Students who do not receive their secondary education in the UK, and therefore do not sit A-Levels or the IB, have another option if their home country’s qualifications do not meet the entrance requirements for British universities. Foundation programmes, for 17 to 18 year olds, enable students to ‘catch-up’ before applying to university in the UK.
These programmes introduce students to a new education system and offer an effective preparation for undergraduate learning, with most taking place on university campuses. They tend to last a year and are thus cheaper than the normal two years at a Sixth Form, although parents should note that when applying to more prestigious universities it is better to enter the UK education system earlier.
To see our interactive graph explaining how Foundation Programmes relate to the entire UK education system click here.
UK Study Centre cooperates with many top UK universities offering foundation programmes. These are aimed at incoming international students whose secondary educational qualifications are insufficient to progress directly into an undergraduate degree, as well as those in the UK who did not achieve high enough scores in their A Level or IB exams. A range of universities offer foundation including UCL, King’s, Warwick, Birmingham, Glasgow, York, Nottingham, Liverpool.
The foundation programmes focus on preparing students for entry into the first year of a Bachelor’s degree. Over the year, students are taught:
In addition, there are diploma programmes which enable students to enter the second year of a UK undergraduate degree, if they have already begun studying in another country. For students who have completed a Bachelor’s degree abroad but do not meet the requirements for direct entry into a Masters programme in the UK, there are also pre-masters courses, which are also known as graduate diploma programmes. Students are equipped with specialised skills for their chosen area of postgraduate study in the UK. In addition, international diploma programmes can enable students to refine their interests for further study.
If you would like advice on foundation courses or pre-masters programmes for international students, please contact our consultants who would be happy to help. Our cooperation with leading UK universities enables us to offer you the best opportunities for entry into the UK education system.
Call us on 0203 397 7744 or send us an enquiry by following this link.
