Support for students

Designed to enable you to succeed, the Engineering Foundation Year incorporates a range of bespoke support created especially for students enrolled on this programme.

We recognise that students entering onto this programme may not have had the formal educational qualifications so far that would usually enable success at university. That’s why the Engineering Foundation Year is about much more than academic achievement. With a wraparound support package fully integrated into the programme, you’ll complete the year with the right personal, professional and academic skills in place to enjoy many future successes.

Academic support

When you first join us on this programme, we provide specific support to help you make the transition to UCL. In particular, we’ll assess your specific starting point of knowledge, so we know which areas you may need extra support in. You’ll also work directly with academic support specialists to help you on your personal academic journey, and have ad hoc one-to-one sessions throughout the year. One workshop each term will also help you become embedded in the academic side of UCL.

As well as ongoing academic support to help you on this programme, you will also enjoy the benefits of our buddying scheme, which is unique to this programme. You’ll be paired with a current undergraduate engineering student at UCL, who can help you get acquainted with life at UCL and studying engineering. Your buddy will be one of your go-to people at UCL, who you can ask questions and for general help. In addition to your buddy, you will also be assigned a mentor – either a UCL academic or a graduate from UCL engineering – to help guide you through your studies at UCL.

Wellbeing support

All students on this programme come from non-traditional educational backgrounds, but your exact circumstances are all a little different. We’ll only ask you to tell us your story once, then team members will coordinate while keeping your information confidential, to put in place any specific support you need.

You’ll also have a personal tutor who you can go to about anything at all, whether it’s something that relates to your wellbeing or your work. You’ll have regular support meetings throughout the year so you will always have a scheduled point of contact too. Most university students have times where they are feeling a little more stressed or anxious about their studies, and we can help to ensure you get the support you need.

Financial support

There are some opportunities for scholarships and funding for this programme. Please contact us for more information.

You may also find the following resources helpful:

• A list of external organisations that have funding opportunities
• Scholarships and grants - scroll to the 'other sources of funding' section
• Financial support from UCL

Your future and next steps

Most students want to know what future career they could have when embarking on this programme, and engineering offers countless opportunities. You may have a careers appointment early on in the programme to discuss your ideas and ambitions. You can also draw on our specialist careers advice at any point during the programme. If you continue on to study at undergraduate level at UCL Engineering, you’ll have access to a careers specialist right up until the point of graduation.

The idea of this programme is to enable students to progress onto one of the participating undergraduate engineering degrees UCL offers. You’ll need to gain a 60% pass mark or higher to be able to progress onto a UCL undergraduate degree, and this programme and the wraparound support package is specifically designed to help you achieve this.

If you do not reach the required pass mark, or if you decide not to continue on to study at undergraduate level at UCL, we will offer you some specific support for this scenario. If you want to continue studying, we will help you apply to other universities. If you decide to seek employment instead, our careers service will help you with this next step of your journey.

Other UCL support

As well as the bespoke support available to students enrolled on the Engineering Foundation Year programme, UCL also offers a range of support services to all students. This includes:

• Support for students from a widening participation background
• How to prepare for joining UCL
• Finding your way around UCL campuses and buildings
• Information about using the libraries and online learning platforms
• How to manage your personal circumstances, including mental health support, help for disabled students and how to manage your finances
• Getting involved with the Students Union
• Support with your future, including volunteering, careers and interaction with UCL alumni
• Answering questions your parents or caregivers might have