Brian Hart discusses the elements a student should consider when choosing a University Foundation Programme in the UK

Increasing numbers of international students are coming to the UK with the intention of studying at university. While some already have the qualifications and language level required for immediate entry, others need to improve language skills and develop awareness of their subject area before starting their degree. The latter can apply for a University Foundation Programme (UFP) to ease the transition.  As well as language tuition, academic skills and subject tuition, UFPs offer guidance on the university application process and recommendations for future courses. There are many such programmes to choose from and a number of factors should be borne in mind when selecting - your choice of course is an important one as it may have a major effect on your final university destination.

What academic skills will the course provide?

Your UFP should provide you with all the academic training you need to prepare you for your degree course. On a good course you will learn about study skills including note taking, summarising, reading strategies, research techniques, essay writing and exam preparation skills.

There should also be preparation for the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) exam - you will have to achieve a certain grade in this exam (normally between 6.0 and 7.5) for entry on a degree course at a UK University.

As part of the Academic Skills programme a foundation programme may also include regular sessions on Study Life in Britain which tell the 'real' story of university life and prepare students for the culture of the academic environment in the UK.

English language tuition - an important consideration

UFPs should offer general English tuition alongside Academic English. There should be a clear structure to the programme with regular progress updates and assessments of written and spoken work. You should also consider how the course is taught and choose a course with a high degree of personal attention, small class sizes and regular tutorials.

A survey of students from the Bell International Collage UFP found that 80% of those questioned rated improving English language skills as a very important criterion when choosing a course.

Specialist subject modules relevant to your university course

Another key factor to consider when choosing a UFP is the specialist subjects offered on the course. These should be closely linked to subjects you are going on to study at University. Programmes will offer different 'streams' focussing on subject areas such as Business, Sciences or Arts.

For example, at the College where I work in Cambridge, the majority of students are interested in pursuing a business degree, so we focus on specified areas of interest including Business Studies, Economics, Finance, Media, Geography, Politics and Law, amongst others. When questioned as to how important it was for a school to offer a range of specialist subjects, 50% of our students rated this as an important criterion.

One former student of ours is Aline Buyscchaert, from Belgium, who went on to study an undergraduate degree in Politics and Development Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), part of the University of London. She found the UFP a very good preparation for university and says "It gave me more confidence, especially in essay writing." For her particular degree course she found that having studied Economics as a subject module was a great advantage.  

Where would you like to study?

Another important consideration is the advice you will get on universities. A programme organised by a university may offer direct access to that particular university. Independent colleges will offer impartial advice and suggest applications to a wider variety of destinations. Any good independent UFP will be 'recognised' by a variety of universities. This means that universities have assessed the course content and accept success on the programme as a suitable criterion for entry to a degree course.

A well run course will give each student several individual sessions with a Higher Education Adviser who will advise on available courses and help with the UCAS application, the centralised process used by all applicants. Students then decide on the most appropriate university to apply to and which courses will suit them best.

When choosing a place to study a UFP, it is wise to see which Universities have accepted students from that particular course in the past. This will obviously vary form school to school, so check before you apply.

Social Programme

As any UK University student will tell you, it's not all about work, so when choosing a Foundation Programme you should think about the Social Programme on offer. A varied and interesting range of activities will add to your overall enjoyment of the course and will also help to improve language skills and knowledge of the UK.You will need to check what sort of social programme is on offer at the various schools.

Finally, bear in mind the size of the programme - will you feel more comfortable studying in a large university campus or in a smaller independent college? Also think about the reputation of the organisation offering the course - a good reputation is built up over many years and will be a worthwhile guide to the quality of the programmes being offered.

Studying on a University Foundation Programme should certainly prove a very worthwhile and rewarding experience. It will greatly enhance your chances for further study and add considerably to your undergraduate life.  

Brian Hart is Academic Manager of Bell International College, Cambridge, UK. Their University Foundation Programme is a full time, nine month academic course which fully prepares students for life at a UK university