Program Overview
BEng Engineering with Foundation Year - 2026 entry
Overview
We believe that fair access to higher education is a fundamental enabler for social mobility and are committed to delivering this through our education. We aim to widen participation and raise attainment - bridging gaps in retention, progression and success - to ensure our students enjoy the best possible outcome.
In support of the University’s Access and Participation Plan this course is only open to UK domiciled students who meet our contextual offer eligibility criteria, or are classed as Mature Students, and who may not have met the entry requirements for first year entry or have not been able to take A-level Mathematics alongside a BTEC L3 Extended Diploma. Check if you are eligible to join this programme on our contextual offer webpages.
Eligibility criteria
- A-Level: BCC, C in Maths and B in a Science. We will also accept AS Maths at A or Core Maths at A in lieu of A level Maths.
- IB: 26/544, Maths HL 4 and Science HL 5
- BTEC: DMM, Applicants studying one of the following BTEC Extended Diplomas will be considered without GCE A-Level Maths and Science subjects – Construction and the Built Environment, Building Services Engineering, Civil Engineering, Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
- GCSE: 4/C, Grade C or 4 in GCSE English language
- Access to HE: 18 L3 credits at Distinction grade and 27 L3 credits at Merit grade, 12 L3 credits in Maths at Pass Grade and 12 L3 credits at Merit Grade or above in another Science subject
- T-Levels: T-Levels not accepted, N/A
- NB: General Studies is not included in any offer.
Accreditation
Please note: As part of our ongoing commitment towards improving the student experience at Exeter, we are introducing a new foundation level year to our Engineering degrees from September 2022. The foundation course covers the core maths skills needed to progress onto our Year 1 of the BEng Engineering with Foundation Year programme, or have the opportunity to transfer to Year 1 of another programme with a foundation year provided you meet the entry requirements for that programme. As a result of introducing the foundation year we are currently going through a process to expand our accreditation to include this programme.
Course content
The Foundation Year is part of an integrated 4 year undergraduate degree programme. The information below relates to the Foundation Year only. Please see our 'pathways' below for further information and details of the modules available on the degree programmes you can progress to from the Foundation Year.
The course comprises of 90 credits of core maths, to elevate students’ knowledge to A-level grade A standard, plus some aspects of the further maths curriculum, but concentrating on developing core mathematical skills.
The other 30 credits comprise a project that includes key skills for university study.
Foundation year modules
- Compulsory modules
- MTH0001: Principles of Pure Mathematics (30 credits)
- MTH0003: Exploring Mathematics (15 credits)
- MTH0004: Foundation Statistics (15 credits)
- MTH0005: Science: Skills and Culture (30 credits)
- MTH0006: Applied Mathematics (15 credits)
- MTH0007: Programming Skills (15 credits)
Pathways
The courses listed below are the pathway options available for these integrated 4-year undergraduate degree programmes. In the second term of your Foundation Year, you will specialise in your chosen course:
- Taught at Streatham Campus, Devon:
- Biomedical Engineering with Foundation Year BEng
- Chemical Engineering with Foundation Year BEng
- Civil Engineering with Foundation Year BEng
- Computer Science with Foundation Year BSc
- Data Science with Foundation Year BSc
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Foundation Year BEng
- Engineering with Foundation Year BEng
- Mechanical Engineering with Foundation Year BEng
- Mathematics with Foundation Year BSc
- Natural Sciences with Foundation Year BSc
- Physics with Foundation Year BSc
- Robotics and Artificial Intelligence with Foundation Year BEng
- Taught at Penryn Campus, Cornwall:
- Environmental Engineering with Foundation Year BEng
- Mining Engineering with Foundation Year BEng
- Renewable Energy Engineering with Foundation Year BEng
- Systems Engineering with Foundation Year BEng
Fees
Please note: The fees for students starting in 2026 have yet to be set. The fees provided below are the fees for students starting in 2025 and are for guidance only. We will post the fees for 2026 entry shortly.
Tuition fees for 2025 entry
- UK students: £9,535 per year
Scholarships
The University of Exeter has many different scholarships available to support your education, including £5 million in scholarships for international students applying to study with us in the 2025/26 academic year, such as our Exeter Excellence Scholarships.
Financial support is also available for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, lower income households and other under-represented groups to help them access, succeed and progress through higher education.
Learning and teaching
The way you learn at university may be different from what you have experienced before. Depending on your course, you may encounter a variety of teaching methods.
In the Foundation year of this programme, you will experience a range of teaching and learning activities including lectures, workshops, tutorials, group projects/presentations and/or seminars. The mathematics modules at this stage comprise of 90 credits in total, while the 'Science: Skills and Culture' module is 30 credits. You should expect your total workload to average about 40 hours per week during term time including guided independent study hours.
Assessment
Modules are assessed by a combination of summative assessments. You must pass your foundation year and meet the progression criteria to progress to Year 1 of the BEng in Engineering with a foundation year, but the results do not count towards your degree classification.
Your future
Civil engineering is concerned with creating and managing the infrastructure and environment in which we live. As a civil engineer you’ll play a key role in the future prospects and health of society. Civil engineering interfaces with electrical, mechanical, chemical and managerial processes. People skills are vitally important to civil engineers, who work alongside a broad section of society in order to bring plans to fruition. Our programmes combine science with personal and management skills developed through practical projects and direct study.
Engineers have a reputation as being articulate, numerate, problem solvers, who claim great job satisfaction. Typically, salaries are significantly higher for engineering graduates than the average for other graduates.
Exeter has an excellent reputation with graduate recruiters and a strong employment record. Our graduates excel in specialist engineering fields and across a broad range of other sectors. We offer a very wide range of opportunities for you to develop the skills employers are looking for.
Related courses
- Civil Engineering with Foundation Year BEng
- Electronic Engineering with Foundation Year BEng
- Mechanical Engineering with Foundation Year BEng
- Mathematics with Foundation Year BSc
- Natural Sciences with Foundation Year BSc
- Physics with Foundation Year BSc
- Foundation
View all Engineering courses
