Thought you couldn't study for a degree? You can – with a foundation year.
A foundation year is a great option if you're interested in going to university but would first like to build your skills and knowledge. At ARU, we offer a range of degree courses with a built-in foundation year.
Does any of this apply to you? You:
A foundation year can be the solution.
A foundation year is a year of study before an undergraduate degree, with a combination of subject-focused topics relevant to your chosen degree and more general skills such as thinking critically, maths and ICT.
At ARU you’ll have tuition from foundation-level specialists dedicated to helping you make the step up to degree-level studies and be part of the ARU community from day one, so you’ll know what to expect when you move onto your degree.
A foundation year is not the same as a foundation degree. A foundation year leads on to a standard three year* degree course, from which you graduate with a BA (Hons), a BSc (Hons) or a BEng (Hons). A foundation degree is a qualification equivalent to two years of a three-year degree – you’ll graduate with a FdA or FdSc and you usually need A levels to get onto the course.
*There are a small number of foundation year degrees with the foundation year studied full-time for one year and the degree studied part-time over more than three years.
As a foundation year student, you're a university student from the day you register. You'll be taught on campus, with small class sizes, and have access to all University facilities. You'll study full-time, and will usually have 12-16 hours face-to-face teaching every week.
You will need:
Other qualifications from across the world are accepted. Please see a list of equivalent qualifications published by ARU College.
Yes. If a degree course accepts International students, then the foundation year will also.
Once you have successfully completed your foundation year you will progress seamlessly to the first year of your bachelor’s degree. There is no need to reapply.
If you study the Public Health foundation year degree, after finishing your foundation year you may opt to transfer to a Nursing or Operating Department Practice degree instead of continuing onto the Public Health degree.
Find out about fees for your course on our Tuition fees page.
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Your accommodation options are the same as for students on the degree without a foundation year. Find out more about our accommodation.
We don’t offer a stand-alone foundation year course - foundation years are linked to your chosen degree course and you can expect to study with us for four years overall (a small number of courses last for five years). You can apply for student finance for your entire course, including the foundation year.
Yes, you can find out about all our degree courses at an Open Day.
If we make you an offer, it will be for a full degree course. This means that as long as you pass the foundation year, you will progress to the rest of your degree, without needing to reapply. Depending on your course you may need to achieve a specific grade, for example a pass at 60%.