The Student Room Group

How do foundation degrees work?

Hi,

Am I right in thinking that a foundation degree is for people that may have missed out vital qualifications such as A levels and by taking a foundation course it will lead to such equivalent qualifications that allow you to carry on to a full honors degree?

Are they the same as an access course?

Also I'm interested in hearing about people that have taken a foundation degrees and how they found it/in what subjects and at which unis etc.
Reply 1
I think you are slightly mixed up.
Foundation years are what you are thinking of. These are a year(or two part time) taught at a university that lead onto a linked degree at that university. This makes a standard three year degree into four years with the foundation year counting as year 0. They are for people who studied inappropriate A levels for their chosen degree, for foreign students and for mature students without the relevant qualifications. Pretty much the same as an access course.

Have a look here http://develop.ucas.com/FDCourseSearch/About.htm for info about foundation degrees.

I'm 25 and will be starting a foundation year in September and I have no A levels. I have offers from Durham, Leeds and Reading to study computer science with foundation year.

Hope this makes sense. If you have any questions then just ask!
Reply 2
Hi mate thanks for the reply.

I think I am interested in an aeronautical maintenance or civil engineer foundation degree, then I would hope to take the extra year to complete. I think it has mentioned the 'yr 0' so it must be the same thing.

When did you apply?
Reply 3
Doing one at Swansea for Physics, on an access course at the moment but i would rather do an extra year and get into a good uni and not take the risk of jumping into a degree unprepared. Are you going to try in clearing? Swansea do an Engineering foundation year which you can get onto any of the engineering degrees with, civil/aerospace and loads more.
I'm doing the foundation year in Science at Reading uni at the moment (nearly finished - whoop!) as a mature student without the right a levels and I've found it to be very good on the whole. Can't wait to get started on the real degree in October though :smile:

I couldn't have afforded to do an access course, so this set-up works for me as you can be funded by the SLC, the debt at the end will be bigger - but hey ho!! No regrets!!
Reply 5
BIG BAD BOB
Hi mate thanks for the reply.

I think I am interested in an aeronautical maintenance or civil engineer foundation degree, then I would hope to take the extra year to complete. I think it has mentioned the 'yr 0' so it must be the same thing.

When did you apply?


I applied in January. They usually ask you to call them to have a chat before applying so I don't think it really matters when you apply. Foundation years at Leeds and Durham can both lead to engineering.
I found all the information I needed by trawling through all the universities websites, it took a while but was worth it.

Remember. Foundation years are basically the relevant A-Level material needed for degree study taught over one year.
Foundation degrees are two year courses designed with employers that are generally more practical than standard degrees but you have the option progress to a full honours degree.
Reply 6
Thanks for the replies, I am seriously considering this now.
My only regrets are that I didn't complete my A levels six years ago, I guess I learn the hard way.
Reply 7
Over half way through a science foundation year myself, and would highly recommend it as a way into HE. As the course is designed by the people who also teach the degree courses, the sylabus goes above and beyond A-level where it needs to and leaves out the bits you don't need. Hoping it will let me hit the ground running in September. I applied direct to the university, basically walked into reception in January last year and said I was interested in a science degree and took it from there.
Reply 8
http://www.manchester.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/search2008/atoz/course/?code=00428&pg=3

My only qualifications are at GCSE and I got one A grade (in chemistry) and B grades in the main subjects (biology/physics and maths) the rest I got C grades. Is it likely that I would be accepted on the above engineering course?
Reply 9
The only people who could answer that would be the admissions tutors for the course, best advice I could give would be to give them a ring and speak to them or arrange to go in for a chat. I went in person but friends just had an interview over the phone, infact our head of course was still doing phone interviews during the first teaching week for late joiners. The whole idea of the foundation year is to give people in your/our position the chance to get a foot in the door, so it's as much if not more about showing commitment and an ability to learn as to how much you already know. Can't speak for all courses but ours assumes no previous knowledge.
Reply 10
hi there. just a bit off the topic here. but i just like to mention that the fees for the foundation course at Queens Campus (Durham)... has gone up from £1250 to £3000.

anyway good luck with your application.
Reply 11
Vikki_t47
hi there. just a bit off the topic here. but i just like to mention that the fees for the foundation course at Queens Campus (Durham)... has gone up from £1250 to £3000.

anyway good luck with your application.


A little more off topic. Could you tell me how you have found the foundation year? I will be starting in September but I wont be able to get to the open days to speak to any students. Thanks.
Reply 12
Im starting a foundation degree in Physics at Leicester this october :smile: Its weird though, I applied to Brimingham assuming their entry requirements were vagely the same as the others (should have checked, but i was only really interested in Leicester for the space science) and they said you need A's and B's in maths/physics A levels to do their course. What!? I thought the point was you dont have A levels them......... otherwise youd just start the degree.
Reply 13
Another question.
If I dont have the A Levels and want to apply for the BA my chances to get in are weak without having done the Foundation Degree???