGX 700,000 (East Africans) or USD 700 (others). Students who finish with Class I or II can go on to bachelor’s degrees, and those with Class III to diplomas.