University with no A levels?

[bendmeoverbackwards]

The daughter of a friend of mine has managed to gain a place on a foundation degree course with no A levels or equivalent. She has GCSEs but that’s it.

I thought an access course was required.

Does anyone know if this is common? My dd is 18 and has been out of education for 2 years. Her aim is university eventually but feels she ‘must’ do A levels first.

It might depend on the age of the person - so if a bit older then they might not need A levels and able to apply without them , or there experience post school might count. Its not the most usual route but you cn get into UNi's on other qualifications / experience. The foundation year will be seen as getting them to the level they need, and if they pass that they can go onto the usual degree programme

DD is on a Foundation course at a Uni, she has A levels but not the one she needed at the required grade for her chosen course.
Most of the people on her course are in a similar position or are from overseas but I think some don't have A Levels due to Home schooling or illness

Yes it happens.

A foundation degree course is NOT the same as a degree course. It isn't weird because it's the whole point of a "foundation degree" as opposed to a "degree". It appears to sit between A-levels and a degree so it can be topped up to a degree in one year rather than 3, but is not the same as a BA or MSC in its own right.

There are two types of foundation I think. One is a foundation degree, which is usually two years in its own right and you can top up to a degree after that. The other is a foundation year, preceding a BA etc, for those who don’t have the correct subjects/ high enough qualifications to get straight onto the degree course.

My DC is doing a foundation year then will (hopefully!) move to the three year degree course.

Yes that’s right. Increasingly unis are offering foundation years / year 0 so applicants can opt for that or Access.

https://www.ucas.com/applying/you-apply/what-and-where-study/choosing-course/foundation-degrees

How they work
Foundation degrees focus on a particular job or profession.
Foundation degrees are ideal if you’re unsure about taking a full degree or if you want to study while you work. Whether you’re working in or towards the role now, you can gain professional and technical skills to further your career – within a shorter time frame than a full degree.

• They usually take two years full-time to complete, or longer for part-time students.
• Normally you can continue for a further year to gain a full honours degree, which is useful if you decide to go for a full degree after all.

How to get a place Unlike full degrees, there are no set entry requirements for foundation degrees. You can find out more when you search for courses, but you may find it's all quite flexible.

• In fact, formal qualifications are not always necessary – commercial or industrial experience might be more relevant.
• In some instances you might even be able to accredit existing company training received while having foundation degree status. Generally this is investigated on an individual company basis.

The award title would include 'Fd' in it, rather than 'B' (so FdA / FdSc). I have a vague memory that the Gilf Management course offered at the University of Birmingham used to be a Foundation degree (it's a full Bachelor's degree now, though, so if it was perhaps the powers that be within the Russell Group had a quiet word about lowering the tone),

Thank you all so much. Bearing this in mind, do you think it’s worth dd embarking on A level study?

I’d say yes. It’ll give her the right study skills and a level of maturity after 1/2 years of study.

I work at a university where we offer a level 4 Cert HE. Many people get on this with no, or few qualifications. If they do well they can progress to a 2 year programme of study and obtain a degree. Some of these students have progressed to a masters degree. It’s a great route for those wanting to commit to study without having to do A Levels with younger students.

@bendmeoverbackwards This decision would entirely depend on the degree and which university. Look at suitable courses and then look at what they will expect in terms of A levels etc. Best prep for degree study should be a consideration too. What’s the aim of the degree? Anything in particular?

No not really. She’s quite childish for her age and thinks she ‘must’ do A levels and uni with no thought to the reasons why. She sees herself as academically bright (which she is but I wouldn’t say she enjoys learning) and a terrible academic snob so any alternative courses I have suggested eg a BTEC have been met with a big fat NO.

Would you mind sharing which university this is? You could PM me if that’s easier?