Foundation pathway

A Foundation Year with ARU College is a two trimester course that takes place before your degree at ARU.  This means that your degree will take 4 years to complete in total.

During your Foundation Year you will complete a range of modules relevant to your chosen degree, as well as modules concentrating on the skills that are vital for University level education.

A Foundation pathway is available for students who:

• Do not quite meet the entry requirements to enter university directly (but hold GCSE level qualifications)
• Feel that additional support at the start of university studies will help them stand a better chance of success
• Have been away from studies for a period of time
• Come from a different academic environment to that of the UK
• Require additional English language training

If you fall into any of the above categories, choosing an undergraduate pathway at ARU College is the right decision for you. Depending on your academic needs, we offer two pathway entry points for undergraduate study– Foundation and First Year Pathway.

Progressing from Your Foundation Year

Your Foundation Year is the first of four stages. Once you have successfully completed it, you’ll move seamlessly on to the first year of your bachelor’s degree. You do not need to reapply. Your offer letter will cover all four years, including the Foundation Year.

Information about available courses, intake semesters and campus location can be found in our course matrices.

Key Information about the Foundation Year:

• Students have access to full ARU facilities and are part of the ARU community
• Foundation Year is made up of 8 modules; a mixture of academic and study skills
• Smaller class sizes than the university
• 16 hours of contact hours per week
• Timetabling over 3 days with a condensed timetable
• Dedicated ARU College staff on both campuses
• Inclusivity, disability and dyslexia support integrated with ARU