Universities will start admitting students who don’t meet the entry standard later this year… and will give them an extra year’s tuition to catch up
- An increasing number of institutions are setting aside places in clearing for those with sub-standard A-levels or good grades in the wrong subjects
- Students will do an extra ‘foundation year’ before their degree, to cover the material they should have learnt in sixth form
- Russell Group university Manchester has a foundation year in engineering available through clearing
Dozens of universities plan to admit students who don’t meet their criteria this year – and will put on an extra year’s tuition to help them catch up.
An increasing number of institutions are setting aside places in clearing for those with sub-standard A-levels or good grades in the wrong subjects, in order to increase ‘diversity’ on courses.
Students will do an extra ‘foundation year’ before their degree, to cover the material they should have learnt in sixth form. In some cases there are no minimum entry requirements – but students must show ‘potential’.
Russell Group university Manchester has a foundation year in engineering available through clearing.
Students will do an extra ‘foundation year’ before their degree, to cover the material they should have learnt in sixth form. In some cases there are no minimum entry requirements – but students must show ‘potential’ (pictured, stock image)
Those admitted need only BBC in science subjects or ABB in non-science subjects.
Leeds is offering six foundation routes, one of which is offers CDD students a chance to get on to courses such as English, which normally requires AAA.
Applicants must prove they suffered disadvantages while growing up.
Chris McGovern, of the Campaign for Real Education, said: ‘It is a shocking indictment of our schooling that universities now have to run remedial catch-up courses. This recourse to social engineering is misguided and brings our higher education system into disrepute.’
Sheffield has 53 foundation routes, including one in aerospace engineering. Nottingham is offering three foundation options, including one which allows entry to its science degrees with just BBB in non-relevant subjects.
Hundreds of routes are being advertised by admissions body UCAS, ahead of A-level results day on Thursday. Universities including Leicester, Sussex, East Anglia, Goldsmiths, Southampton and Kent are offering places.
A Southampton spokesman said: ‘Foundation year courses provide excellent opportunities for anyone with the potential to succeed.’
Some universities have budgets to pay for the foundation year, while others require students to take out extra loans.