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Engineering Foundation Year

2026-27 (also available for 2025-26)

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Start date

21 September 2026

Duration

Year 0 of a 4 or 5 year full-time degree

Entry requirements

A Level - CC

BTEC - MPP

See full entry requirements

Places available (subject to change)

80

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About the course

Reasons to study

  1. Upon completion, you could progress onto a range of BEng degrees here at the University of Huddersfield. 
  2. If you are a home student, on completion of the Engineering Foundation Year, you’ll automatically be considered for a £1,000 scholarship towards the cost of your tuition fees, subject to passing specified eligibility criteria.
  3. During your studies, you’ll be able to develop transferable skills, including research, report writing and presentations.

Perhaps you're fascinated by engineering but have never formally studied the subject. Or you have an interest in the world of computing or maths and want to take your next steps into an exciting future. You may have decided on a career change. This course could also be ideal route for you if you do not have the usual academic qualifications to study at degree level.

Being ready for a STEM degree will open pathways into the professional world of high technology industries. From there, you will have the opportunity to potentially address important issues, for example, the ever-pressing challenge of a sustainable future.

Why study Engineering Foundation Year at Huddersfield?

This course has been designed to give you a strong foundational understanding of key areas of mathematics and engineering in preparation for further study on a range of courses within the University. The Foundation Year isn’t a stand-alone course, but provides an introductory level study that leads to the following accredited courses:

Computing:

Information Technology BSc(Hons)

Engineering:

Automotive and Motorsport Engineering BEng(Hons), Civil Engineering BEng (Hons) Electronic and Electrical Engineering BEng(Hons), Electronic and Communication Engineering BEng(Hons), Electronic Engineering and Computer Systems BEng(Hons), Mechanical Engineering BEng(Hons), Mechatronic Engineering BEng(Hons),

Games Development: Games Development (Production) BSc(Hons)

Quantity Surveying and Construction Project Management: Quantity Surveying BSc(Hons) and Construction Management Project BSc(Hons)

To progress onto a degree, you must gain an average mark of 40 per cent and have passed each component of your Foundation Year.

This course is year 0 of a 3 or 4 year full-time degree (your degree length is dependant if you take a placement year). You’ll study the foundations of mathematics and engineering while also building your confidence in the practical application of engineering skills.

Course detail

Foundation Mathematics

In this module you explore and practice using the necessary mathematical tools and principles required for your first-year studies. You will begin with some basics in arithmetic, algebra, and trigonometry these will be followed rapidly by the more advanced areas of sets, matrices, vectors and calculus.

Foundations of Engineering

In this module you will begin to understand the physical principles that govern the operation of our world that will underpin your future studies of mechanical, civil and electrical engineering. You will also gain the necessary experimental and analytical skills you will need to progress into your choice of Engineering degree.

Communication and Research

In this module you will explore the importance of communication in computing and engineering. With the opportunity to practice this in both written and verbal forms and gain confidence in presenting to a group. You will also explore how to source relevant and well documented information to support your reporting needs. These research and communication skills will form the basis for your ongoing needs as a professional engineer.

Engineering Investigative Studies

This may be your first introduction to some basic engineering skills. You will gain an appreciation of basic electronics and measurement and have the opportunity to build your skills in practical application of engineering skills through guided investigation and discovery learning. Aspects of computer aided design, civil, mechanical and electrical and electronic engineering are introduced, including digital electronics, computer interfacing, control, design, constructions, manufacture and mechanical testing.

Entry requirements

CCat A Level .

64 UCAS tariff points from a combination of Level 3 qualifications.

Pass at T Level with D or E grade on core.

MPP in BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma.

  • Access to Higher Education Diploma with 45 Level 3 credits at Merit or above.
  • 64 UCAS tariff points from International Baccalaureate qualifications.

Other suitable skills or experience will be considered.

In addition you must have GCSE Maths at grade 4 or above, or grade C or above if awarded under the previous GCSE grading scheme.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.0 overall with no element lower than 5.5, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our International Entry Requirements page.

Other suitable experience or qualifications will be considered.  For further information please see the University's minimum entry requirements.

Engineering

A tour of our Department of Engineering facilities.

Ever wondered how you will use our facilities as part of your course? Follow Connor on a tour who explains all.

Our students

Your career

Successful completion of the Foundation Year course allows you to progress onto Year 1 of your chosen degree.

Students from this course have gone on to successes including graduating with an MEng or first class BEng(Hons) degree. Our previous engineering graduates have been employed by companies such as The D.E shaw group, Schneider Electric, Bentley Motors Ltd and Cummins Inc.

*of undergraduate graduates from the School of Computing and Engineering who are in work and/or further study within fifteen months of graduation (HESA Graduate Outcomes 21/22, UK domiciled graduates).

88.1%*

Student support

At the University of Huddersfield, you'll find support networks and services to help you get ahead in your studies and social life. Whether you study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, you'll soon discover that you're never far away from our dedicated staff and resources to help you to navigate through your personal student journey. Find out more about all our support services.

Research excellence

Research plays an important role in informing all our teaching and learning activities. Our research community has expertise in such diverse areas as precision engineering, intelligent interfaces, systems engineering, and diagnostics. Our research environment is lively and collaborative, and well stocked with cutting edge equipment. Our Centre for Precision Technologies is widely regarded as the best research facility of its type in the UK and one of the top three in Europe. Through research our staff remain up-to-date with the latest developments in their field, and contribute to society, which means you develop knowledge and skills that are current and highly relevant to industry. For more information, find out more about our Research institutes and centres.

Important information

Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons

When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by our terms and conditions, Handbook of Regulations and associated policies. It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan.

Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons

Changes to a course you have applied for but are not yet enrolled on

If we propose to make a major change to a course that you are holding an offer for, then we will tell you as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment. We may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or combine your programme with another programme if we consider this reasonably necessary to ensure a good student experience, for example if there are not enough applicants. Where this is the case we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and we will discuss with you other suitable courses we can transfer your application to. If you do not wish to transfer to another course with us, you may cancel your application and we will refund you any deposits or fees you have paid to us.

Changes to your course after you enrol as a student

Changes to option modules:

Where your course allows you to choose modules from a range of options, we will review these each year and change them to reflect the expertise of our staff, current trends in research and as a result of student feedback or demand for certain modules. We will always ensure that you have an equivalent range of options to that advertised for the course. We will let you know in good time the options available for you to choose for the following year.

Major changes:

We will only make major changes to non-optional modules on a course if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change is a change that substantially changes the outcomes, or a significant part of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days (part time provision), type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum. For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators or a commissioning or accrediting body. We may also make changes to improve the course in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback or to ensure you are being taught current best practice. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as a key member of staff leaving the University or being unable to teach, where they have a particular specialism that can’t be adequately covered by other members of staff; or due to damage or interruption to buildings, facilities or equipment, or pandemics.

Major changes would usually be made with effect from the next academic year, but may happen sooner in an emergency. We will notify you as soon as possible should we need to make a major change and will carry out suitable consultation. If you reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment or hardship we will, if appropriate, work with you to try to reduce the adverse effect on you or find an appropriate solution. Where an appropriate solution cannot be found and you contact us in writing before the change takes effect you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the University without liability to the University for future tuition fees. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed in accordance with the student protection plan.

The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.

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