5 min read
A Foundation year sits between school and a bachelor's degree. It exists because the British school system runs for 13 years, while many others run for 11.
When it is required
Most often when applying to UK universities straight after school. The alternatives are one completed year at a university, or international qualifications such as A-levels or the IB.
When you can skip it
The UAE, Malaysia and many European and US institutions accept a school certificate directly, given a sufficient average grade and English level.
Why it can still be worth taking
- A year to test the choice of field before the main programme starts
- Bringing English up in an academic setting
- Adapting to a system that marks essays and independent work rather than memorisation
The downside is an extra year of tuition and living costs. That is a real budget line and needs to be planned for in advance.
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