Level "A": Ready for University
The road to a British university, like to practically any foreign one, turns out not to be as straightforward as many would like: you most likely won't get in right after our secondary school. But don't think you are losing years: English universities only accept students from age 18, and higher education itself lasts three years (bachelor's degree). The exception is Scotland, where the bachelor's course is four years, so entry requirements are less strict. But in any case, you cannot do without two things. That is English, confirmed by an IELTS exam (at least 6 points) or TOEFL (at least 500 points), and an advanced-level secondary education diploma A-level (or its equivalent).
Our secondary school certificate is not included in the list of equivalents, if only because it is issued after 11 years of schooling, not 13, as in Britain. Moreover, the structure of British school education is different. It consists of compulsory secondary education, which, like ours, lasts 11 years. After passing exams, the graduate receives a GCSE certificate - analogous to our secondary school certificate. But the difference is that with our certificate, you can enter university immediately, while with the British GCSE, you can only get into a professional college - it is not enough for university. Two more years of study in the advanced-level A-level program (also called pre-university preparation) are required, and only successful passing of the eponymous exams guarantees entry to university, by the way, not only in Britain but in any English-speaking country.
Therefore, one option is to go after school (or even better, instead of 10th grade) on a two-year A-level course. It can be taken either at a private British school or at colleges that prepare foreigners for university. But keep in mind that in the first case, excellent language skills will be required: the A-level program is quite intensive, and there will be no time to ease in and immerse in the language environment. Few foreigners immediately get into A-level. The majority are offered to take an introductory English course, and then, depending on age and academic preparation, it is determined where to go next: either to the final year of GCSE, or to the preparatory Foundation program, or finally to A-level. During the learning process, it becomes clear what the student is inclined towards, what comes easier, how they adapt in the group, and accordingly, recommendations are given for future profession and university choice.
Each of the preparatory programs has its own pros and cons that must be considered. For example, to get into the best universities in the UK, primarily Oxford and Cambridge, you can only enter with excellent A-level results; they do not consider Foundation. It is also important to keep in mind that UK universities start accepting and reviewing applications very early - some at the end of the previous year, others at the beginning of the year you intend to apply. But it is not enough to submit an application; you also need to attach intermediate results from the pre-university program, and you have to get them in time - that is another reason why the two-year program is preferable. The application also includes a forecast from your supervisor/teachers regarding final grades. Based on this, many universities - also long before the start of the academic year - 'offer a place', that is, they announce preliminary admission to the student. But at the same time, there are many universities where you can apply twice a year (September-October and January-February), and application deadlines are less strict. All these nuances need to be known. True, in any educational institution preparing for university, there is a special person or service that ensures everything is done correctly and on time. After all, the reputation of the school or college depends on the results of graduates, on how many people and where they enter.
The plus of the Foundation program is its duration: it lasts only one year. This is, of course, the shortest path to a British university, but it requires good preparation in the subjects of the future university major and English language proficiency at the upper intermediate level. The year will be spent on polishing all this and adapting to the English educational system. You will be taught how to speak correctly and without an accent, how to work with study materials, how to write essays and tests, how to answer in classes and exams, how to highlight the most important things, how to pass the final exam to get enough points (on a 100-point scale) for university admission. In other words, you need not only a large store of knowledge but also be ready to restructure yourself in a short time, absorb a different teaching system, and learn to live by new rules.
Some colleges have recently reduced the duration of the A-level program to one and a half years or even one year, but they by no means guarantee an excellent result.
Foundation of Future Success
Accelerated pre-university preparation programs are also called University Access Fast Track, that is, fast access to the university, or Bridge Programmes. They appeared in Britain more than ten years ago - at the University of Sussex - and quickly spread throughout the country. Today, after completing such a course, you can enter practically any university, with the exception of Oxford and Cambridge. In other universities, Foundation does not apply to some faculties, in particular medical ones.
The essence of studying in this program is to provide an accelerated pre-university preparation course for foreign students wishing to enter British universities. And to fit it into a maximum of three trimesters. After all, most foreign applicants complete a 12-year school in their countries, so they can reach the level of British graduates within a year. And although our schoolchildren study fewer years, they are also accepted into Foundation.
What is required for admission to the 'fast track' program? First of all, of course, a sufficient level of foreign language proficiency for study. Confirmation of knowledge is a document of passing some language exam - IELTS, FCE, TOEFL. Requirements are typically lower than for direct university admission: on average 5.5 points on IELTS versus the applicant's 6.5-7. In preparatory programs, English is one of the core subjects, so you will make up the missing points here.
It is very important to choose the right preparatory program - after all, there are many, and not all may suit you. Foundations operating at universities, as you might guess, prepare for admission specifically to that institution. They are ideal for those who know where to apply. Training includes an intensive English language course plus those subjects you will need at university. That is, the program has a clearly targeted purpose - you will not be 'loaded' with any unnecessary information. This resembles preparatory courses at domestic universities, but with a very significant difference: upon successful completion of Foundation, admission is guaranteed, while completion of our courses provides no guarantees.
Actually, the program is not entirely intended to teach you mathematics or physics - you may know these subjects no worse, or even better than graduates of foreign schools. Rather, the goal of core subject classes is to adapt your knowledge to local standards and requirements. For example, it is well known that in our schools education is predominantly theoretical, whereas in the West it is applied in nature. And it often happens that our applicant, possessing more extensive knowledge than his British peer, gets lost when solving practical problems.
On the other hand, if you plan to study disciplines such as business, economics, law – in general, those that are not properly taught in domestic schools – introductory courses of these subjects, which you will take at Foundation, will significantly ease your further studies. In addition, Foundation students are taught a subject called study skills – that is, skills in planning lessons, independent work, exam techniques, and so on. After all, one should not forget the main difference between our and Western education – in the approach to organizing classes, in academic freedom, which may seem excessive to our students unaccustomed to it.
Foundation programs at universities are good because training here is built on a university, not a school principle. Applicants attend lectures, seminars, tutorials, and have the right to attend actual university classes as well. Also live in dormitories, use the library, participate in student life – in short, 'soak up' the university spirit in advance.
There is only one drawback – the one mentioned above. If, say, you take a preparatory program at the University of Nottingham, admission is guaranteed – but only to the University of Nottingham. And if during the course of study you change your mind and decide that you prefer Manchester or Warwick – don't complain, they won't accept you.
Programs at colleges give much greater freedom of maneuver. For example, professional further education colleges often include Foundation in their range of courses. At least in the most demanded areas – business, law, information technology, and some others. But when choosing a program at a college, you need to be vigilant: make sure that the course actually guarantees admission to one or several universities. For this, the college must be in partnership with universities, and your task is to find out whether this is the case and which universities you can count on for admission.
The academic content of the program here is the same as in university ones. There are even some advantages. In particular, the fact that a college is usually smaller than a university, with small classes, which ensures increased attention from teachers.
In addition, there are specialized international preparatory colleges in Britain, such as Abacus College, Bellerbys College, Harrow College, and many others. Their profile is to prepare foreign applicants for study at a British university. Here you can take either a two-year A-level program or a Foundation program. All these colleges are in partnership with several universities, which guarantee admission to those who successfully complete the course. Successfully completing usually means that based on tests and exams throughout the entire training, the applicant must score at least 40% out of 100% possible (although, for example, admission to the best universities requires at least 80%). Probably, the 'champion' in terms of the number of partners can be called Bellerbys College – its programs are recognized by more than 40 universities, including such prestigious ones as Nottingham, Bristol, Sheffield.
As a rule, Foundation at colleges is offered in two variants: Business Stream (for those planning to enter faculties of business, economics, management) and Social Studies Stream (for future lawyers, sociologists, political scientists). Recently, technical direction has also become widespread. And generally, different options are possible. For example, at Brooke House College, Foundation is primarily intended for future economists, managers, and businessmen. And Stafford House offers its own model of education: from numerous courses, the student chooses three, and another three – mathematics, IT, and Study Skills – are compulsory for everyone. Plus, of course, English.
What is good about preparatory colleges? First of all, unlike universities and further education colleges, the Foundation program for them is not just one of hundreds of taught courses, and by no means the most important one, but, one could say, the reason for their existence. Therefore, the attitude towards students is corresponding.
Things are somewhat different in Scotland. Here there is a single pre-university preparation program for all universities - the Scottish Foundation Programme. And it doesn't matter where you take it - it is recognized by all Scottish universities.