Getting into the university of your choice with these top pathway programmes

Pathway programmes are the perfect introduction to a full degree curriculum and university life.

Not only do they give you more time to familiarise with a country’s higher education system, they also usually grant you direct entry into the degree of your choice if you fulfill certain criteria.

Pathway programmes let you sharpen your English language skills too — a bonus for any student aiming to kickstart an international career.

According to the English at Work: Global analysis of language skills in the workplace report, 95 percent of employers in many countries and territories where English is not an official language said English language skills are important for them.

To arrive at this conclusion, QS and Cambridge English analysed data from over 5,300 employers in 38 countries/territories that completed the annual QS Global Employer Survey, as well as insights from Cambridge English experts.

As Former Minister of Education for Italy Professor Francesco Profumo  said: “English is the real global language and is important in education, relations and business.”

“I am the Chairman of one of the largest Italian Bank Foundations and we are dealing with more than 100 countries. Our work language is English.”

Enrol in a pathway programme and you’ll walk away with both a leading qualification and English language skills that global employers can’t resist.

Here are four educational institutions in the UK with exemplary pathway programmes:

BRISTOL INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE (BIC)

Bristol International College (BIC) is a University of London Recognised Teaching Centre in the multicultural university city of Bristol, voted Britain’s best city to live in by the Sunday Times and the UK’s happiest city by The Guardian.

From September 2020, you can begin to study the University of London International Foundation Programme (IFP) online with BIC. The internationally recognised course is open to students aged 16 to 18 who wish to access leading universities in just one academic year.

Source: BIC

You can choose four courses to study from the following seven options: Business Management; Mathematics and Statistics; Pure Mathematics; Economics; Accounting and Finance; International Relations; and Law.

Studying from home also means that you save on visa, travel and accommodation costs, and that your online study fees will be 70% less than the on-site programme fees.

Another benefit of this course is that 85% of IFP students pass the University of London exams and all progress to university.

IFP graduates are regularly offered places at the following UK universities: CASS Business School, Bristol, Durham, Edinburgh, King’s College London, Leeds, London School of Economics, Lancaster, Manchester, Nottingham, Warwick and York, as well as at other Russell Group universities and at renowned institutions worldwide.

So, if this sounds like the UK online education pathway you need, click here to find out how you can enrol for the online IFP at Bristol International College.

ST ANDREWS INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION INSTITUTE

At the University of St Andrew’s International Education Institute, there’s a selection of International Foundation Programmes (IFP) for September 2020 and January 2021 entry.

So if you’re an international student considering an IFP with St Andrews, first know that you can combine academic subjects with English language development sessions to prepare for a UK university degree.

Source: St Andrews

These subjects include Business – Management, Economics and Finance, Medicine (Foundation), Medicine (International Pathway), Science and Social Sciences and Humanities.

Once you complete your IFP,  you may progress into a related degree-level course at the University of St Andrews.

Language and academic experts at this International Education Institute also deliver pre-sessional and short courses that combine academic subject knowledge with English language skills and cultural adaptation studies.

So if you want to start your UK study venture, start with St Andrews.

DURHAM UNIVERSITY INTERNATIONAL STUDY CENTRE

Pathway programmes at Durham University’s International Study Centre primarily prepare you for an undergraduate or postgraduate degree at Durham University.

Interested applicants can choose from their International Foundation Year, Pre-Masters and English Language Preparation programmes.

Source: Durham University

If you feel as though you need to improve your communication skills before entering the International Foundation Year, you can take the English Language Preparation course first.

For extra support while undertaking your selected pathway programme, the Centre’s team will help you throughout the whole admissions process by providing expert guidance and support.

Click here to find out more about what the International Study Centre has to offer you this year.

KING’S FOUNDATIONS – KING’S COLLEGE LONDON

With around 31,000 students from more than 150 countries worldwide, King’s College London is truly international.

To cater to the many talents on campus, several specialist academic pathway programmes designed for ambitious international and EU students are on offer here.

One such programme is the King’s International Foundation (KIF).

Source: KCL

Graduates of this programme are guaranteed a place in a King’s undergraduate degree programme as long as they meet the progression criteria.

They’ll also receive personalised support throughout their coursework and UCAS application, as well as guidance to improve their reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.

To find out upcoming entry dates for the KIF pathway, click here.

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International

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