FdSc /foundation degree funding

hulkgti

Hi,
My son is wanting to do a foundation degree then a top up year to BSc. The cost of the FdSc is 7200, then the top up would be 9k max. He plans to work alongside and pay fees off in installments without a student loan.
Why wouldn't everyone choose this route which is significantly cheaper way of getting a degree? Am I missing something?
I'm struggling as I'm sure it isn't that simple! Can anyone help?
Thank you

DavidT67

A foundation year adds a year to achieving a bachelors degree, so certainly not lower cost, but can be a good idea for some.

As per Martin Lewis articles, you should view student loan as a graduate tax.

Working alongside a degree course will be hard and their grades and social life may suffer as a result.

silvercar

Some confusion here between a foundation course, that is almost a year zero of a 3 or 4 year degree. Generally taken when grades or experience aren’t sufficient to start year 1 of a bachelor degree course, or where the student is unsure what they want to study eg a foundation engineering course will expose the student to many branches of engineering before they decide which branch to study for their degree.

then there is a foundation degree, which is two thirds of a full degree, normally takes 2 full time years of study. At the end of which a student may leave with the foundation degree or do the final (3rd) year to obtain the bachelor degree.

hulkgti

silvercar said:

Some confusion here between a foundation course, that is almost a year zero of a 3 or 4 year degree. Generally taken when grades or experience aren’t sufficient to start year 1 of a bachelor degree course, or where the student is unsure what they want to study eg a foundation engineering course will expose the student to many branches of engineering before they decide which branch to study for their degree.

then there is a foundation degree, which is two thirds of a full degree, normally takes 2 full time years of study. At the end of which a student may leave with the foundation degree or do the final (3rd) year to obtain the bachelor degree.

Exactly this. It's not a foundation year he wants to do. It's the foundation degree, which sounds like a bargain.