Options with your foundation degree: Further study

Do I need to do further study?

Whether you need to do further study really depends on your career plans. If you're interested in furthering your education and gaining an honours degree then a top-up year would be beneficial to you and many foundation degree graduates complete this additional year.

If you're interested in entering a particular occupation that requires you to have an honours degree then further study is essential. However, this doesn't have to be an immediate decision, you can always take a top-up year at a later date.

Depending on the occupation you're interested in doing, you may also need to go on to postgraduate study or professional training after completing your honours degree. For example, for some jobs, including psychologists, solicitors and barristers, a postgraduate degree or professional qualification is essential.

 

In other occupational areas such as engineering and science, a postgraduate degree will help with progression to management. Find out more about postgraduate study in the UK or search postgraduate courses.

To find out the level of qualification required for a particular occupation, see types of jobs.

Will I get funding for further study?

If this is your first higher education qualification so, for example, if you haven't already gained an honours degree, you may be eligible for student finance through the Student Loans Company to top up your foundation degree to an honours degree.

However, there are different arrangements for full- and part-time students and the fees vary so it's important that you check this out thoroughly.

You may be eligible for funding if you're a parent, if you have an adult dependent, or if you have a disability. Some universities may offer grants or bursaries to students, but you will need to look at each institution to find out more about this.

If, once you have completed your honours degree, you want to do a postgraduate degree you will need to find funding as this isn't covered by the Student Loans Company. However, private loans, scholarships, bursaries and other funding is available. For example, there is funding available to complete a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) through a Department for Education bursary but again terms and conditions exist so research your options to check your eligibility.

Read more about funding postgraduate study.

What do other foundation degree graduates do?

Foundation degree graduates usually find employment in jobs directly related to their degrees. More than half (60.4%) of foundation degree graduates are in employment six months after graduating, according to the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey.

These graduates are in a variety of roles in the UK, with some of the most popular occupations including:

• educational assistants;
• managers mainly working in education or social work;
• police officers; 
• nursery nurses and assistants; 
• paramedics:
• education and learning support workers; 
• youth workers.

Some foundation degree graduates go on to work and study, with 85% of these graduates opting to study for a first degree. The most popular occupations that these graduates go on to are similar and include:

• educational assistants;
• nursery nurses and assistants;
• education and learning support workers.

Only 2.8% of foundation degree graduates in 2011 were unemployed six months after graduation, compared to 8.6% of first degree graduates.

To find out more about which occupations graduates from different subject areas go on to, see options with your subject.