If you are an international student finishing your high school exams, have completed less than 13 years of education and would like to take your first degree in the UK, you will need to study a foundation course at a UK university or college. A foundation is a one-year preparation course for international students who need additional English language and academic preparation for entry onto a UK university undergraduate course.
Foundation programmes are for school-leavers who have studied a non-British curriculum but wish to pursue a degree at a UK university. The foundation course acts as a bridge between your current qualifications and UK university undergraduate entry requirements and is designed to plug academic gaps, improve your English and familiarise you with UK life and culture in preparation for university.
Foundation courses can prepare you for a variety of subjects such as: Business, Finance & Management; Computing; Law; Art and Design; Engineering; Social Science; Medicine; Science and Pharmacy; Media; and Humanities.
Certain foundation providers have partnerships with universities and can guarantee progression to that institution if the student achieves high enough grades. Many programmes will see the student based on campus, benefitting from full university status with complete access to libraries, equipment and sporting facilities.