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How does foundation years work for unis?

Hi, how do foundation years work in unis? how do I get offered a foundation year- do I have to email them?

I am a year 13 student, it's likely I will be predicted A*AB and really want to get into Law LLB at a top uni, but obviously grades limit me.

I dont really look at the debt as a con, does it affect my degree or anything.

I am asking because I would genuinely be really interest in uni of Warwick law as foundation year
Original post by Jakeclarke
Hi, how do foundation years work in unis? how do I get offered a foundation year- do I have to email them?

I am a year 13 student, it's likely I will be predicted A*AB and really want to get into Law LLB at a top uni, but obviously grades limit me.

I dont really look at the debt as a con, does it affect my degree or anything.

I am asking because I would genuinely be really interest in uni of Warwick law as foundation year


It tends to be a year for those who may have the "wrong" A'levels, to get them up to scratch before starting the main degree. Unis may offer it to you automatically if you don't quite meet the requirements of the main course, but it's always best to do your research first.
Reply 2
Foundation courses are different at each Uni - and have different entry criteria. Some don't offer any Foundation courses at all - like Bath.

Unless its a Foundation Year open only to International students, you would apply through UCAS.

Some UK Foundation courses will be targeted at widening participation applicants, others at those with low grades.
There are a few Science Foundation courses for STEM degrees for those who did the 'wrong' A levels but have high grades. Obviously this doesnt apply to you as Law has no required subjects.

Just be aware that a Foundation year is not a 'qualification' - it just an inhouse device for that Uni to recruit to their own main degree - and therefore you couldn't use Foundation grades to apply to a top grade, highly competitive Uni wanting A* grades.

With good grades of A*AB, you could apply to AAA courses and its worth risking at least one or two A*AA.
Alternatively, you could just work your socks off and get higher grades thank you are predicted, plan an interesting gap year, and apply next year for 2026.
Original post by Jakeclarke
Hi, how do foundation years work in unis? how do I get offered a foundation year- do I have to email them?

I am a year 13 student, it's likely I will be predicted A*AB and really want to get into Law LLB at a top uni, but obviously grades limit me.

I dont really look at the debt as a con, does it affect my degree or anything.

I am asking because I would genuinely be really interest in uni of Warwick law as foundation year

As above there are a few different varieties of foundation year, although in most cases they're a preliminary year zero studied as part of a degree, and subject to satisfactory progress in that year you move into the first year of the degree after completing it. Normally you apply to them via UCAS by applying to the degree with foundation year option (which will show as a separate course in UCAS).

As above make sure you are actually eligible for the foundation year course you are interested in. There are two foundation years at Warwick - the international foundation year which you would not be eligible for if you're a home fees student, and a foundation year for a couple of programmes in the business school which is specifically for students meeting particular widening participation requirements.They do not have a foundation year for people who didn't have the grades to start with. Therefore this is not an option for you at Warwick.

You would need to apply on the basis of your current grades at Warwick as a result. The standard offer for the LLB at Warwick is A*AA, while the contextual offer is AAB. If you meet the requirements for the contextual offer it's probably worth applying. If you don't then it may still be reasonable to apply to it as a "reach" choice - it's fine to have one or two options one grade above your predicted grades (although some universities e.g. Oxbridge it's less recommended). Just be aware that if you get an offer as a non-contextual student then regardless of your predicted grades it will normally be A*AA so you would need to actually get an A in that last subject in the final exams.
Reply 4
Original post by artful_lounger
As above there are a few different varieties of foundation year, although in most cases they're a preliminary year zero studied as part of a degree, and subject to satisfactory progress in that year you move into the first year of the degree after completing it. Normally you apply to them via UCAS by applying to the degree with foundation year option (which will show as a separate course in UCAS).
As above make sure you are actually eligible for the foundation year course you are interested in. There are two foundation years at Warwick - the international foundation year which you would not be eligible for if you're a home fees student, and a foundation year for a couple of programmes in the business school which is specifically for students meeting particular widening participation requirements.They do not have a foundation year for people who didn't have the grades to start with. Therefore this is not an option for you at Warwick.
You would need to apply on the basis of your current grades at Warwick as a result. The standard offer for the LLB at Warwick is A*AA, while the contextual offer is AAB. If you meet the requirements for the contextual offer it's probably worth applying. If you don't then it may still be reasonable to apply to it as a "reach" choice - it's fine to have one or two options one grade above your predicted grades (although some universities e.g. Oxbridge it's less recommended). Just be aware that if you get an offer as a non-contextual student then regardless of your predicted grades it will normally be A*AA so you would need to actually get an A in that last subject in the final exams.

thank you

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