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University of bristol CertHE foundation year in Science, Engineering and mathematics

I've recently gotten an interview + exam for this course as a current access to HE student, was wondering if anyone else has done this previously and knows if its GCSE/ALVL type questions discussed as its foundation year and if so what topics would it be on? any helps cuz id like to prepare as much as possible :smile:

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Reply 1

Original post
by okayoverhaul
I've recently gotten an interview + exam for this course as a current access to HE student, was wondering if anyone else has done this previously and knows if its GCSE/ALVL type questions discussed as its foundation year and if so what topics would it be on? any helps cuz id like to prepare as much as possible :smile:

same here, I will study pre-calc and some calc as well

Reply 2

Original post
by fofofofofofoffo
same here, I will study pre-calc and some calc as well

Hope to see you there!! Goodluck :smile:

Reply 3

Original post
by okayoverhaul
I've recently gotten an interview + exam for this course as a current access to HE student, was wondering if anyone else has done this previously and knows if its GCSE/ALVL type questions discussed as its foundation year and if so what topics would it be on? any helps cuz id like to prepare as much as possible :smile:


I did the one in arts and humanities and I don’t know how similar it is, I had to do an essay instead of an exam and that was the only thing discussed in my interview along with motivations for doing the foundation year. Also I emailed the head of the foundation year with any questions before. But the foundation year was so good I loved it

Reply 4

Original post
by Anonymous
I did the one in arts and humanities and I don’t know how similar it is, I had to do an essay instead of an exam and that was the only thing discussed in my interview along with motivations for doing the foundation year. Also I emailed the head of the foundation year with any questions before. But the foundation year was so good I loved it

Do you mind me asking if you spoke much about why you wanted to attend Bristol specifically in your PS? Just found out the application deadline is tonight (I’m wanting to do Literature and have a PS all around that)

Reply 5

Original post
by Lauren 28119
Do you mind me asking if you spoke much about why you wanted to attend Bristol specifically in your PS? Just found out the application deadline is tonight (I’m wanting to do Literature and have a PS all around that)

Yes it was quite specific to the course / Bristol itself and reasoning why it was the most suitable place for me to be instead of anywhere else but that’s just how I did it, I doubt it’s the only way but we did have a few points as a prompt type thing

Reply 6

Original post
by Anonymous
Yes it was quite specific to the course / Bristol itself and reasoning why it was the most suitable place for me to be instead of anywhere else but that’s just how I did it, I doubt it’s the only way but we did have a few points as a prompt type thing

Brilliant, thanks. So did you mention having visited Bristol etc? Mine is just like any other literature PS, not course/uni specific. Do yk what the word cap is? I’m at 650

Reply 7

Original post
by okayoverhaul
I've recently gotten an interview + exam for this course as a current access to HE student, was wondering if anyone else has done this previously and knows if its GCSE/ALVL type questions discussed as its foundation year and if so what topics would it be on? any helps cuz id like to prepare as much as possible :smile:

Im doing the same thing did you find out any information, also any idea what the type of math problem will be in the inteview?

Reply 8

Original post
by Anonymous
Im doing the same thing did you find out any information, also any idea what the type of math problem will be in the inteview?

Ive yet to find someone else that did the engineering interview :frown:, yet i think itll likely be a gcse higher question after asking some of my tutors

Reply 9

Original post
by okayoverhaul
Ive yet to find someone else that did the engineering interview :frown:, yet i think itll likely be a gcse higher question after asking some of my tutors


I also applied to the course and chose aerospace engineering as the course I want to do after. They said by middle April they’ll say when my interview is but I still haven’t gotten any date. I hope the maths questions aren’t hard.

Reply 10

In the exam same situation rn, its cool we are gonna do the same course after the foundation year too! i hope to see you there, have you sent an email to Bristol cuz they've ghosted both of mine </3. What have you studied so far for the test?

Reply 11

Original post
by okayoverhaul
In the exam same situation rn, its cool we are gonna do the same course after the foundation year too! i hope to see you there, have you sent an email to Bristol cuz they've ghosted both of mine </3. What have you studied so far for the test?


I’ve sent them two emails as well and they’ve ghosted them as well. It seems like they’ll be giving the interview dates quite late. For maths I’m mainly studying gcse content. I’m not sure if I’m meant to be studying higher than that. They don’t make it clear.
Be warned that this course will use your gift year of student finance - so if you later need to restart or repeat a year of your degree then you’ll have to find tuition fees to the extra year up front. An integrated foundation year won’t do this (unless you switch universities).

I’m pretty shocked that Bristol is pushing this option on Access students who already have a qualification designed to prepare them for university study.

Reply 13

Original post
by okayoverhaul
In the exam same situation rn, its cool we are gonna do the same course after the foundation year too! i hope to see you there, have you sent an email to Bristol cuz they've ghosted both of mine </3. What have you studied so far for the test?


I got a interview date now

Reply 14

Original post
by Raymon157
I got a interview date now

Same, Interesting thing is it says the maths test is designed to test your skills rather than knowledge so not entirely sure what we should be revising 😂

Reply 15

Original post
by joshuafi
Same, Interesting thing is it says the maths test is designed to test your skills rather than knowledge so not entirely sure what we should be revising 😂


I’m really stuck on what to revise for the maths test. It says it’s not to test your knowledge but your skills. They can at least give a mock test for us to see. At least it’s multiple choice so it’s not too bad.

Reply 16

Original post
by Raymon157
I’ve sent them two emails as well and they’ve ghosted them as well. It seems like they’ll be giving the interview dates quite late. For maths I’m mainly studying gcse content. I’m not sure if I’m meant to be studying higher than that. They don’t make it clear.

im doing a level maths alongside my access so im lowkey hoping its that, but since we got the email and its non calc its definitely gonna be gcse

Reply 17

Original post
by PQ
Be warned that this course will use your gift year of student finance - so if you later need to restart or repeat a year of your degree then you’ll have to find tuition fees to the extra year up front. An integrated foundation year won’t do this (unless you switch universities).
I’m pretty shocked that Bristol is pushing this option on Access students who already have a qualification designed to prepare them for university study.

yh but its either this or not go to bristol cuz they want an A in a level maths alongside access for first year

Reply 18

Original post
by okayoverhaul
yh but its either this or not go to bristol cuz they want an A in a level maths alongside access for first year


Hi I was wondering if you have any idea what the maths related activity might be on. I don’t even know where to start with that. Will they give us a maths question to answer. Or will they give us something else.

Reply 19

Original post
by Raymon157
Hi I was wondering if you have any idea what the maths related activity might be on. I don’t even know where to start with that. Will they give us a maths question to answer. Or will they give us something else.

i think it will be gcse-AS level non calc content, as they said we aren't allowed calculators so revise trig (sin rule cosin rule SOCAHTOA) basic arithmetic geometry and algebra and sequences i think will be some of the topics here, do some past papers youll be reet, see you on the 29th 🙂 wishing you the best

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