Going to leave out A levels

Not gonna comment on OP's case because enough people have badgered them already...

What is the OU

Hello everyone

I am 15 years old in year 10 i want to do my gcse this year I know it will be hard but I will try my best, The question is can I go to university without a levels because after my GCSE I want to get foundations course then go to university is that possible???

Thank you

Everyone has said no so far, so why are you adamant still? You asked a question, and received an answer. Sorry if this comes across as aggressive, it isn't supposed to. A-Levels are much harder than GCSEs, and you will simply not be able to study with a GCSE level knowledge. The foundation courses are for people who struggle with English, or whose A-Level grades were a bit too low. It would be like bypassing the SATs (at age 10/11) and going straight into GCSEs

No you don't have to with exception.

Hiya, just wondering what exceptions you had in mind? Yes you are an international student but you're an international student who is now currently studying in the UK for their GCSEs. That means you are studying at the same level as other UK students and so simply skipping A levels on the basis that you are an international student is not enough for an 'exception'. You're not studying in a country where the High School curriculum is different to the uni's home country and so you haven't really got much of a strong argument to convince an admissions tutor that you should go here by skipping A levels just because you don't want todo them.

And saying you will leave in 3 years means nothing since you can just apply for a visa (like every other international applicant) so in this sense, again you are at no advantage in gaining a place without A levels.

If you really want to study here, put your head down, do well in your GCSEs and do your A levels/IB/Pre-U/BTEC.

Also on a side note, depending on the competitiveness of the course, you're already disadvantaged as you are applying for fewer places against other international students who would (most likely) be far more qualified than you if you were to skip your A levels.

I really do wish you the best of luck though

That sentence was supposed to be for a girl American working in NASA..

As has been said by others, foundation courses are designed for those that took A Levels that may not necessarily be related to their specific degree (or didn't quite make the grade for the non-foundation course).

Not entirely true. For one I'm pretty sure you sometimes won't be let on the course if you have relevant A-levels but didn't make the grades.

Secondly you don't have to have A-levels to do one. I'm using my OU study to get on a foundation for example. Durham even let people without any quals do a foundation degree with them.

It depends on the foundation. I know some pathway to medicine courses etc don't allow it, but it can happen for others.

Realistically, you have absolutely damn near zero chance of getting into a university without further study, be that at level 3 (A Levels etc) or level 4/5/6 (OU study). OP with just GCSEs is essentially never going to happen.

When Durham say "No qualifications" that likely means "No formal qualifications but extensive life experience.", an eighteen year old with the ability to go to College/Sixth Form for free that is not.

I'm almost certain you have to be 18 years old to go to university and you need A-Levels or BTEC qualifications to go to university.