Foundation / Access Level Courses
One-year fast track to Universities.
University Foundation courses, also known as Access or Bridging courses, offer students a fast track, one-year route to a wide range of British and other university degree courses as an alternative to A Levels. They are of a similar standard to A Levels and are best considered as the first year of a four-year undergraduate degree course.
These courses are specifically designed for overseas students who have a high school certificate or other academic qualifications which may not be recognised by British or other universities. A Level courses may be inappropriate and time-consuming for such students. Foundation Courses not only provide the passport to gain university entry, but also help students to understand any differences in the curriculum, acclimatise to the UK, and improve their English.
The Abbey College was a founder of this system and has run these courses for over 20 years. We are well respected by universities without functioning on a limited partnership basis. The sole exceptions are the Czech Medicine and Dentistry courses, since they represent the only option available for Foundation Course students wanting to study for such recognised courses.
Students can go on to study a variety of subjects at undergraduate level at a range of universities following a course in one of the Foundation Course disciplines – please see below. Different pathways can be combined to provide the ideal course for each individual, so that for example an Architecture student would add Art to the Engineering pathway.
Each course has two areas: the general core section, forming the basis for all courses, and the subject specific section, which varies according to the discipline chosen. Courses are assessed by coursework and/or examinations. Projects and work experience may form part of the course, always in conjunction with class time, tutorials and self-study.
Keys Facts
- Minimum Age
- 17
- Start Dates
- September and January. Other times by arrangement.
- Course Length
- Normally 3 terms. Possibly 2 terms
- Hours Per Week
- 16
- Number In Class
- 15
- Course Content
- Study Skills, Information Technology, Mathematics and English where necessary, plus subject-specific lessons
- Appropriate For
- Students who have completed their secondary education in their own country but have not met the entry requirements for their chosen course or university.
- Course Progression
- University
- Deposit
- 100
- Course Cost
- 17,950
| All Subjects |
Core Modules: |
Examples* of universities that accept Foundation Course students for these specific subject areas |
| Business |
Core Modules PLUS: |
Cardiff, |
| Law |
Core Modules PLUS: Law 1 & 2 |
Nottingham, |
| Art & Design |
Core Modules PLUS: Art |
Hertfordshire, |
| Engineering |
Core Modules PLUS: |
Southampton, |
| Science |
Core Modules PLUS: |
Bath, |
| Medicine & Dentistry (Czech Universities) |
Core Modules PLUS: |
First Faculty, Charles, Prague, |
* These are EXAMPLES ONLY. Other courses are also available, as well as access to many other universities.
