Foundation Years
A foundation year is the perfect stepping stone into university. It provides essential academic skills, subject knowledge, and confidence to help you succeed in your chosen degree.
View courses/prod01/channel_2/media/university-of-south-wales/site-assets/images/07-student-life/71-study-spaces/student-life-study-spaces-generic-50035.jpg)
What is a foundation year?
A foundation year is an extra year of study before a full undergraduate degree. They are ideal for students who don’t currently have the grades to go straight onto a degree or students who are considering a return to education.
During a foundation year, you will gain an understanding of your field of study and develop key academic skills and confidence needed to progress onto the full three-year degree programme. If you successfully complete your foundation year, you can progress straight onto the first year of a degree in a related subject.
Key Benefits
Progressing to a full degree course
After successful completion of a foundation year, most students can progress directly onto the first year of their chosen degree to continue with their studies.
A foundation year is not a step backwards — it’s simply a different route into higher education, designed to support your transition and build your readiness for university-level learning. Once completed, you’ll start year one of your degree just like any other student.
You can find a list of courses with foundation years on our website.
.jpg)
How much is a foundation year?
The tuition fee for UK students on foundation years ranges from £5,760 to £9,790, depending on the course. Fees for subsequent years of the degree course will be charged in line with our standard full-time home undergraduate fees. For international students, where applicable, the foundation year fee ranges from £16,800 to £17,200.
Please check the relevant course page for detailed information on the specific fees applicable to your course and to confirm eligibility for the stated fees.
You can check our course pages for the latest fee informationHow to find foundation years?
You can browse courses that offer a foundation year on the USW website. Simply search for foundation years using our course search or click the link below to view all foundation year courses.
View all foundation year coursesAPPLY NOW
Applying to university shouldn’t be a daunting experience. From finding the right course to how to submit the perfect application, we’ve got everything you need to get started.
Apply to USW