Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Want to go to university but no A-levels??

I'm looking to do foundation year in university. I have GCSES but no A-levels. I heard foundation will be like A-levels standards. can i do foundation year without a levels. if not than what are my choices? also what is an access course? or apprenticeships?? thanks

Reply 1

Origami Bullets

An access course will be your best option - it's a 1 year course designed for over 19s in your position, and all universities (even Cambridge) accept it.

Foundation years are normally for people who are intelligent, but underperformed in their a levels. There's also quite a limited choice of foundation courses.

Apprenticeships are vocational qualifications designed to get you a specific job, not into uni. Only a few unis, at the less good end of the spectrum, accept them, so it would also leave you with relatively little choice.

Reply 2

heidigirl

Original post by Origami Bullets

Foundation years are normally for people who are intelligent, but underperformed in their a levels.

Not true exactly; there are some foundation years which are happy to take students who underperformed at A-level, but most are more aimed at people who for some reason don't have A-levels or equivalent qualifications, mature students who have been out of education for a while, or people who don't have the right subjects at A-level (for example, people who have taken art/humanities A-levels and decide they want to do a science degree).

OP, it very much depends on your circumstances and what you want to do. Science foundation years are common, but they're less common for other subject areas. They will all have their own requirements and if you have been out of education for a while you will usually be expected to have some sort of recent study to show you are up for doing the course (because they're usually not easy). However they can be excellent preparation for a course and there is the advantage that you can be financed through a foundation year with student loans etc, while there's relatively little funding for access courses.

Reply 3

Jackwill93

There are several private colleges who will help and you can often complete a course that will allow you to enter 2nd year at a number of good UK Universities. Often people think that lack of A Levels is the end of the road, but there may be alternatives that can help you. Some places will also give you good advice and suggest alternatives based on your past skills and interests. A friend of mine went to Warnborough College Canterbury who gave him great advice. Now he is at Uni.