• How to apply
• Admissions requirements and eligibility
• Personal statement
• Selection process

How to apply

Applications for the Foundation courses are made directly to the University. Applications for 2024 entry closed on Sunday 7 April 2024.

There are no formal Level 3 entry requirements (A-level or equivalent) for our foundation courses. Applicants are welcome to apply with no prior qualifications.

Applicants for our Foundation Year in Science, Engineering and Technology may not be eligible if they already have other science qualifications.

Each application will be judged on its own merits, and we welcome applications from people from a wide range of ages and educational, ethnic, and social backgrounds. We are looking for applicants who are highly motivated to study and who have the potential to succeed in further university study afterwards.

Applicants for our Foundation Year in Science, Engineering and Technology who are invited to interview will be asked to discuss a maths-based activity to demonstrate an appropriate level of understanding, but we do not ask for any prior qualifications. We expect candidates to be proficient in maths to GCSE level in advance of applying, but we do not look for specific evidence before the interview. The interview day will also include a separate maths test to assess candidates’ maths abilities.

Our admissions statements below include more information on the eligibility criteria for both courses. Please read this information carefully before applying. See the admission statement for the relevant course:

• Foundation in Arts and Social Sciences admissions statement
• Foundation in Science, Engineering and Mathematics admissions statement

When applying, applicants are requested to complete and upload the Foundation Year Qualification Questionnaire (Office document, 75kB) instead of listing any qualifications in their application form. Although qualifications are not required for entry to our Arts or STEM Foundation Years, we do need to know about any you have taken or are taking at Level 3 (for example, A-level or equivalent). This is to provide context for your application but does not prejudice our decision.

Personal statement

On the application form, you’ll be asked to provide a personal statement. This is your chance to tell us about:

• your experiences of study in the past (whether positive or negative);
• your reasons for wanting to return to study now;
• why you wish to study the course;
• what you would like to achieve by the end of the course;
• whether you would like to go on to study for a degree;
• your interest in your subject area and how this has developed;
• your other hobbies and interests.

There is no perfect version of a personal statement, so please do not be put off by this section, we just want to know why you want to apply for the course and what you hope to get out of it. 

Selection process

We select candidates for interviews based on their application form. We then make offers to successful candidates based on their interview alongside their supporting written work for Foundation Year in Arts and Social Sciences or maths activity and test for Foundation Year in Science, Engineering and Mathematics. Find out more information about the interview process, or read our admissions statements above for more guidance on the admissions process overall.