Gain the skills and knowledge to develop solutions for growing engineering challenges.
Year of entry: 2025/26
H100
Y50
4 years full-time
BBB (full entry requirements)
September 2025 (semester dates)
If you're returning to education, or didn't study maths at A level, our foundation year will update the maths and physics knowledge you need to transfer onto one of our engineering degree courses.
You'll spend your first year learning maths and physics content to A level standard, and you'll begin to develop your practical skills in the electronics lab.
If you successfully complete the foundation year you'll automatically continue onto the first year of our BEng Engineering course or one of our other specialist BEng courses. In addition, if you achieve a high score in the Foundation Year exams you will have the opportunity to transfer onto one of our MEng courses which take you all the way through to a Masters-level qualification.
We build employability into every aspect of our courses. Alongside developing an in-depth understanding of your subject, you'll gain a range of transferable skills that will allow you to take on a career in a number of sectors and thrive in management roles.
All of our courses are available with a year in industry, which gives you the opportunity to gain vital experience in the workplace and find out more about your career options. The year in industry is generally taken in the year prior to your final year of study.
We'll help you find a suitable placement. You will be fully supported by an academic member of staff who will visit you in the workplace and meet you regularly to discuss your placement work.
The staff have been nothing but friendly, helpful, and accommodating! There is always someone out there to assist you regardless of your query.Lidia, Engineering Student.
You may be able to change course, add a year in industry or change between MEng and BEng. Just ask us for more details.
You don't need any formal qualifications in maths or physics to be accepted for our foundation year.
At the beginning of your course, you'll develop a solid foundation in mechanical, electrical and electronic principles and programming.
You'll take part in extensive laboratory sessions and hands-on project work, during which you'll have the chance to build an innovative medical device and a maze-solving robot.
In the final year of your course, you'll study a number of core subjects in control engineering, advanced mechanics and micro-electro-mechanical systems. You'll also be able to choose from a range of advanced options, allowing you to explore a broad range of topics or develop a specialist knowledge of a few areas.
There are opportunities for you to spend time abroad during your course:
There are opportunities to spend time in industry as part of this course.
The foundation year is based on the A level curricula for maths and physics.
The first part of the course starts at an early secondary school level and progresses through to A level standard over the year. There are also practical physics and electronics activities where you’ll learn in a well-equipped laboratory.
In addition to the above you will also need to complete our online Academic Integrity module.
This module covers some of the essential skills and knowledge which will help you to study independently and produce work of a high academic standard which is vital for success at York.
This module will:
You will study three option modules, one from each list. Examples can be found below. Some option module combinations may not be possible. The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course.
You may be able to replace one option module with an elective module, studying a complementary subject, a language or an interdisciplinary topic.
Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.
Every course at York has been designed to provide clear and ambitious learning outcomes. These learning outcomes give you an understanding of what you will be able to do at the end of the course. We develop each course by designing modules that grow your abilities towards the learning outcomes and help you to explain what you can offer to employers. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
We will help you to become an employment-ready, motivated graduate, with skills in the latest developments in engineering such as robotics, artificial intelligence, virtual reality and immersive technology.
Our programme involves group work to allow you to experience the management, coordination and decision-making processes required by engineers. We structure this throughout the programme so that you develop key transferable and managerial skills.
We offer all students free membership of ShockSoc (our student electronics society) and student membership of the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) while you are at York.
| UK (home) | International and EU |
|---|---|
| £9,250 | £31,100 |
Fees for students starting in the 2025/26 academic year.
The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.
For more information about tuition fees, any reduced fees for study abroad and work placement years, scholarships, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs see undergraduate fees and funding.
There is no compulsory purchase of equipment or books necessary for this course. Lecture notes will be provided by staff, and you will be given a generous printing allowance.
We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2025/26 throughout the year.
Foundation Year Bursary
UK and EU students on this course will receive a fee waiver which will reduce the cost of studying during the Foundation Year:
The School of Physics, Engineering and Technology offers a number of scholarships for the best performing foundation year students, after the first semester of the course.
You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.
Our teaching, learning and student experience is outstanding, recognised by a Gold rating from the Office for Students in the 2023 national assessment (Teaching Excellence Framework).
You’ll study and learn with academics who are active researchers, experts in their field and have a passion for their subjects. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace. Find out more about our approach to teaching and learning.
Our courses are highly intensive. Your timetabled activities each week will include:
You'll also be expected to spend time studying independently. As you progress through the course you'll take on more independent study, guiding your own learning and developing your project management skills.
An academic member of staff will help guide you through your final-year individual project, ensuring that you are able to combine the knowledge and skills you have learned throughout the course to successfully undertake an engineering project tailored to your interests and career goals.
In the UK, full-time students are expected to spend 1,200 hours a year learning. That's about 40 hours of classes and independent study each week during semesters. Everyone learns at a different rate, so the number of hours you spend on independent study will be different to other students on your course.
You can find detailed descriptions of our facilities on our website, including laboratory space, recording studios, clean room and computing classrooms.
You will be based in the School of Physics, Engineering and Technology on Campus West.
Most of your contact hours will be in the School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, with some additional teaching on Campus West.
Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can use the fast and frequent bus service. Take a campus tour.
Your assignments will be designed for you to creatively apply what you've learned, and to produce novel solutions. We use a variety of assessment styles, including exams, coursework and practical engineering tasks. You'll encounter all of them during your course, but the exact balance will depend on the modules you choose:
You'll receive written feedback on work you hand in to help you understand your grade and develop your skills. For your final-year individual project you'll produce a written report, have a viva (a presentation and question/answer session) and also show your project on our demo day, which our external advisory board attend.
There are two progression points during the foundation year: one at the end of Term 1 and another at the end of the academic year. Foundation Year students complete coursework assessments and take exams in Maths and Physics in December (last week of Term 1) which must be successfully passed in order to progress to the Spring term (Term 2). At the end of Summer Term (Term 3) progression on to one of our BEng courses depends on successful completion of the foundation year, including coursework assessments and exams. Those who complete the foundation year and achieve a score of at least 60 per cent in all the Foundation Year Mathematics examinations are also eligible to transfer directly onto one of our MEng programmes. If you would like further information about this, please get in touch.
We design our courses with your future in mind. Throughout your time with us, you'll build a range of transferable skills that are valuable to a wide variety of employers. Our students enter a wide range of careers.
| Typical offer | |
|---|---|
| A levels | BBB If you already have, or are currently studying A level Maths you should apply for one of our degree programmes without a foundation year. |
| Access to Higher Education Diploma | 21 credits at Distinction and 24 credits at Merit or higher |
| BTEC National Extended Diploma | DDM in any subject |
| Cambridge Pre-U | M2, M2, M2. If you are studying Maths please apply for one of our degree courses without a foundation year |
| International Baccalaureate | 31 points. If you are studying Mathematics - Applications and Interpretation at Higher Level or Mathematics - Analysis and Approaches at Standard Level or Higher Level, please apply for one of our degree courses without a foundation year. |
| T levels | We will consider a range of T Level qualifications for entry. Please visit our dedicated T Levels page for a full list of accepted T Levels. |
| Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers | Scottish Highers - BBBBB Advanced Highers - not required for entry We may also be able to consider three Advanced Highers or a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers, where an applicant does not meet the grade requirement through Highers alone. Please contact us to discuss your qualifications. |
| Other international qualifications | Equivalent qualifications from your country |
All applicants should have GCSE Maths B/5. We consider applicants from a wide range of backgrounds and holding combinations of qualifications. Please get in touch with us for an informal discussion if you are interested in our foundation year but are unsure whether you meet our criteria.
Applicants are usually interviewed and we will look for evidence during our discussion that you are capable of dealing with the workload of the foundation year.
Meeting the following additional criteria may qualify you for an alternative offer.
| Criteria | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Widening participation | If you successfully complete one of the following programmes, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to two A level grades (or equivalent) below our typical offer: Black Access Programme, Next Step York, Realising Opportunities. More about widening participation. |
| Contextual offers | If you have experience of local authority care or live in an area with low progression to university, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. More about contextual offers. |
| EPQ | We recognise the value of this qualification although it will not be included as a condition of entry. It may be taken into consideration when you receive your results. |
| Core Maths | If you achieve B or higher in Core Maths, you may be eligible for an alternative offer up to one A level grade (or equivalent) below our typical offer. |
If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:
| Minimum requirement | |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.0, with a minimum of 5.5 in each component |
| Cambridge CEFR | 169, with no less than 162 in each component |
| Oxford ELLT | 6, with a minimum of 5 in each component |
| Oxford Test of English Advanced | 126, with a minimum of 116 in each component |
| Duolingo | Integrated subscores: 105, minimum 95 in each component |
| GCSE/IGCSE/O level English Language (as a first or second language) | Grade C / Grade 4 |
| LanguageCert SELT | B2 with a minimum score of 33/50 in each component |
| LanguageCert Academic | B2 with a minimum score of 65 with a minimum of 60 in each component |
| Kaplan Test of English Language | 444 Main Flight score with 410 in each component |
| Skills for English | B2: Pass with Merit overall, with Pass in each component |
| PTE Academic | 55, with no less than 51 in each component |
| TOEFL | 79, with a minimum of 17 in Listening, 18 in Reading, 20 in Speaking and 17 in Writing |
| Trinity ISE III | Pass in all components |
| Other English language qualifications | We also accept other English Language qualifications, including various school-leaving certificates. |
For more information see our undergraduate English language requirements.
You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.
The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.
After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.
Get in touch if you have any questions
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