The forthcoming British Council Education Fair to be held at the Hilton Hotel in Colombo on 21 and 22 February offers the perfect answer to anyone looking for a fast track, guaranteed route to a degree course at a top university. Why? Because NCUK (The Northern Consortium United Kingdom) will be showcasing its International Foundation Year on its stand at the event. NCUK is a consortium of 11 of the UK's top universities, including four of the elite research-led Russell Group in the universities of Sheffield, Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool, plus a significant number of the leading vocational universities. Successful completion of one of their International Foundation Year programmes offered in Colombo gives a 100% guarantee of a place on an appropriate degree course at one of those universities. It's hard to believe, but nevertheless true, that NCUK's special International Foundation course provides guaranteed access to more than 2000 courses in a total of 19 of the best UK universities. This Foundation course has been developed and refined over 20 years and has been benchmarked at the same level as A/Levels by the UK's National Qualifications Framework - at Level 3.

A quicker and more cost-effective alternative to A/Levels

Students can enter the 40-week long International Foundation Year (IFY) direct from O/Level. You may wonder how access to top universities can be provided through a one year IFY when the traditional route of A/Levels takes at least two years.

This is because the International Foundation Year has been designed and written by the universities themselves to dovetail with the requirements of First Year university courses and requires students to have taken the optional subjects related to their subsequent field of study at university. The IFY is ideally suited to post O/Level students who are seeking a genuine alternative to school-based A/Levels. This may be for a variety of reasons. Some students know what they want to achieve academically and career-wise as young as 16. They are ready to become young undergraduates and take control of their own learning from this stage onwards. Others may be drawn to the saving in time and cost that the programme offers.

You may be asking whether IFY students do as well in the longer term as their A/Level counterparts. NCUK have undertaken longitudinal studies which show very high progression rates from the IFY to university. Dropout rates were very low and pass rates were high right through to graduation.
So if the prospect of a fast track and cost-effective option with a guaranteed place at a top UK university appeals to you, call in and talk to the NCUK staff at the British Council Education Fair at the Hilton Hotel, Colombo on 21 and 22 February - we'll be waiting to help.

If you would like more information in the meantime contact Admissions on 0777 662255.
Peter Corker
Director of Admissions - NCUK