Foundation year
Prepare for degree-level study with a foundation year at LJMU.
What is a foundation year?
A foundation year is an additional year of study at the start of your course. It is designed to provide you with a strong foundation of subject knowledge and the academic skills needed to progress onto your chosen honours degree.
How does a foundation year work?
You will enrol onto a four-year undergraduate degree programme, or five-year if you choose to undertake a sandwich year, with the first year (Level 3) being a foundation year.
This additional year of study offers a supportive introduction to university life and the opportunity to examine and practice academic skills such as writing, research and project management, which are all applied from Level 4 onwards. You will also get the chance to explore professional skills and employability.
Once you pass the foundation year, you will then progress directly onto the first year of your chosen honours degree, without the need to reapply.
Could a foundation year be for you?
A degree with a foundation year may be the right choice for you if:
- You don’t have the required qualifications needed to enter directly onto one of our undergraduate degree programmes. Typical entry requirements for a degree with a foundation year are 72 – 96 UCAS Tariff points
- You would like to take a new direction and get up to speed on a new subject area
- You are a mature student returning to education and would like help adjusting to university life
To find out more, you can visit our foundation year FAQ or if you would like further help or guidance, please get in touch.
If you are a mature student and you have a query about our degrees with a foundation year, please contact the faculty admissions team.
