THE UK FOUNDATION PROGRAMMES

WHY THE UK FOUNDATION PROGRAMMES?

UK foundation programmes at designed to prepare international students for bachelor degrees in the UK. They generally range between 6 to 8 months in duration. Studying a foundation programme in the UK is a great way to immerse yourself in a subject you are passionate about. It is an alternative route or a springboard into degree-level study at a world-class university in the UK.

Students generally specialise in the subject area they will study at university. A variety of streams is available in a foundation programme, from social studies and business management to biological science and sports therapy.

#1 Access to university facilities

Most UK foundation programmes are run on UK university campuses, providing students access to state-of-the-art facilities at the universities. Students have access to libraries, sports facilities, lecture theatres and classrooms and accommodation from day 1 like any other university students. It gives them the first-hand experience as a university student. This is also the major difference between studying on a foundation programme and at a sixth-form college.

#2 Better Support for International Students

UK foundation programmes are designed specifically for overseas students, and includes English language, culture and study-skills support. The programmes also provide students with university-style teaching to prepare students for their degree. You will get to take part in tutorials, seminar-style classes and larger group lectures.

#3 Time Saving

Foundation programmes are no doubt the quicker route, with a shorter study duration that could propel you ahead of your A-Level peers by up to 1 year. However, this does translate to more hectic class schedules and shorter semester breaks. Expect to juggle frantically between lectures, assignments and perpetual class tests.

The standard duration for a UK foundation programme is approximately 8 months. Students with strong academic achievement can opt to do a shorter 6-month foundation whereas students who need more support in their English language ability can do a longer foundation programme that lasts around 1 year.

1-TO-1 VS. 1-TO-MANY FOUNDATION PROGRAMME?

There are two types of foundation pathway students can choose from: 1-to-1 foundation and 1-to-many foundation.

A 1-to-1 foundation usually prepares students to progress to the specific university in which the foundation programme is being offered. It is a good choice if students know which university they are interested to attend or if they are aiming at a reasonably good ranking university because entry to Year 1 undergraduate degree is guaranteed as long as they meet the progression requirements.

1-to-many foundation programmes cater to students who are wish to keep their options open. Students are able to apply to a broad selection of universities in the UK and Europe with a One-to-Many foundation programme. Examples are INTO London, INTO Manchester, Bellerbys College and CATS.

DO THE UK UNIVERSITIES ACCEPT FOUNDATION PROGRAMMES STUDENTS?

Most UK universities today accept students from the UK foundation programme if the content of the foundation programme matches the pre-requisites required by the university and undergraduate degree. There are, however, a few exceptions, i.e. University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Imperial College London. University College London and London School of Economics.

Explore a good selection of international foundation programmes below to find one that suit your needs.