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Where Are You Applying From?
About the course
The Bedfordshire Foundation Year is designed to help you improve your English language level and increase your subject knowledge. The course combines English language, study skills for university, and IT skills, which will help you progress on to your main degree programme.
The course aims to take students up to IELTS 6.0 overall, or above, which is the minimum requirement for undergraduate courses at the University of Bedfordshire.
Why choose Beds Foundation Year?
CEFL has a proven track record of International Foundation Course delivery since 1980, with consistently high student satisfaction results.
Our teaching staff has a varied and wide experience of teaching in the U.K and overseas, and we understand our international students and how you feel.
You are starting on a new educational adventure, far from home. We use the foundation year as a year-long induction programme, and we keep revisiting key themes during the year, for example effective use of our online learning platform, accessing the library resources, as well as developing important study skills in the U.K. We also understand the many differences in studying at a British Higher Education Institution, and guide you through our regulations, which may be very different to your home countries.
Our course enables foundation learners to progress to an undergraduate degree, fully prepared and confident to face the challenges of a level 4 programme of study.
You will master a range of key academic and language skills during a fun and engaging programme. Subject units in your second semester, offer you a programme specific to your subject area, as well as meeting your linguistic needs. This will help you choose the most relevant degree as you start your undergraduate studies.
Learn more about the International Foundation Year (all pathways)
Completing this pathway allows you to progress to one of the following courses:
- Accounting BA (Hons)
- Accounting and Finance BSc (Hons)
- Aviation and Airport Management BSc (Hons)
- Business Management BSc (Hons)
- Business Management with Law BSc (Hons)
- Economics and Finance BSc (Hons)
- Human Resources Management with Law BSc (Hons)
- International Business BSc (Hons)
- International Tourism Management BSc (Hons)
- International Tourism with Hospitality Management BSc (Hons)
- Law LLB (Hons)
- Law with Criminology LLB (Hons)
- Law with Financial Management LLB (Hons)
- Law with Psychology LLB (Hons)
- Marketing BSc (Hons)
- Travel, Aviation and Tourism Management BSc (Hons)
What will you study?
English Language Foundation
This unit focuses on your ability to understand and use the English language accurately when you read, speak, listen and write. We will concentrate on the English you need for undergraduate level study in your chosen subject area, covering grammar, subject area vocabulary and the four language skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking.
A key element of the unit is the grammar of the language, and particularly the verb tense system in English, because your ability to use the verb tense system accurately will be extremely important when you come to write essays and reports. This unit will focus in particular on the grammar of the language.
We will also focus on reading, listening and speaking skills in the context of your chosen subject area. Beginning with short texts, we will practise each skill and practise it again, so that gradually you will see, hear and feel that your command of the language is improving.
A recurring focus of the unit will be your acquisition of 'learner autonomy'. This means your ability to acquire the language yourself, without needing a teacher's help. This is important because from next year you will not have an English teacher to help you. So we will consider and practise strategies to help you gain confidence in your own ability to increase your knowledge of and ability to use the language, including for instance guessing meaning of difficult words, deciding which words are important in a text, recognising differences between formal and informal language, and other strategies, so that as the first semester continues, you begin to feel more confident in your use and experience with the English Language.
Academic Skills Foundation
When you begin your undergraduate level studies, you will be expected to have knowledge of and ability to use a large range of 'study skills'. You will also be expected to have some knowledge of the subject area you will be studying. This unit deals with both of these aspects of your preparation for undergraduate level study.
All of the academic skills are practised in English, so you will use your developing acquisition of the language from the partner unit 'English Language Foundation' to practise and gain mastery of these skills. You will also use your language and study skills as you learn the foundation of your subject area, putting the skills into practice as you learn.
How will you be assessed?
- In-class assessments
- Online submissions via our online platform Breo
- In-class presentations
- Conducting research project
Careers
Having undertaken a year of foundation level study, your English Language and academic skills will enable you to begin degree level study at the University of Bedfordshire feeling confident and eager for the challenges you will face. You will also feel 'at home' within the culture of higher education in the UK.
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Entry Requirements
IELTS at a minimum 4.5 in all skills. This must be evidenced by an UKVI-approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as IELTS.
Check the Foundation entry requirements for your country
Entry Requirements
IELTS at a minimum 4.5 in all skills. This must be evidenced by an UKVI-approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as IELTS.
Check the Foundation entry requirements for your country
IELTS at a minimum 4.5 in all skills. This must be evidenced by an UKVI-approved Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as IELTS.
Check the Foundation entry requirements for your country
Fees for this course
UK
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2025/26 is £9,535 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees. You can also apply for a maintenance loan from the Government to help cover your living costs. See www.gov.uk/student-finance
Excellence Scholarships
Worth £2,500 per year of study over three years when you score a defined number of UCAS tariff points from specified qualifications*
» If you don’t qualify for an Excellence Scholarship but have 120 UCAS tariff points, you have enough points for one of our Achievement Scholarships offering £500 per year of study**
» Other scholarships, bursaries and financial support packages are available
* Points requirements vary depending on type of qualification.
** Threshold is 120 UCAS tariff points across all awarding bodies and qualifications.
International
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the academic year 2025/26 is £16,900 per year.
There are range of Scholarships available to help support you through your studies with us.
A full list of scholarships can be found here.
Fees for this course
UK
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the Academic Year 2025/26 is £9,535 per year. You can apply for a loan from the Government to help pay for your tuition fees. You can also apply for a maintenance loan from the Government to help cover your living costs. See www.gov.uk/student-finance
Excellence Scholarships
Worth £2,500 per year of study over three years when you score a defined number of UCAS tariff points from specified qualifications*
» If you don’t qualify for an Excellence Scholarship but have 120 UCAS tariff points, you have enough points for one of our Achievement Scholarships offering £500 per year of study**
» Other scholarships, bursaries and financial support packages are available
* Points requirements vary depending on type of qualification.
** Threshold is 120 UCAS tariff points across all awarding bodies and qualifications.
International
The full-time standard undergraduate tuition fee for the academic year 2025/26 is £16,900 per year.
There are range of Scholarships available to help support you through your studies with us.
A full list of scholarships can be found here.
Virtual Tour
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