Can DD move universities after the foundation year (year 0)?

[Willowww1975]

DD has accepted a place on a biology degree with foundation year. It's computable (3 days a week) so will be staying at home.

There is a degree that's a bit more specialised that's further away that she would do if she is sure she wants to follow that path after the foundation year. That course also has a science foundation year but she doesn't want to move as far away as it is for the foundation year.

Is it possible to transfer after a foundation year?

[BubblesBuddy]

You would need to ask the university admission team. Some courses do not take students who needed a foundation year and only recruit on A levels (or certain alternatives) so you will need to ascertain what is applicable to the new course. What do they require and is her current course suitable?

I am not sure a specialised or niche undergrad science degree is always the best way to go unless it is very job specific. What is being missed out to make it specialised? I would make sure she understands how useful, or not, the degree will be. Most people specialise after graduating.

[Allthebestnamesareused]

Check with the uni she'll want to transfer from.

Friend's DD did Foundation at Goldsmith's but went to Nottingham subsequently to do her BA.

[titchy]

Check with the university. Don't specialise at undergrad though.

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

Ds1 has just switched after doing foundation plus the first year at a different university. He's going into the second year at new uni. With his course, it seemed to be the modules he'd covered in the first year that made the offer possible. I'd imagine it's easier after the foundation year.

[PiratePanda]

In my experience, yes. You can switch after the first year, too, as long as you get the grades/meet the offer; though not usually after the second.

[beckenman12]

Son 19 had to drop out of AS. DId not finish. Now wants to go to college to do AS. But had a problem trying to find a college because of funding. Trying to get him to do access course. Wants to do History at Univerity. Seems to think that AS are the only way. Advice please

[BigGreenOlives]

@beckenman12 start a new thread

[ReinettePompadour]

Does she meet the entry requirements for the other course without needing to do another foundation year?

I've just been through the application process for university myself as a mature student. The university I'm starting at next week does not accept movement between foundation courses only Access courses. Foundation courses are not portable and theyre only accepted by the university that the full degree will be taken at tailored to the universities specific course requirements. Because of this the entry requirements are very different.

I think she needs to phone both universities and see whether the other one would accept her and her current one will release her.

[titchy]

Foundation courses are not portable and theyre only accepted by the university that the full degree will be taken

That's incorrect. Plenty of universities will take applicants into year 1 if they've completed a Foundation year elsewhere.

[ReinettePompadour]

titchy

That's incorrect. Plenty of universities will take applicants into year 1 if they've completed a Foundation year elsewhere.

Ive just checked recently for myself with all 5 of my local universities and no they will not accept a foundation year to go onto year 1. Some will accept into year 2 after successfully completing the foundation year and 1st year of a degree. The OP needs to speak directly to the universities concerned. I am now doing Access to HE because it is portable they told me the foundation absolutely is not portable and will not be accepted elsewhere.

[titchy]

The five universities you have spoken to are not typical in that case - I assume they do not offer their own FY? Virtually all HEIs that offer a foundation year will accept someone else's FY largely because they offer FYs because they're desperate for bums on seats

[titchy]

In fact last year 6% of new students under 21 arrived having completed a FY elsewhere (91% had Level 3 quals like A Levels, Access, BTEC).

[chemenger]

As with everything about universities the only way to be sure of the facts for a particular university is to ask that specific university (or find out from their website etc) . There is virtually nothing that is common to all higher education institutes. Knowing that plenty of universities do something is no help if your particular university does not, and vice versa.

[Becca19962014]

I know my ex-dept brand new foundation year isn't transferable. However, that's made clear to students, it's also recommended that everyone does it (not essential but the course has a very high drop out rate).

Definitely check with the unis and don't assume. It might be possible but if the other course is specialising then I'd expect it wouldn't be possible. I agree it's a bad idea to specialise at undergrad level, generalisation is generally better.

[DimsieMaitland]

Where I teach there are some portable FYs but most are direct entry to named degree routes only at the same university. All HEIs are different.

[titchy]

most are direct entry to named degree routes only at the same university.

ALL should be integrated to a specific degree at the same university (or a named university if part of a franchise arrangement). They are NOT stand alone qualifications.

However that doesn't mean uni A won't take someone into their year 1 who has completed an FY at uni B.

I'm not sure what you mean Becca by your FY isn't transferable - it's not really up to you if another HEI takes your FY students!

I take Chemengers point that there is no hard and fast rule and all HEIs are different, but it's mostly post 92s that offer FYs (although shock horror some RGs are now too), and post 92s are generally recruiting rather than selecting so they're more likely to accept someone who's done year 0 elsewhere.

[Becca19962014]

I totally explained that wrong! Thankyou for pointing it out titchy!

I meant our course won't accept other foundation years from elsewhere because our foundation year is specifically tailored to the degree which is one of the few left which is professionally validated.

If students want to go elsewhere and get accepted they can, though our foundation year is very specific, as far as I'm aware no one has successfully entered the degree with our foundation year elsewhere. Very few get accepted for the degree without doing the foundation first.

It's not a post 92 institution it was put in place due to the drop out rate being very high for those who go immediately to do the degree, as there's a lot of misinformation around which doesn't apply in our department like the first year does count and minimal grades are required to progress to the next year - no unclassifieds for example or thirds as it is professionally validated, so student who think they just need basic 40% to go on arent allowed to progress. The standard for core modules is a 2:1, it's less for others.

A lot of students and parents quote the general uni rules when students are removed from the course for not getting high enough grades what they don't realise is the rules have exceptions and our course, as they are all told, is an exception.

[Becca19962014]

Very few get accepted... Meaning the foundation year is a requirement.