Best universities for a foundation year in mechanical engineering?

Currently studying alevels in subjects not suited to the field and was wondering which unis in the uk do a foundation year as alot seem to only be for international students

Reply 1

moonstaar

Original post by MonoAno555

Currently studying alevels in subjects not suited to the field and was wondering which unis in the uk do a foundation year as alot seem to only be for international students

Hey there.

I was in your position when I was at sixth form where I studied A-levels that would not allow me to study an engineering degree directly, hence I am currently, and have almost finished, a foundation year in engineering.

I believe that most universities in England and Wales do a foundation year in engineering, although some course may be called 'Mechanical Engineering with a Foundation year' where as others may be called 'Foundation engineering'. I think Scotland do some, but that would be something you'd have to do.

Here are some examples:
https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/2022/mechanical-engineering-foundation-year-beng-meng
https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/engineering/mechanical-engineering/beng-mechanical-engineering-foundation-year-h307/
https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/study-at-northumbria/courses/engineering-foundation-year-uusefy1/

With many foundation year courses, it will be possible to switch to another discipline provided that you achieve the appropriate grade should your interests change.

I should mention, however, that a foundation year is not your only option. I presume you are in year 12 and therefore there is a possibility of restarting the year with more closely relating subjects (Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Product Design, etc). This is something that my friends did which did help them but may not for you.

I hope this has helped but I am happy to answer any questions :smile:

Reply 2

moonstaar

Original post by MonoAno555

Currently studying alevels in subjects not suited to the field and was wondering which unis in the uk do a foundation year as alot seem to only be for international students

I have reread your question and feel I have not adequately answered so here are some more thoughts:

You were asking about the best university for a foundation year so here are some thoughts:

Since many universities offer a FY, look further ahead at the course you would like to study and the facilities that will be available. Most foundation years are very similar so you experience overall wont be too different between universities however the bulk of your engineering degree will vary from university to university.

Subject rankings can be a good place to compare and find university courses: https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings

However, do not get bogged down about where a university is on the tables, what is important is if it is right for you and if you will be happy and able to do well during your degree.

Certain universities have certain entry requirements for foundation years that do not include Maths: Birmingham, Manchester and they might be of interest.

Nottingham, Sheffield, Swansea and Surrey have very good mech eng depts and all offer a foundation year.

Best of luck!

Reply 3

University of Surrey Student Rep

Official Rep

Original post by MonoAno555

Currently studying alevels in subjects not suited to the field and was wondering which unis in the uk do a foundation year as alot seem to only be for international students

Hi there,

To introduce myself – I’m Joao, starting next semester I will be in my final year studying BSc Economics at Surrey University. I recently finished my one-year industrial placement as an Economist for the British Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Here I acquired valuable competencies such as analytical, communication and interpersonal skills while playing a key role in the Analysis and Evidence Team. I also had the opportunity to work as a Private Secretary in the Private Office.

Surrey’s mechanical engineering courses are designed to meet the rapidly evolving needs of modern society and are professionally accredited by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Our courses provides a broad engineering knowledge leading to a wide range of possible careers. Mechanical engineers work in areas such as robotics, automation, sustainable materials, stress analysis, fluid mechanics and mechanical design. In addition to learning from internationally recognised academics at the forefront of their fields, you’ll have access to industry-standard facilities, including our state-of-the-art Design Centre, materials testing laboratory and the UK’s only environmental wind tunnel. You’ll also have the opportunity to take a Professional Training placement. Previous students have secured placements with companies such as Arup, BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce and Jaguar Land Rover.

Most of our engineering graduates proceed directly to employment in an engineering profession, with an average starting salary of £25,000. There are a wide range of careers available to professional mechanical engineers, from research and design to consultancy and manufacturing. Sectors include aerospace, offshore energy, automotive industries and medical equipment. Employers include some of the most famous names in engineering, aerospace, energy, manufacturing and research. Students may also continue their education with an MSc or PhD at Surrey or elsewhere.

Recent graduates are now employed in roles such as:

Graduate Mechanical Engineer, JCA Engineering
Graduate Systems and Test Engineer, Lockheed Martin UK
Graduate Vehicle Development Engineer, Gordon Murray Design
PVT Engineer, Jaguar Land Rover
Graduate Engineer, Manufacturing Technology Centre
Reliability Engineer, ExxonMobil
Research Assistant, Brunel Innovation Centre.

Location: The campus is lovely. Surrey is known to put a lot of emphasis on the social life of students and always care about how you spend your free time at university. The student union offers more than 140 societies based on any hobbies and interests’ students have and clubs for all kinds of sport that a student might want to take up. And even with covid restrictions, the union managed to organise one of the biggest covid-safe university events in the country!

Placement: If I were you I would consider doing a placement year. Placement provides students with a unique opportunity to gain skills specific to their subject or industry of choice as well as the employability skills required for real-life work so I would suggest applying for a sandwich degree. Our Employability and Careers team will encourage you to be proactive and apply for your industry placement yourself, by writing a CV and cover letter. More importantly, your school or department will appoint a senior tutor for Professional Training who will work with you from the application process through to the completion of your placement. This is an academic member of staff with responsibility for delivering the Professional Training scheme and supporting you at all stages of the journey.

The university also provides a Professional Training coaching scheme, where you can be paired with a student who has recently returned from their placement. That way you will have friendly support from someone who went through the same placement-seeking process and who will prepare you for the world of work. Also, as some placements abroad may involve learning and communicate in a language other than English, the university has support available to help you develop your language skills.

I think this may help you,

Mechanical Engineering BEng (Hons) or MEng – 2022 entry
https://www.surrey.ac.uk/undergraduate/mechanical-engineering

Joao
Economics

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 4

161BMW

Loughborough
Southampton
Brunel
Possibly Bath, Coventry, Oxford

Reply 5

Coventry University Student Ambassadors

Official Rep

Original post by MonoAno555

Currently studying alevels in subjects not suited to the field and was wondering which unis in the uk do a foundation year as alot seem to only be for international students

Hi @MonoAno555

Coventry University have some fantastic options for Foundation Engineering courses. CU Coventry is a great place to start studying something new to help you progress onto further higher education. We have multiple campuses around the UK for you to choose from too. CU Coventry is really flexible with when you start with multiple intakes each year: September, November, January, March, May and July. Another great thing about foundation degrees at CUC is there are no exams, its all coursework based so you can work at your own pace. Studying here also comes with all the bonuses of being a student at Coventry University so you don't miss out on anything. You have access to societies, the library, careers team, freshers fair and more. Coventry is also ranked highly for our engineering courses compared to other universities! If you would like to find out more, you can speak to some of our current students in the Engineering faculty to find out about their experiences on UniBuddy here: https://www.coventry.ac.uk/unibuddy/?ub_medium=product&ub_source=Embedded%20University%20Carousel&ub_campaign=&ub_content=

Here is the link for the Engineering Foundation course at CU Coventry for you to take a look at: https://www.coventry.ac.uk/cuc/course-structure/foundation/2021-22/engineering/

I hope this helps! If you want to know more, don't hesitate to ask us on here! :smile:

Amy
Coventry University - Coventry
Biomedical Science student