The University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge are the most famous universities in the UK; they are both extremely prestigious and notoriously difficult to gain admittance to, resulting in driven, competitive, and aspirational students and graduates.

To support students applying to these universities, we are publishing a series of articles on the admissions and applications process required, the courses available, and the universities themselves. In this article, we discuss the foundation programmes available for study at the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge.

What is a Foundation Programme?

Also known as pathway programmes or preparation programmes, a foundation programme is a course run by a university or trusted provider which fills the gap between your current level of qualification from your secondary school education and the level required for university study.

Their purpose is to provide UK and/or international students with a progression route to an undergraduate degree at the university when their qualifications are not suitable for direct application for undergraduate study. Students can gain entry to a foundation programme through its lower entry requirements and complete preparatory studies before progressing to an undergraduate degree at the university.

University of Oxford

Foundation Oxford is a yearlong bespoke subject-specific foundation course which is currently still in development and is anticipated to support up to 50 students every year across selected subjects. Those who pass the course will then progress to undergraduate study at the University of Oxford. Further details can be found here.

Opportunity Oxford Opportunity Oxford is an academic summer bridging programme preparing UK offer-holders from under-represented backgrounds for further study at Oxford University. For entry in 2021, the number of offers made under Opportunity Oxford is set to be circa 170 offers. Students are automatically considered based on their UCAS application. Further details can be found here.

University of Cambridge

Cambridge Foundation Year is a fully-funded one-year scholarship, entirely free to students, due to launch in 2022. The Foundation Year aims to reach students whose education has been disrupted or who have been unable to access suitable qualifications. For entry in 2022, circa 50 offers are expected to be made to students. Students can apply to the foundation course directly through UCAS. Those who pass the course will then progress to undergraduate study at the University of Cambridge. Further details can be found here.

For more advice or for a free personalised application plan, contact our team at info@libraeducation.co.uk.

We hope that this article will provide you with greater preparation for your application to study at the University of Cambridge or the University of Oxford. We wish you success in the next stage of your academic career.