Which is better - foundation year or an Access course to get on a degree course

[Saffrony]

Son’s Alevels weren’t great for good extenuating circumstances. He’s now trying between a foundation year or an access course to get on the degree course he wants. Obviously Access would work out cheaper but he is favouring the foundation year. Thoughts?

Foundation possibly gives a better idea of what uni will be like as they tend to be delivered similarly. Positively some unis offer some level of fee reduction and / or guaranteed places with either access or foundation courses.

Did he take a levels last year? And, some unis do contextual offers - could he be eligible for those?

Oh and good luck whatever he decides. ❤️❤️

It really depends what course he wants to get onto. The best thing would be for DS to email the admissions team at a few universities he is interested in to ask their advice. We like to to help!

For me the chance for automatic progression is a great thing

Typically a foundation year will guarantee progression onto the degree if you pass and he then will already be familiar with the university systems etc so that will really help with year 1. I have met a lot of students who have done an Access course and then struggled at degree level and found it a big step up. If he has a disability he can get DSA for a course with a foundation year as well.

I would also say foundation course. More expensive option but better preparation for a degree course and many have automatic progression ( if you pass).

My DS is on year two of a degree with foundation year.
it has worked really well, but he was keen to get to uni and get that phase of his life started.
in nearly all aspects, his experience is exactly the same as his peers. The foundation course was a great revision, as he had missed a lot due to lockdown.

Just one thing - some foundation courses can be competitive. Dc with the “wrong” A levels at high grades apply, eg for vet science. So in general, foundation is the way to go but be aware that some will get very good candidates with high grades, just the “wrong” subject.

I thought access courses were only for people over the age of 19 who don’t have traditional qualifications eg A levels? Your DS already has A levels. I’m not sure a university would accept an access course qualification if he already has A levels in appropriate subjects unless he is going for a completely different field eg he wants to do a science degree but has arts A levels.

He needs to talk to admissions teams for the courses he is interested in.

Depending which course he wants to do, I was in the same boat and did a foundation degree for two years which I then topped up to a BA with a third year. I just did 3 years at uni like my other friends and nobody was even the wiser that there was anything different about my degree. Something to look into!

He has very good extenuating circumstances and I can’t see why a uni wouldn’t accept the Access course grades they asked for if he didn’t have the Alevels they asked for due to his extenuating circumstances. He would still have got what they required.

But yes looking at all these replies Foundation looks the way to go this year. He has seen one he is keen on and if he doesn’t get on it then he could do the access as back up maybe for next year. It’s computer science.

Hi, again —

CS is very competitive right now. I definitely think access courses are worth a discussion with the admissions teams at some of DS’s realistically aspirational uni choices, if he is thinking about them. Of course if the CS teams have actually listed access qualifications they will accept that’s fine

Again, though, nothing beats guaranteed progression

@OP just check that the university accepts those who have already done 'A'Levels' onto their Foundation courses because some specify that 'Foundation' is for those who either have not done the correct subjects at A'Level OR for international students who have a different education system.

I think foundation courses are a good bet. One thing to take note on is the funding. SFE fund the length of a course plus one additional year. This is referred to as a gift year. The foundation year classes as the gift year as it's not part of the main degree. This means any extra years for a repeat level or course change would need to be self funded. Not a problem for most but good to be aware of. Good luck to your son xx

If it's integrated into the degree (most for UK students are) this is wrong. He would still have the gift year.

Ok it does list Alevel UCAS points as requirements and his do meet the required amount.

They don’t make it easy for youngsters who have had a shit time do they.😫

I had to do access desire having a levels as my a levels were too old. Someone on my access course had previously done a degree but because it was 10 years previously he had to access to show recent study

@Saffrony Not sure when it was easy if you didn’t do as well as you should. It was ever thus and if a course is competitive I think a foundation year does give him another chance. Back in the day it would be retakes or no uni.

Except it’s hard to do retakes now. He’d have to do them online and it’s a lot harder than being at college. An access doesn’t have big exams at the end.

Well yes. It’s actually easier now to go to uni and get a second chance.

I don’t think so. It seems harder with lots of caveats and rules.

Years ago there were no foundation courses. You’d do a HND if you couldn’t do a degree, or you’d work and maybe get day release. When only 10/15% went to uni it really was more difficult to get in. I don’t see why everyone should just expect to be let into a degree course without meeting the requirements. Many people have set backs and have to rethink their strategy. Just apply for the alternatives. It’s a year! Or resist. That’s a year too. Or do a HND equivalent. Then the degree. All are possible.

He is and doesn’t expect to be just let onto a degree course. However a year doing 3 Alevels online is very different than being able to do them at night school like you used to. And there is a bigger cost now. When you hear things like an Access not being accepted if you already have Alevels in the subjects it just seems like unnecessary challenges.

My DD dropped out of A levels and has done a two year nursing associate course which she will top up with an 18 month course to get a full degree. It has worked really well for her, but pretty much all of her friends who are on standard three year courses will be leaving at the end of next year and she'll still have another year to go, so she's not quite sure what she's going to do for accommodation. Although it sounds a bit early to be worrying about it, it is in the autumn term that they have sorted out accommodation for the next year so not far off. It's not something that should stop him doing what he wants to do, but she is expecting her final year to be quite different socially. Some of her friends did want to take a year out and then come back and also do fourth year, but they have found it hard to get placements. Good luck whatever he decides!

@MurielThrockmorton My DD did a 4 year degree and it’s difficult when friends are leaving after three. I’m guessing all her friends are nursing colleagues? At university, can she meet up with others who are doing a 4th year via the accommodations office? I totally get the social life but are any friends working locally? I do think looking at alternative routes does work and not being blinkered regarding uni at 18 can be beneficial.

Her friends aren't nursing @TizerorFizz, they're from her first year halls, a lot of the nurse associate students are older and have their own families. I'm sure she'll sort something out, she's got friends from a club she's in and she's pretty outgoing, so I'm not too worried about her, she has a normal sense of concern about it rather than it being overwhelming, it's just a factor to consider.