Key Facts

Integrated Foundation Year Key Facts
Start Dates September 2025
Duration Normally 4 years (IFY plus the degree); longer if the integrated degree requires.
Attendance Full-time
Location Belfast, Northern Ireland
Annual Tuition Fee £17,010

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Entry Requirements

Entry Requirements

To be eligible for the Integrated Foundation Year you must:

  • Be aged 18 years by June of the academic year in which the Integrated Foundation Year is completed
  • Have successfully completed High School education
  • Hold GCSEs in 5 subjects including Mathematics at Grade C or equivalent
  • Attain at least an overall score of 6.0 in an Academic IELTS (with no individual band score of less than 5.5)
  • Meet the residency or nationality requirements to be defined as an international student for fees purposes

Equivalent qualifications from all countries are considered.

Further details on accepted qualifications can be found at Your Country pages.

View Your Country pages

If your country is not listed please contact international admissions for further information.

internationaladmissions@ulster.ac.uk

What Degree can I study?

You have the choice of over 30 named degrees with an Integrated Foundation Year.

See below for the named degrees in each of our faculties.

Arts Humanities and Social Sciences

The Integrated Foundation Year has been embedded to degrees within Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

For International Students

Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment

The Integrated Foundation Year has been embedded to degrees within Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment.

For International Students

Life and Health Sciences

The Integrated Foundation Year has been embedded to degrees within Life and Health Sciences.

For International Students

Ulster University Business School

The Integrated Foundation Year has been embedded to degrees within Ulster University Business School.

For International Students

Fees

Tuition Fee for 2025

£17,010

Accommodation Fee

As an Integrated Foundation student you can opt for university accommodation at Jordanstown campus or at 123 York Street in the heart of Belfast city centre.

Application date

Submit your application before 14 August 2025 to be guaranteed a place in university accommodation.

Accommodation cost

Accommodation cost for 2025/26 have not yet been confirmed but for illustration purposes in 2024/25 accommodation fees started from £139 per week.

Number of weeks

University accommodation stay is for 37 weeks. If you opt for 123 York Street your stay will be 44 weeks.

Cost of Living

Not only was Belfast voted as the 2nd Friendliest UK city in 2023, it was also voted as one of the top 10 cities in UK by Condé Nast Traveller, 2023.

Northern Ireland is the most affordable region for international students in the UK to live, work and study with the lowest student cost of living in the UK. (National Student Money Survey, 2023).

As an Integrated Foundation Year student, your average weekly living costs could look something like this:

Cost of Living
Expenditure Cost (per week)
Accommodation £127 (starting from)
Food £45
Utilities (gas, electricity, water etc) included in accommodation
General expenses (socialising etc.) £35
Travel £5 (depending on campus)
Total weekly living cost£212