International Foundation Programme

The International Foundation Programme offers international students, who are not eligible for direct entry, an alternative route to studying a bachelor degree at Ulster University.

Key Facts

Start dates:

September 2022

Pathway 1:

Science, Technology & Engineering

Pathway 2:

Business, Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Duration:

9 months

Attendance:

Full-Time

Location:

Belfast, Northern Ireland

Tuition Fee:

£15,360

Scholarship:

£4,000

£4,000 scholarship package available - Find out more

Belfast is the most affordable city in the UK - Find out more

Request more information

Complete the form below and an advisor will be in touch to help with your application.

Entry requirements

To be eligible for the International Foundation Programme you must:

Have successfully completed 12 years of high school education
Be 18 years old or over upon completion of the International Foundation Programme
Attain the equivalent of a minimum grade C, at GCSE level, in 5 subjects (including Mathematics for students following the Science, Technology & Engineering pathway)
Attain an overall score of 5.0 in the UKVI IELTS (with no individual band score of less than 5.0)
Meet the residency or nationality requirements to be defined as an international student

Equivalent qualifications from all countries are considered.

Further details on accepted qualifications can be found at Your Country pages.

View Your Country pages

If your country is not listed please contact international admissions for further information.

internationaladmissions@ulster.ac.uk

Scholarships

£4,000 scholarship package available for all entrants to the International Foundation Programme, commencing September 2022:

The £4,000 scholarship for the International Foundation Programme comprises:

£2,000 tuition fee scholarship for the International Foundation Programme
£2,000 accommodation discount for the International Foundation Programme

View details on this scholarship package

What Degree can I study?

Progress to over 100 bachelor degrees!

The bachelor degree you wish to study will determine which pathway you take. You can choose from two pathways:

Science, Technology and Engineering

View details

Business, Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

View details

Fees & Cost of Living

Tuition Fee for 2022

£15,360*

Please note, this is the cost before the £2,000 tuition fee scholarship has been applied.

You do not have to apply separately for this scholarship. It is automatically awarded if you meet the eligibility criteria.

Accommodation Fee

As an International Foundation student you can opt for university accommodation at Jordanstown campus or at 123 York Street in the heart of Belfast city centre.

Application date

Submit your application before 14 August 2022 to be guaranteed a place in university accommodation.

Accommodation cost

Accommodation cost for 2022/23 have not yet been confirmed but for illustration purposes in 2021/22 accommodation fees started from £120 per week.

*Please note, this is the cost before the £2,000 accommodation discount has been applied.

You do not have to apply separately for the accommodation discount. It is automatically awarded if you apply and pay your deposit before 14 August 2022.

Number of weeks

University accommodation stay is for 37 weeks. If you opt for 123 York Street your stay will be 40 weeks.

You do not have to apply separately for the accommodation discount. It is automatically awarded if you apply and pay your deposit before 14 August 2022.

For further details see the eligibility criteria.

Cost of Living

Not only was Belfast voted as the Friendliest UK city in 2021, it was also voted as one of the top 10 cities in UK by Condé Nast Traveller, 2021.

Northern Ireland is also the most affordable region for international students in the UK to live, work and study with the lowest student cost of living in the UK. (Which? University, 2018).

As an International Foundation Year student, your average weekly living costs will look something like this:

Expenditure	Cost (per week)
Accommodation	£83 (starting from)
Food	£45
Utilities (gas, electricity, water etc)	included in accommodation
General expenses (socialising etc.)	£35
Travel	£5 (depending on campus)
Total weekly living cost	£168

How to apply

Applying for the international foundation programme is free and easy with our online application, simply follow the instructions below.

Go to the online application
Create your Login ID and PIN
- Your Login ID must be unique to you and up to 9 characters
- Your PIN must be six numeric characters. (Remember these details as you will be able to save and return to your application as many times as you like before finally submitting it.)
From the drop-down menu select the application type: Undergrad International (non EU)
Select the Pathway that you want to study from the list menu
- International Foundation Programme STE
- International Foundation Programme BAHSS

Apply Now