The Foundation Year intends to address educational disadvantage and disruption.
https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/foundation-year
Find out if you are eligible
The Foundation Year intends to address educational disadvantage and disruption.
To be considered for the programme, you should:
- meet eligibility criteria as outlined below
and
- be ordinarily resident in the UK
Eligibility criteria
These criteria reflect experiences that have been shown to negatively impact educational attainment. The combination of such factors has also been shown to have a cumulative impact.
They are a gateway to consideration for this programme. Places are awarded on academic suitability.
Check your eligibility by carefully consulting the list below.
You should then read the Full Eligibility Guidelines for further guidance. In some circumstances, you may need to provide evidence.
Additional guidance is available for Mature Students and Refugees and Asylum Seekers.
You are automatically eligible and don't have to meet criteria from the categories below if you are:
- care-experienced (currently in local authority care or have been in care while in education)
- a refugee
- an asylum-seeker
- from a forced migration background
If this does not apply, you must meet one or more criteria in two or more of the categories below.
Category 1: Individual Characteristics
You will be eligible under this category if you meet one or more of the following:
- You have experienced medical or health issues that have resulted in long or extended periods of absence (over 6 weeks) from school or college within the past 3 years
- You have experienced bereavement due to the death of a close family member whilst in secondary education. For example your parent or carer
- You have been a young carer while in education
- You have become a parent while in education
- You became homeless while in education
- You became estranged from close family members whilst in secondary education. For example, your parent or carer
- You moved state schools two or more times whilst in secondary education
- You have been delayed in completing qualifications because you were working while studying part-time
- You experienced a gap of more than one year. For example leaving school at 16 but returning to complete Level 3 qualifications after several years in work
- Your parent or carer has been imprisoned while you were in education
Please note, disruption caused by COVID-19 school/college closures is not applicable.
See pages 8-13 of the Full Eligibility Guidelines for further guidance and information on how you may need to verify your eligibility.
Category 2: Household Characteristics
You will be eligible under this category if you meet one or more of the following:
- You are currently eligible for Free School Meals
- You have been eligible for Free School Meals at any point in the previous 6 years
- You have a combined UK household income of £25,000 or less
- You or your parent(s) or carer(s) receive Universal Credit
See pages 14-16 of the Full Eligibility Guidelines for further guidance and information on how you may need to verify your eligibility.
Category 3: School or College Characteristics
The criteria in this category refer to the school or college that you currently attend or attended in the past. The criteria listed apply only to:
- Secondary education
- State or maintained sector schools
- Schools or colleges that you have attended within the UK
You may be eligible in this category if you meet one of more of the following:
- A state school or college you attend or have attended has performed poorly in an inspection in the past four years
Check your school inspection report to find out if it meets the above criteria.
See page 17 of the Full Eligibility Guidelines for further guidance.
- A state school or college you attend or have attended has below-average attainment. This applies to schools or colleges in England, Wales and Scotland.
See page 18 of the Full Eligibility Guidelines for guidance on how to check if this applies.
This data is not published for schools or colleges in Northern Ireland. We are working to find a solution so if you believe you would qualify under this measure, please check this page again at a later date. You can get in touch with us about this measure at
- A state school or college you attend or have attended has a below-average number of students staying in education. This applies to schools/colleges in England.
See page 19 of the Full Eligibility Guidelines for guidance on how to check if this applies.
This data is not published for schools or colleges in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. We are working to find a solution so if you believe you would qualify under this measure, please check this page again at a later date. You can get in touch with us about this measure at
- Your state school or college does not offer the A Level subject or equivalent qualification that you need for entry to Cambridge.
See page 20 of the Full Eligibility Guidelines for guidance on how to check if this applies.
