Engineering Foundation Year cohort size increases as last year's students begin their new degrees

The UCL Engineering Foundation Year, based at Marshgate, UCL East, is designed for students who have experienced personal or socioeconomic barriers to educational attainment. It aims to provide not just an alternative entry route to UCL’s engineering and computer science degrees, but an environment where students can develop the foundational knowledge needed to excel as creative, insightful, and socially conscious engineers – both in their future studies and work.

In September, following successful applications and brilliant performances at the assessment days over spring, 38 students – a larger number than last year, with a wider range of backgrounds represented – embarked on the programme.

This also marks the first time the Engineering Foundation Year is hosting students aiming to progress onto chemical engineering degrees, with 5 students currently set to join the UCL Department of Chemical Engineering in the 2025-2026 academic year. 

Many students have also received non-repayable bursaries, some of which are new following their donation (along with additional support such as mentorship) by long-term UCL partner Avanade.

At the same time, the majority of last year’s students (the first ever cohort of UCL EFY students) have progressed onto their chosen degrees across the UCL Faculty of Engineering.  They are now studying the first year of their bachelor’s or integrated master’s degrees in their new departments, which include Civil, Electronic and Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering, along with Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering and Computer Science.

James Ford, current programme director (who previously led undergraduate admissions in the UCL Department of Civil Engineering), says:

“It has been wonderful to welcome the new cohort of students this year and to witness the enthusiasm that they are approaching the course with. We’ve already had lots of interesting discussions where I have learnt a lot about the broad range of backgrounds on the course, where they hope to go in the future and the role that the EFY can play in helping them to achieve their goals. “I’m also looking forward to catching up with last year’s students later in the term and hearing about their experiences on their new degree programmes. The EFY programme is about creating new opportunities for students, and we’re really excited to see where this foundation can help people to go – but it certainly feels to us as though the ingredients are there for great things to come."

In 2025-2026, it’s expected that students will enrol for two new UCL East programmes with the Integrated Foundation Year – MEng Robotics and AI, and BSc Science and Engineering for Social Change.

With a diverse range of skillsets and perspectives, these students will be an asset to both UCL’s and the wider STEM community, and we are looking forward to seeing them grow and thrive as scientists and engineers.