About undergraduate study
A UK undergraduate education gives you an amazing opportunity to immerse yourself in a subject that fascinates you. Whether you choose to study for a degree, Foundation Degree or HND, you'll learn to think for yourself and work independently, learning research skills and presentation methods you'll continue to use long after you leave university. Your experience will set you up for the rest of your life.
Courses can last for up to three years (four with a placement in industry or overseas; though most Scottish institutions run 4-year courses as standard, with or without placement), and you can choose from thousands of opportunities in science and technology, computing and business, art and design, social sciences, the humanities and many others. The broad range and flexible approach of the UK education system means that you're free to choose exactly what you want to study.
What qualifications will I need?
The qualifications you need depend on the course you want to study. You'll be expected to have completed at least 13 years of education in your own country or the UK, and to have taken pre-university qualifications equivalent to UK A-levels, Scottish Highers or National Diplomas.
If your qualifications don't match this, you can still study in the UK, you just to start at an earlier level. Search for career-based and pre-university courses.
You'll find the exact entry requirements for each course on the course profiles on this website. The following will however give you an idea of the sort of qualifications you will need:
| HND | Qualifications equivalent to one or two UK A-levels, two Scottish Highers or a Higher National Certificate or BTEC National Diploma; or an international foundation year. Plus IELTS 5.5-6.0 |
| Foundation Degree | Qualifications equivalent to one or two UK A-levels, one or two Scottish Highers or a National Diploma; or an international foundation year. Plus IELTS 5.5-6.0 |
| Diploma of Higher Education | Qualifications equivalent to one or two UK A-levels, two or three Scottish Highers or a National Diploma; or an international foundation year. Plus IELTS 5.5-6.0 |
| Degree | Qualifications equivalent to two or three UK A-levels, three or four Scottish Highers, a Higher National Certificate or Diploma, or BTEC National Diploma; or an international foundation year. Plus IELTS 6.0-6.5 |
What sorts of courses are available?
Higher National Certificate (HNC) or Diploma (HND)
Higher National Certificates and Diplomas are one- and two- year career-related higher education courses, which are equivalent to the first stages of a degree. They are available in many areas including engineering, sports studies, art and design, media and communications and music technology. On successful completion you can enter a career at junior management level or can choose to 'top-up' to a degree by transferring to the second or third year of the degree course. Search for HNC/HNDs.
Foundation Degrees (FdA, FdSc etc)
Foundation Degrees are two-year career-related higher education courses, which are equivalent to the first stages of a degree. They are available in many areas, including art and design, media and communications, engineering and hospitality management, and can be used as a good foundation for a career or as a basis from which you can progress on to a degree course. Search for Foundation Degrees.
Diplomas of Higher Education
Diplomas of Higher Education are two-year courses in subject areas usually related to the social sciences, such as education, theology, communication studies and social work. They are ideal for students hoping to progress to a career in these areas and also provide a foundation for higher education courses in the same subject area. Search for Diplomas of Higher Education.
Degrees
Degrees are the most popular undergraduate qualification in the UK. They are academic courses, usually studied over three years in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, or four years in Scotland (where the title master's degree may be awarded). Some degree courses may be extended for a year to enable students to spend a year in industry (such as on engineering degrees) or overseas (such as on degrees in modern languages). Search for degrees.
University International Foundation Year
University International Foundation Year courses help to bridge any gaps between qualifications you hold already and the ones you need to begin a degree course at a UK university, whether this is because you need to develop your English language skills, improve on your academic qualifications, or both. Search for International Foundation Year courses.
You'll get great value for money from a UK undergraduate education no matter where you choose to study. The figures below show approximately what you'll need to pay, but it's worth bearing in mind that course fees can vary considerably between institutions. Costs for individual courses are given in the course profiles on this website.
| Foundation courses | £4,000 to £12,000 per year |
| Arts courses | £7,000 to £9,000 per year |
| Science courses | £7,500 to £12,000 per year |
| Clinical courses | £10,000 to £21,000 per year |
How will I know if I've chosen a good course?
Part of the reason that UK undergraduate qualifications are so highly valued across the world is the strict measures of quality imposed on them. Many of the checks and reports are available online, so you'll never be left in any doubt about the validity and quality of the course you choose.
The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) ensures that UK higher education is of a standard that's respected and admired across the world. Further details can be found on their website at www.qaa.ac.uk
Every few years, the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) takes place to judge the quality of research being carried out in UK colleges and universities. The most recent assessment took place in 2001 and the results can be downloaded from www.hero.ac.uk/rae.index.htm
You can also find information on undergraduate courses on the Teaching Quality Information (TQI) website, which provides information on many different areas of undergraduate education, including results of the national student survey and destination information of recent undergraduates. See www.tqi.ac.uk
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