The Student Room Group

Transferring universities after a foundation year?

Anyone done a foundation year at 1 university then transfered, what was the process like? Does the uni you transferred to value your foundation year > A levels ?

Reply 1

Original post by Xxdjdjdjjejea
Anyone done a foundation year at 1 university then transfered, what was the process like? Does the uni you transferred to value your foundation year > A levels ?


It’s very uncommon for students to do this successfully.
Generally it’s not a good idea to start a FY unless you plan to complete the full degree. If you are hoping to transfer then you need to do the following BEFORE you accept an offer for a FY:
- ask the FY university if they’ll support a UCAS application elsewhere and whether previous students have successfully transferred
- ask the transfer university whether they’ll accept a FY from your FY university for entry onto their courses

Reply 2

As above, 'Foundation Years' are not a formal qualification with a universal syllabus - and academic standards vary widely.
For this reason, many Unis wont accept them for Year 1 transfer entry to that subject. It isnt therefore a back-door to 'trade-up' to a Uni with higher A level entry requirements.

If you don't want to stay at that Uni for the whole degree, don't do the Foundation year at all - resit your A levels and apply to where you really want to go.

Reply 3

It’s very uncommon for students to do this successfully.
Generally it’s not a good idea to start a FY unless you plan to complete the full degree. If you are hoping to transfer then you need to do the following BEFORE you accept an offer for a FY:
- ask the FY university if they’ll support a UCAS application elsewhere and whether previous students have successfully transferred
- ask the transfer university whether they’ll accept a FY from your FY university for entry onto their courses

Yh i just wanted to ask if someone had done it personally, I've already emailed some universities I'm just waiting for a response. Either way, I'm fine with completing the course with the university anyway I was just asking about the process as an option.

Reply 4

Original post by McGinger
As above, 'Foundation Years' are not a formal qualification with a universal syllabus - and academic standards vary widely.
For this reason, many Unis wont accept them for Year 1 transfer entry to that subject. It isnt therefore a back-door to 'trade-up' to a Uni with higher A level entry requirements.
If you don't want to stay at that Uni for the whole degree, don't do the Foundation year at all - resit your A levels and apply to where you really want to go.

I'm not using the transfer to trade up to a better Uni, I was just asking about the process because I'm not sure if I want to stay in the uni location but am still fine with completing the course there. The uni with the foundation year is actually ranked higher, and the only reason I'm asking is because my course is very standardised and 1 uni has already said they have taken transfers. They also said that they do personally look at your foundation year with heavier importance than A levels as it would be your most recent qualification. Ie, Higher in foundation modules > Higher A level grades.

I appreciate your advice, but that wasn't what I was asking. I was asking specifically about how their process was. For example asking for a reference, if foundation modules mattered more or did A levels etc. That's why I was asking for people's personal experience, not general information that's already come up in doing minimal research.

Reply 5

Original post by Xxdjdjdjjejea
I'm not using the transfer to trade up to a better Uni, I was just asking about the process because I'm not sure if I want to stay in the uni location but am still fine with completing the course there. The uni with the foundation year is actually ranked higher, and the only reason I'm asking is because my course is very standardised and 1 uni has already said they have taken transfers. They also said that they do personally look at your foundation year with heavier importance than A levels as it would be your most recent qualification. Ie, Higher in foundation modules > Higher A level grades.
I appreciate your advice, but that wasn't what I was asking. I was asking specifically about how their process was. For example asking for a reference, if foundation modules mattered more or did A levels etc. That's why I was asking for people's personal experience, not general information that's already come up in doing minimal research.

Email the potential other Uni with full details of your A levels etc, and a link to the FY course page on your current Uni's website, and ask if they accept that FY for the course you want to apply for, and the overall grade they want.

If they say yes, you will need to apply though UCAS for Y1 entry, and you will need to use your current Uni as your UCAS reference.

Reply 6

I have i found it pretty straightforward. I emailed the universities that I wanted to apply to asked them if they accept this foundation year from this university and some said yes others said no either they only accept foundation years offered at their university only or they don't accept foundation years at all. I was student at City I did an engineering foundation year m. I successfully transferred to a Russel group university for the same course I had 2 offered from 2 Russel groups universities. They weren't too high ranking places like UCL imperial said they don't accept foundation years, I applied anyways cuz I was a young and I got rejected. You don't need to interview depending on the course I guess they have conditions so mine was above 65% in some specific modules and above 60 over all

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