To enter a university in Vietnam is difficult, want to enter a British university, you need to work twice as hard. Because the British universities have very high standards for selecting students, not simply an average score of 8.0 or higher or IELTS over 6.5.
Besides, the “wet feet” step into a completely new learning environment can make you overwhelmed. But there is no difficulty that there is no solution. And the solution is the most popular choice, which is to take a college preparatory course.
A pre-university course is usually one to two years long for students who are, or have completed, high school and want to earn their first bachelor's degree in the United Kingdom. The course will bridge your current educational gap and university entrance requirements in the UK, improve your English skills and familiarise you with the culture and life there.
Four typical university preparatory programmes in the UK
In the UK, there is not only one “pre-university" course, so please carefully consider your aspirations and financial conditions to choose one of the following programs:
- A-level (two years): This is the most popular way to go to university in the United Kingdom. Students are selected a minimum of three subjects, up to five subjects throughout two years (six terms). This is the national standard course so the results are accepted by all UK universities. Students who are 16 years old can study A level. Students need to be 16 years old to study A Level program.
- International Baccalaureate Programme (IB) (two years): This is a program that can be used as an alternative to A-level but is heavier with six subjects. International Baccalaureate students can choose intensive subjects of a particular discipline, but math, English and cognitive theory are compulsory subjects. International Baccalaureate programs are currently taught in about 150 public and private schools in the United Kingdom. Students need to be 16 years old to study IB.
- International Foundation Year (IFY) (one year): The course is designed for international students, including parts to support English ability. You need to note that IFY is designed by universities or colleges to train their entrance to their school, so the curriculum is also prepared by each school or a group of schools, so you need to check the output of this course is accepted into which universities? Cambridge, Oxford, LSE, Imperial or some medical universities, the law will not accept IFY. However, IFY program is easier, more cost-effective and time-saving than other courses. Students need to be 17 years old to study IFY program.
- International Year One diploma (one year): This is a preparatory program combined with the first year of university. As the name implies, students will have to study the subjects taken from the university program, in order to give students the most overview of the subjects as well as the program they study. As with Foundation, International Year One is for students over 17 years old. After completing this course with good scores, students will be transferred directly to the second year of university. This is considered an interesting course, not only equipping students with basic knowledge before entering university, but also helping students save time to study compared to Foundation (one year), thereby saving costs. Students need to graduate from grade 12, have good academic performance, IELTS English needs to meet the standard of 6.0 or higher
How should I choose college prep courses?
With many college prep courses, students will have more options, but many of you will still feel confused about what the best option is.
To save money and still achieve the goal of being accepted to universities in the UK, Foundation and Intenational Year One are the best choices for students and parents. These are two programs for students who have clearly defined their favorite majors and universities, so that they will spend more time focusing on their studies. In particular, IFY course is designed for international students, so you can improve your foreign language skills.
As for A-Level and IB, these courses have deep knowledge, providing comprehensive skills to help students grow up well. Most employers in the UK require students to have an A-level or IB degree along with a university score, so with this degree you have the opportunity to work at the best companies in Vietnam and in the world. But the cost of these two courses will be higher due to the two-year course.
It can be said that each preparatory program in the UK has its own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages that suit the learning needs and capabilities of each individual. Therefore, you need to know the objectives of the discipline, school, academic ability and finance to choose the right course that suits you best.
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