Didn’t meet your A-Level targets? Explore alternative study routes to get you to university with our International Foundation Programme – a rigorous one-year university preparation course. This comprehensive course offers direct access to a wide range of UK universities, providing you with a fresh academic direction without restarting your studies.
Join our global learning community and become part of the Abbey DLD Group of Colleges – a collection of three fee-paying independent British schools in Cambridge, Manchester and London. Each school offers a range of Foundation Courses, some of which can be built to suit you dependent upon your subject interests. They also offer excellent academic teaching and 5* boarding accommodation, providing an exceptional environment for day and boarding students from the UK and around the world.
Places are filling up fast for the September 2024 intake. Take control of your academic journey today by applying now, regardless of your exam results. Limited availability remains, so act quickly to secure your spot. We are currently accepting applications from UK-based international students for September 2024.
Unlock new opportunities and pave the way to your dream university with our International Foundation Programme. Apply fast and embrace a brighter academic future.
Watch our Abbey DLD Group of Colleges Video
*Please note that the UK Government has announced on 29th July it intends charging VAT on all independent education tuition and boarding fees from January 1st 2025. This means that the second and third term of this academic year for all independent education establishments in the UK will be subject to VAT. The college has to charge students for the total amount of VAT, but is working to establish the level of increased cost the college can absorb so as to keep the actual fees increase figure as low as possible. There will therefore be a revised invoice sent to you in December 24 which will include the confirmed VAT amount due on tuition and boarding fees for the second and third term.
WHY STUDY AN INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION PROGRAMME?
The Abbey DLD Group of Colleges consists of three independent British schools located in Cambridge, London, and Manchester. We offer secondary/high-school level education, with the majority of our graduates ultimately moving to study undergraduate courses at universities in the UK and around the World. Our group is long-standing, with our first college, DLD College London, having been established in 1931. We offer a wide variety of academic study programmes.
Each of our colleges has its own unique personality, but they are united by a set of common goals. At Abbey DLD we strive to achieve the highest academic standards whilst providing a welcoming, safe, high-quality teaching and boarding experience for students from around the world.
Our aim is to help our students achieve the academic success needed to progress to the UK and the world’s top universities, whilst also developing the personal skills and qualities to succeed at university and beyond.
Here are a few reasons why you should choose us:
The Abbey DLD Group of Colleges caters to students aged between 13 and 21 years, making us the ideal place for a seamless transition from secondary school to university.
Our International Foundation Programme (IFP) is an intensive, one-year course with content designed to provide a gateway to a wide range of UK universities for international students.
Each IFP includes subject-specific pathways and core skills modules to prepare students for undergraduate study on a range of related university courses. Unlike many foundation programmes, our destinations are not limited to a choice of one or two partner universities. This means we offer progression pathways to a wide choice of UK institutions, including Russell Group and top 20 ranked universities such as King’s College London, The University of Manchester, University of Bristol, Loughborough University, and the University of Warwick.
International Foundation Programme Pathways
We offer the following International Foundation Programme pathways:
Advanced Mathematics & Economics | Economics & Mathematics |
Art & Design | Engineering |
Biomedical Science | Environmental Science |
Business & Economics | Fashion Management |
Business & Mathematics | Humanities |
Business Management & Economics | Medicine |
Computer Science & Mathematics | Science |
Creative Art | Social Sciences |
Sports |
Our International Foundation Programmes follow subject-focused pathways. which give students access to related and complementary undergarduate degree courses at university. Each pathway is made up of several modules. Depending on which pathway you choose you might have a choice of modules, they may be all compulsory, or a mix of elective and compulsory modules.
Each module is assessed individually, with three assessment points through each term and an opportunity to resit modules if necessary. Students achieve an overall score based on all their individual module assessments.
Every year our International Foundation foundation students gain admission to a wide range of top-ranked universities. International Foundation Programme students progressed to the following universities in 2023:
Special Features
An exclusive agreement gives our Fashion Management and Art students the option to go on to study at the London, Milan, or Paris school of the prestigious Istituto Marangoni. Students can also go on to study fashion programmes at other top universities.
Our Medicine pathway is accepted by the medical schools of Aston University, Brunel University, the University of Buckingham, the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), the University of Nicosia, St George’s University Grenada, Queen Mary University of London (Malta campus), the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), and the American University of Antigua.
We know how important it is to have a place to call your own whilst you study, and that is why we have invested to provide our students with some of the best quality accommodation found at any UK boarding school.
Our student bedrooms are designed to offer a quiet haven where students can relax and study. We offer a range of different room options, but all come with features such as Wi-Fi, study desks, and ample clothes and belongings storage as standard.
Outside of your room, we offer communal areas to meet with friends, socialise and study. Our common rooms feature well-equipped kitchens, lounges, and games facilities.
Our live-in house parents provide 24/7 support and care to students, making sure that they feel well cared for, make friends, and keep on track in their studies. All our boarding houses are secure buildings, with controlled access, on-site security, and CCTV.
Our boarding facilities maintain their availability during the periods of half terms and Easter, with scheduled closures occurring only during the Christmas and Summer holidays. Moreover, it is important to note that, for our boarders, the presence of an educational guardian is not obligatory. All of our accommodation, with the exception of twin rooms, feature single en-suite facilities.
DLD College London offers on-campus boarding, Abbey College Cambridge has on and off-campus options, and Abbey College Manchester offers boarding located a few minutes’ walk from the college.
Click on the images below to learn more about our recent student successes.
Note*: Our three colleges deliver outstanding educational and residential experiences for students aged 13 to 21. Our expertise lies in preparing students for university through a variety of courses such as the International Foundation Programme. We do not provide university-level undergraduate or postgraduate education.