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Contributed by SI-UK (Hong Kong) Team
Latest data in 2022 shows that there are more Hong Kong students considering the UK's university education, with foundation courses being one of the most popular pathways. What are its advantages and who is it for?
What is a Foundation course? Who is it for?
A foundation is a one-year preparation course for international students who need additional English language and academic preparation for entry into a UK university undergraduate course.
Foundation programmes are for school-leavers who have studied a non-British curriculum but wish to pursue a degree at a UK university. Hong Kong students of the below situations can consider a foundation course:
- Students whose HKDSE results do not suffice for their aspiring programs
- F6 students who do not plan to attend HKDSE
- F5 students who do not plan to attend HKDSE
What are the Advantages of a Foundation course?
The foundation course acts as a bridge between students’ current qualifications and UK university undergraduate entry requirements. In general it has the below benefits:
- Time-saving: Students do not need to take HKDSE again
- Culture-absorbing: Students can familiarise with UK life and culture
- Ability-enhancing: Students can improve English and plug academic gaps
Foundation Course Types
Foundation courses can prepare students for a variety of subjects such as business, finance and management, computing, law, art and design, engineering, social science, medicine, science and pharmacy, media and humanities.
In general, foundation courses can be divided into (1) One-to-one Foundation or (2) One-to-many Foundation. The former is designed for those who have specific interest in a certain university degree and will give university offers when students achieve certain grades, while the latter is for those who are open to few degrees and will connect students with degrees based on their performance in foundation courses. 
Certain foundation providers have partnerships with universities and can guarantee progression to that institution if the student achieves high enough grades. Many programmes will see the student based on campus, benefitting from full university status with complete access to libraries, equipment and sporting facilities.
Foundation Course Requirements 
A minimum IELTS score of 4.5 is required for international students wishing to study a foundation, with no single element less than 4.0. Other documents and entry requirements needed are:
- Minimum IELTS score of 4.5 or equivalent
- Higher Secondary School Certificate
- Higher Secondary transcripts
- Reference letter from your high school teacher
- Personal statement
- Scanned copy of passport and visa
Where can I study a Foundation course?
The UK offers various foundation courses. SI-UK is the official partner of more than 30 foundation programmes connecting students to top universities such as Russell Group, G5, and N8 research group. Learn more foundations courses that are under our expertise.


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A Quick Guide to UK Foundation Courses for HK(DSE) Students

Latest data in 2022 show that there are more Hong Kong students considering the UK's university education, with foundation courses being one of the most popular pathways

SIUK provides support to thousands of students for their admission to UK universities, with a success rate of 98%.

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