Havant & South Downs College (HSDC)

• Location: Waterlooville, Hampshire, England
• Age of students: from 16 to 19 years old,
• Type of study: mixed,
• Language of instruction: English.

HSDC is a college of further education located in Waterlooville, England. The college was formed on August 1, 2017, through the merger of South Downs College and Sixth Form – Havant College. Subsequently, on March 1, 2019, the college merged with Alton College to become HSDC, consisting of three campuses.

The college's programme includes around 40 A-Levels subjects, professional courses including T Levels (from September 2020), UAL and BTEC qualifications, and internships run in partnership with leading local and national companies.

HSDC strives to provide the highest possible level of teaching and learning. Regardless of a student's age, education, or qualifications, a college can help job seekers reach their full potential.

Studying at HSDC provides comprehensive support to students to reach their potential in order to become self-confident, independent learners. Academic and personal goals are set for all students, which are regularly reviewed by a number of staff members to ensure appropriate and effective support. Overall results are tracked through indicators of success or failure, positive data on the goals achieved.

HSDC's Admissions Statement gives the following destinations for a previous cohort:

• 200 students gained places at Russell Group universities,
• Nine places were secured in medicine, veterinary science, and dentistry combined,
• Three admissions to Oxford and Cambridge combined.

The document does not specify the cohort year.

HSDC arranges homestays with local families for international students. The college considers each student's interests and hobbies when matching them with a host to help them feel comfortable in their new home. Spending time with the family helps students learn about British culture.

Each student has a private bedroom where they can live and study. Homes are usually no more than 20 minutes away by direct bus. The trip can sometimes take longer during rush hour.

Homestays can include full board with breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The annual accommodation option is listed with half board. Some host families also give students access to the kitchen to prepare their own snacks.

All international students must have a guardian: a responsible adult who lives in the UK and can act on their parents' behalf in an emergency. Guardians are responsible for providing emergency assistance around the clock, staying in regular contact with the student, checking on their progress, and helping with any difficulties.

HSDC creates a space not only for learning, but also for the creative development of each student: the college provides a wide range of extracurricular activities aimed at unlocking the potential of each student. The college offers a huge variety of extracurricular clubs and societies that will allow students to make the most of their time here, try new things, develop their interests and hobbies, and make new acquaintances in the process.

Student Clubs & Communities:

• Wildlife Society,
• HSDC MedSoc,
• Drama Club,
• Alton JAZZ BAND,
• Creative Writing Club,
• Board Games Club,
• Cinema Club,
• Astronomical Club,
• ROCK SOLID Team,
• Criminalistics Club,
• Chess Club,
• Chamber Orchestra and much more.

HSDC offers students the opportunity to travel and explore the world: local excursions, trips to neighboring cities and countries are organized, students can visit museums, castles in England, enjoy interesting movies in the company of fellow students.

Trips and enrichment activities at HSDC vary by course:

• Students on the UAL Foundation Diploma at Alton and South Downs can take day trips to exhibitions and travel abroad. Past destinations have included New York, Iceland, San Francisco, and Beijing,
• Art, Craft & Design A Level students at Alton visit London galleries and can join the Creative Visual Arts department's annual overseas trip,
• Expressions Creative Arts at Alton includes weekly enrichment activities, theater visits, trips, and workshops.

• At Alton, students can combine A Level subjects with equivalent vocational courses,
• Employers play a substantial role in Level 3 programs at South Downs,
• South Downs offers courses through the South Coast Institute of Technology,
• Alton introduced its Space Technologies program in 2025,
• In June 2021, HSDC reported that its Skills For Life provision had received an Outstanding rating from Ofsted in March 2020.

HSDC has campuses in Hampshire:

• South Downs in Waterlooville offers vocational courses, T Levels, and apprenticeships. Its facilities include Salon 74 and the 74 South restaurant,
• Havant specializes in A Levels. Its students can use facilities at nearby South Downs,
• Alton, in the historic town of the same name, offers more than 30 A Level subjects, vocational courses, T Levels, and apprenticeships. Its facilities include the Wessex Arts Theatre.

Alton campus is a short walk from the train station and town center. Many public buses stop directly outside and run throughout the academic term. Parking is available for visitors, staff, and students, but spaces by the Odiham Road entrance are limited.

HSDC uses CCTV in its buildings to prevent crime and maintain safety. Visitors must sign in at reception.

The academic year at Havant & South Downs College runs from September to June. The year is divided into 3 trimesters, between which vacations are organized:

• Autumn trimester (September – December),
• Christmas Vacation (2 weeks),
• Spring trimester (January – March),
• Easter holidays (2 weeks),
• Summer term (April – June),
• Summer holidays (2 months, July and August).

Additional costs:

• Registration fee (non-refundable),
• Visa fee,
• Transfer
• Residence
• Transport
• Nutrition
• Educational materials and stationery,
• Payment for additional items (optional),
• Excursions and activities.

For non-EU A Level applicants, HSDC requires full payment of tuition to confirm the application and before issuing the CAS document.

HSDC's Admissions Statement records 1,151 students from a previous cohort who applied for higher education.

Students taking Art, Craft & Design A Level at Alton typically continue to the Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, a preparatory course, before moving on to higher education programs in creative disciplines.

Havant & South Downs College has the following prerequisites for international students:

• English language proficiency level (IELTS 6.0 or Cambridge C1),
• Results of 5 GCSE exams or a level of education equivalent for entry to A-Level.

In 2025, Alton College Foundation awarded 20 Scholarships for Excellence for achievement in academic and vocational subjects, funded by the foundation's Student Support Fund. By March 2025, 440 scholarships had been awarded since the program began in 2002.

The awards introduced in 2025 included a drawing scholarship sponsored by Rosemary Andreae for A Level Art students and two scholarships sponsored by the Ellis Campbell Foundation for students in the Space Technologies program.

Expressions Creative Arts students at Alton who struggle to cover the cost of equipment, materials, and trips can seek financial support from the college.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision