Why an International Foundation Programme is a valuable course to consider when aiming for a UK university.
17th August 24
The UK offers a world class education and there is a healthy competition for university places to study at degree level. For many international students, the International Foundation Programme (IFP) provides an alternative route into UK universities.
Filling a knowledge gap from overseas education
For international students, an application to a UK university from overseas can be difficult and overwhelming. Education systems in countries around the world all differ in their structure and qualifications gained. Our series of blogs on comparing some of these systems to the UK has helped many students to understand how their own country equates to the UK system.
Many university courses require a minimum standard to be able to access a degree course. Many will also demand a very high standard, especially in Russell Group universities or those of an equivalent standing. Education systems differ in length from country to country. In the UK, students study 13 years of education prior to university. For some students coming to the UK from countries with a 12 year education system, there is a one year shortfall. An International Foundation Programme in these instances then becomes a requirement, as it provide the 13th year of education and therefore enables a student to access university level education.
An alternative route for UK study
Studying in the UK first to gain a UK qualification is, for many international students, the preferred route to a UK university. The time spent studying in a British school gives the student time to settle into life in the UK, to understand our customs and traditions, to develop their English language, and to build a solid knowledge base for further study.
The traditional courses taken are the General Certificate of Secondary Education, or GCSEs, studied over two years from the age of 14 to 16, followed by Advanced Levels, or A Levels, again studied over two years from the age of 16 to 18.
GCSEs provide a solid foundation of knowledge for A Level study, particularly in Maths and the Sciences. At A Level, most students will select three or four subjects to study in-depth and they are assessed at the end of the two years by way of written examinations.
Studying courses to such a high level in a foreign language with the added stress of final grades being determined by a series of written examinations at the end of two years is a daunting prospect for many. The exams are intended to be robust for native English speakers and so for those where English is a foreign language, this is even more of a challenge.
An International Foundation Programme (IFP), which is equivalent to the second year of A Level study, can be very suitable for many international students as it can bridge the knowledge gap from home qualifications and also from one or two years of A Level study, facilitating degree level study and university entry.
Route to UK University Entry
| UK educated Student | Internationally educated Student |
| Primary (Key Stage 1)
Years 1 and 2 |
Local education system
|
| Primary (Key Stage 2)
Years 3 to 6 |
|
| Secondary (Key Stage 3)
Years 7 to 9 |
|
| GCSE 2 years (Key Stage 4)
Years 10 and 11 |
|
| A Level 2 years (Key Stage 5)
Years 12 and 13 |
IFP 1 year (International students only)
Year 13 |
Benefits of an International Foundation Programme
- Equivalent to A Level: An overall foundation grade of 70% is equivalent to AAB at A Level. This means that students who have come directly from overseas are given an opportunity to gain a level of knowledge equivalent to the robust A Level course. This also gives current A Level students who are completing their first year of study, an alternative route to achieving grades which often have a better chance of progression to a higher-ranked UK university by moving onto the foundation programme in year 13.
- High grades are achievable: the modular structure of the foundation gives students the best chance to achieve a high grade. Exams are taken at the end of each stage rather than at the end of the whole course as for A Levels and, also unlike A Levels, there is no limit to the number of students able to achieve each grade.
- Access to a broader range of universities: Students gaining a grade of 60% typically receive offers from top 50 ranked UK universities, whilst those achieving a grade of 70% or above often receive offers from top 20 ranked or Russell Group universities. A Level students looking to gain entry to these universities would need to achieve grades of at least AAB (equivalent to 70% at IFP).
- Confirm your university place early: IFP students receive their results in early July, allowing them to confirm their university place ahead of those waiting for their A Level results which are released in mid-August.
Examples of further study
The Abbey DLD Group of Colleges have campuses located in the heart of Cambridge, London and Manchester. Each one offers a mix of International Foundation Programmes and many can be adapted to the specific needs of a student to give them the best possible combination of study to access their preferred university degree course.
Many of our previous students have gone on to study at a wide-range of top-ranked universities. University offers in 2024 included King’s College London, the University of Manchester, Durham University, University of Bristol, University of Exeter, University of Warwick and the University of York.
Find out more today
Contact us today to find out more about our International Foundation Programmes and find your pathway to a top UK university.
Blog Author
Janine Reeves
Global Head of Sales
Tel: +852 5915 4060
