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Foundation Courses

Unlike in Korea, undergraduate courses at UK universities are generally three years. Therefore, high school students considering to attend university in the UK must take a one-year foundation course before applying to their desired undergraduate course.

In short, the foundation program is a college preparatory course for international students who have not taken the GCE A-level exams or an recognized international equivalent thereof. The foundation program develops competence in prerequisite modules required for the undergraduate course as well as enables the student to acquire general academic skills required for future undergraduate study.

The foundation program are delivered through numerous channels including universities, general colleges, tutorial colleges and university preparatory schools. In particular, some universities offer joint English language courses and foundation courses. These basic courses, developed and operated by the university, are generally one or two years long. Students will take normal foundation classes in conjunction with English language; and subject to satisfactory performance are guaranteed admissions to the undergraduate course of their choice.

In conclusion, international students desiring to apply to a UK undergraduate course can follow one of the following two paths:

(i) Study for and take the GCE A-Level course (or their internationally recognized equivalents, e.g. the International Baccalaureate (IB) or a combination of the U.S. SATs and APs), or

(ii) Enroll in a foundation program and, if the circumstances require, an English language program.

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