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  Home >>Study Abroad Britain >> Courses and their duration of Study Abroad in Britain


Courses and their duration

Access, Bridging or Foundation Courses are for those overseas students who need help to prepare for a particular course. They can opt for especially developed, analogous 'access' and 'foundation' programmes.

These courses-usually lasting one year-serve to bridge the gap between your current qualifications and those required for entry to a degree course. They can be asked either at the place you intend to study for your degree, or at one of the many hundreds of Colleges of Further Education in the UK.

Some of the courses are designed for entry to specific degrees while others are of a more general nature, concentrating on a broad subject area and offering entry to a wide range of courses.

Access and foundation courses are widely recognised and accepted routes into UK higher education. What's more, they have the added advantage of familiarising you with the British method of teaching and study before you move on to your degree. Access courses are available over a wide range of subjects and usually have a vocational focus.

There are some 1,200 to choose from in the UK, with around 40,000 students drawn from all walks of life currently enrolled. Their quality is closely monitored to ensure that very highest standards are maintained.

For further information about access courses In the UK, visit the LCAS' website at www.ucas.co.uk

Foundation Courses are organised by individual universities and colleges, usually with the intention of preparing you for entry to one of their own degree courses. For example, some will lead on to year one of a degree course at the same institution while others serve as the first year of an extended four year degree. Make sure you check what the arrangements are at your chosen university or college.

If you decide that an access or foundation course isn't right for you, and your existing qualifications do not meet the standard entrance requirement, there are two additional routes to degree study, that you can choose from.

GCE A-Levels, Scottish Highers
A-Levels can be studies at any boarding school or college in England, Wales or Northern Ireland and some in Scotland, While Highers can be studied at any Scottish school or college (although the equivalent qualifications from your own country may sometimes be accepted in their place. Generally speaking you'll need passes in at least three subjects at A-Level or four passes at Higher to the grades specified by the university or college you're hoping to attend.

The Career based route: Some career based qualifications are acceptable for entry to degree and higher national courses in the UK. This offers you an alternative to the more academic A-Level route or the Access/ Foundation route. Many Colleges offer you all three routes.

You will find many links where colleges and universities work together to provide degree and higher national courses- even more choice for you.

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