The provision of bridging courses over the past two decades at a regional university campus has expanded the future career opportunities for a range of students, many of whom have been educationally disadvantaged by their socioeconomic or other circumstances. While not the first year of an undergraduate course, this bridging year has been the first year of the students' experience in the university environment and has played a vital part in their enculturation to that environment. Students who have gone on successfully from these courses (now replaced by a single bridging course) to an undergraduate course have also been able, from their diverse backgrounds and age range, to contribute to a wider perspective for school-leaver fellow students. The paper draws on student feedback and the experiences of staff involved in course delivery and support in a bridging program preparing students for entry to Nursing and Social Work courses.