A foundation year is the ideal path to help you progress to your chosen degree. Learn about fees, entry requirements and offered courses.
Health courses
If you're aiming for a degree in health, nursing or midwifery, our University Certificate in Health and Social Care offers a flexible and supportive pathway into higher education designed to fit around your current circumstances
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A foundation year is your stepping stone to a life-changing degree – perfect if you’re just shy of meeting the entry requirements, or looking for a new direction.
Whether it’s been years since you earned your qualifications, or you’re switching from arts to sciences (or anywhere in between), a foundation year bridges the gap, giving you the skills and confidence to thrive at degree level.
A foundation year at Hull gives you a solid grounding of knowledge, so you can progress to your chosen three-year programme with confidence.
The foundation year you enrol to may not be an exact match to your chosen three-year degree, but don’t worry! Our foundation years combine content from multiple related courses, giving you more flexibility and choice about the degree path you take. You’ll be matched to the foundation year closest to your interest, while also being introduced to content from similar fields.
For example, if you apply for a Music foundation year, you’ll join our Media Foundation course. This approach allows you to explore different subjects, so if you decide to switch – say, from Music to Graphic Design – you can do so without restarting your foundation year.
At Hull, we make sure you’re ready for your degree and the possibilities beyond.
There are two fee structures for our foundation years. These depend on whether your foundation year is classroom based (£5,760) or non-classroom-based (£9,790). See our course pages and select the 'with a Foundation Year' option to see what each foundation year costs.
When applying for student finance, submit an application just like you would for any undergraduate degree through Student Finance England – but be sure to include the foundation year in your course choice (e.g. Mathematics with Foundation Year) and note that you're in Year 0.
When you're near the end of your foundation year, you'll need to reapply for finance for the next year, keeping the ‘Foundation Year’ in your course selection. Remember to select 'Year 1' of your degree (not Year 2).
Your entry requirements depend on your background and experience. We’d typically ask for at least 72 UCAS points from three A levels (or equivalent). If you don’t quite meet the UCAS points needed for direct entry, we also consider qualifications in subjects related to your chosen degree.
If you’re making a big change – like switching from arts to science – you may need to take a foundation year, even if you have more than 72 points.
Not sure where you stand? If you’ve been out of education for a while or are unsure about your options, our admissions team is here to help.
The University Certificate in Health and Social Care Practice (Level 4, 60 credits) is a part-time course delivered through a blend of online and in-person learning. This flexible program provides a practical and accessible introduction to academic study, with 'bite-sized' modules that focus on vocationally relevant topics.
The cost of a foundation year varies by course, but it’s typically charged at a similar rate to the first year of an undergraduate degree. The best way to find the exact cost is to check the fee information for the specific undergraduate course with a foundation year that you’re interested in.
Not sure where to get started? Find out all you need to know with our handy guide for students from England applying to study a full-time undergraduate degree.