Entry requirements
To be eligible for the International Foundation Year you must:
- Be aged 18 years by June of the academic year in which the International Foundation Year is completed
- Have successfully completed High School education
- Hold GCSEs in 5 subjects including Mathematics at Grade C or equivalent
- Attain at least an overall score of 6.0 in an Academic IELTS (with no individual band score of less than 5.5)
- Meet the residency or nationality requirements to be defined as an international student for fees purposes
Equivalent qualifications from all countries are considered.
Further details on accepted qualifications can be found at Your Country pages.
If your country is not listed please contact international admissions for further information.
Scholarships
£4,000 scholarship package available for all entrants to the International Foundation Year, commencing September 2022:
The £4,000 scholarship for the International Foundation Year comprises:
- £2,000 tuition fee scholarship for the International Foundation Year
- £2,000 accommodation discount for the International Foundation Year
View details on the International Foundation Scholarship
After your International Foundation Year you will quality for the International Undergraduate Scholarship.
What Degree can I study?
You have the choice of 23 named degrees with an integrated International Foundation Year.
See below for the named degrees in each of our faculties.
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.
This is the cost before the £2,000 accommodation discount has been applied.
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 year 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.)
- Select the IFY course you want to study from the list menu
