Introduction to the Engineering Foundation Year

The Engineering Foundation Year is designed for talented and enthusiastic students who aspire to become engineers but have experienced barriers to achieving the necessary grades, qualifications, or subjects for direct entry to UCL's undergraduate engineering degrees. This program offers a fully integrated support package to help students succeed.

Program Details

Study Mode

• Full-time

Duration

• 1 academic year
• 1+3 academic years (BEng) or 1+4 academic years (MEng)

Tuition Fees (2026/27)

• UK: Ł6,000
• Overseas: Fees to be confirmed

Program Start

• September 2026

Application Deadline

• 14 January 2026

UCAS Course Code

• The UCAS codes for the integrated Engineering foundation degrees are listed in the Next steps section.

Entry Requirements

Academic Requirements

• UCAS Points: 100
• Accepted Qualifications: Any combination of the listed qualifications with no specific subject requirements, unless meeting Group Two of the non-academic entry requirements, in which case qualifications should have been studied at a UK state school.
  • A levels
  • International Baccalaureate Diploma
  • UAL Level 3 Extended Diploma
  • Access to HE Diploma preferably related to an engineering discipline
  • BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma preferably related to an engineering discipline
  • Scottish Advanced Highers
  • Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects
  • T Levels
• Other Level 3 qualifications that confer UCAS points may be considered but could be less competitive.
• Students will not be eligible if they have completed a Level 4 qualification or higher (e.g., Higher National Certificate) or more than one year of an undergraduate degree.

GCSE Requirements

• Currently, the GCSE entry requirements are C or 4 in both GCSE English Language and Mathematics.

Non-Academic Requirements

• Eligibility for UK/Home Fee Status: Applicants must be eligible to pay UK fees as determined by UCL Admissions.
• Group One: Applicants must meet one of the following criteria and have studied the qualifications at a UK State School:
  • Postcode eligibility
  • Eligibility for free school meals
  • Estranged
  • Educational gap
• Group Two: Applicants must meet one of the following criteria:
  • Care-experienced
  • Forced migrant
  • Mature student

English Language Requirements

• The English language level for this program is Level 1.
• Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications, and test providers can be found on the English language requirements page.

Course Overview

The Engineering Foundation Year is designed for students who do not meet the standard requirements for entry at UCL and want to spend one year developing professional and personal skills alongside core academic and subject-specific content. The program focuses on long-term success and development rather than short-term achievement, enabling students to take hold of their potential and prepare for one of UCL's specialist undergraduate engineering programs.

Teaching and Learning

• The program is taught primarily in-person and on campus, offering a high level of tutorial and pastoral support.
• Students will take a number of individual modules, which are not credit-bearing but have a volume of work comparable to a 120-credit year.
• Modules are assessed in the academic year they are taken.
• Upon successful completion of the foundation year, students can progress to their chosen undergraduate Engineering program at UCL.

Modules

• Engineering Projects and Skills: Divided evenly into lectures, seminars/workshops, and facilitated project activities.
• Mathematics for Engineering: Roughly equal split between lectures and workshop/tutorial sessions.
• Applied Science and Experimentation: Roughly equal split between lectures and laboratory work.

Assessment

• Engineering Projects and Skills: 100% coursework-assessed, including an individual multimedia portfolio, an individual capstone project, and an individual presentation.
• Mathematics for Engineering: Assessed with a mix of 20% coursework and 80% exams.
• Applied Science and Experimentation: Assessed by a split of 40% coursework, 20% observation of lab work, and 40% exams.

Fees and Funding

Fees for This Course

• Tuition Fees (2026/27): Ł6,000 for UK students, with fees for subsequent years subject to increase.
• International Fees: Fees to be confirmed.

Funding Your Studies

• Engineering Foundation Year students will be given the option to apply for means-tested bursaries.
• Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships, and bursaries.

Next Steps

Your Application

• The Engineering Foundation Year is designed to address educational disadvantage.
• Applications will be reviewed and assessed carefully against academic and eligibility criteria.
• The UCAS application form will ask questions about personal circumstances, which will be used to check if applicants meet the non-academic eligibility criteria.

How to Apply

• Application for admission should be made through UCAS.
• Applicants should apply for the relevant Engineering program they wish to progress to after successfully completing the foundation year.

Selection

• For further information on UCL's selection process, see How we assess your application.
• After the application has been reviewed, if UCL wishes to take the application forward, the applicant will be invited to an assessment day in winter/spring 2026.

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