Seminars and Interview Sessions

Student Sharing Session: Top Questions about University Foundation by OnCampus

Ruby Leung

Deputy Director, East Asia Attending in Person

Ruby

Foundation Student in OnCampus Loughborough Attending Virtually

After completing F.5 in Hong Kong, Ruby started her Undergraduate Foundation Programme (Art & Design Pathway) in OnCampus Loughborough in September 2025. She’s now predicted to meet the progression requirement for BA (Hons) Fashion Design & Technology.

Undergraduate Year One in Top 30 UK universities normally require 443 to 5*55 in HKDSE, with subject-specific requirement depending on your choices of programmes. If students fall short of such requirement, they can progress through International Year One or University Foundation Courses. These programmes accept entry at 444 to 222 in HKDSE and enable qualified students to progress onto Year 2 and Year 1 of an undergraduate programme in Top 30 UK universities respectively.

In this student sharing session, Ruby Leung (Deputy Director, East Asia from OnCampus) will join force with a Hong Kong student from their University Foundation programmes in partnership with Loughborough University and University of Southampton, to share their study experience in the UK:

• Why did they choose to study the University Foundation programmes in Loughborough University and University of Southampton?
  For Year 1 entry of undergraduate degrees, universities with higher rankings usually set correspondingly higher entry requirements. However, at Foundation level, entry requirements across different universities are relatively similar. This gives students much wider options when choosing their university and programmes. What were the considerations of the students at the time?
• Have they ever worried about not being able to progress to their chosen degree?
  While the University Foundation programmes for Loughborough University comes with a progression rate of 89% ^{(Hong Kong students usually achieve even higher rates!)}, a small number of students do fall short. Have they ever worried that they might become the 11% of students?
• Have they considered changing subject/programme after starting the Foundation?
  While students are asked to select a progression degree when applying for the Foundation programme, they’re normally allowed to change their target, provided that academic and other requirements are met. Is this something they have considered?
• Which nationalities did they find easiest to get along with?
  University Foundation programmes are designed mainly for international students. From their experience, which nationalities did they find themselves getting along with most naturally?
• What is their timetable like?
  What modules do they study? What does a typical day/week look like in terms of teaching hours and workload?
• Is it easy to integrate into campus life?
  Foundation students have full access to university facilities such as libraries and sports centres, and can also join the students’ union and other societies. Did the students take part in any of these activities?
• Accommodation & daily life:
  What is the University’s hall of residence like? How are the rooms, bathrooms, kitchens and common rooms arranged? Between catered halls (with morning and dinner provided) and self-catered halls (where students cook for themselves), which option did they choose?
• Leisure and travel during weekends and holidays:
  What did the students usually do in their free time? Did they go on any day trips during weekends and school holidays?
• Personal growth and changes in study goals:
  After spending some time at university in the UK, how did their personal development and academic goals evolve?

Institution Profile: OnCampus University Foundation Provider

Study a pathway programme provided by OnCampus in collaboration with University of London and a few other top universities in the UK – If you didn’t make the grades for direct entry into Undergraduate Year One and Postgraduate programmes, these International Year One, University Foundation Courses and Pre Master’s will help you bridge that gap!

• Guaranteed Progression: The majority of these pathway programmes come with a “Guaranteed Progression”. This means that students will be guaranteed a place in their target programme as long as their meet the internal progression requirements – you won’t be competing for places with external applicants!
• Progression Options: Nowadays there are fewer subjects that don’t come with a pathway option than those that do! These highly diverse progression degrees include Business Studies, Physiotherapy, Optometry, Architecture, Law, Psychology, Sports Science, Engineering and many more, allowing students to study a subject they’re truly passionate about.
• Study Location: Most pathway programmes are taught at a dedicated teaching centre within university campus, where students have access to campus facilities and are free to join clubs and societies within the university. Some International Year One programmes even arrange students to study alongside undergraduate year one students in some modules!

Loughborough University^#12

Ranked the 225^th globally (QS 2026) and the 12^th in the UK, Loughborough University is a university in the midland town of Loughborough, about 30 minutes from nearby cities like Leicester and Nottingham. Teaching and research quality are both outstanding, with 91% of researches being rated as “World Leading” and “Internationally Excellent” by Research Excellence Framework (2021). Sport Science, Sociology, Geography & Environmental Sciences, Architecture, Design (Product Design, Industrial Design, Fashion, etc), Media & Communication, Building & Surveying, Engineering are all its strong areas. Loughborough University is ranked the world’s number one for Sport Science for six consecutive years (QS 2017-2026). The University would have ranked within the top 25 in the Tokyo Olympics 2020, if medal count is calculated on its own. It’s also one of two British Swimming National Centres, where some of Britain’s best swimmers train!

University of Southampton^#17

Ranked the 87^th in the world (QS 2026) and the 19^th in the UK, University of Southampton is a Russell Group research-led university in the port city of Southampton in the south of England. University of Southampton is well recognized for its researches and teaching in Computer Science, Engineering, Music, Physiotherapy and other medical-related subjects. Computer Science is one of its strongest, where Sir Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the Worldwide Web, is a professor. The department is also recognized as one of the 21 Academic Centres of Excellence in Cyber Security Research by the UK Government. The University is gradually introducing Major/Minor degree options in some programmes, to enable students to concentrate on a subject area as the major subject, while broadening knowledge with a Minor subject. Notable alumni include world-renowned musician Brian Eno as well as Grenville Cross the former Director of Public Prosecutions of Hong Kong.

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