University of Wollongong Dubai becomes 1st UAE university to offer NCUK International Foundation Year

The University of Wollongong in Dubai (UOWD) has become the first university in the UAE to partner with NCUK, a leading university consortium.

This partnership will offer students the opportunity to study an internationally recognised foundation course in Dubai and receive a guaranteed placement before travelling abroad to study for a bachelor degree at a university in their chosen country.

The International Foundation Year (IFY) gives students access to over 4,000 degrees across more than 40 leading universities internationally. Since forming in 1987, NCUK, an education entity dedicated to giving students guaranteed access to universities worldwide, has supported over 35,000 international students to attend universities globally.

One of the many benefits offered by the programme is that students who do not qualify for direct entry into bachelor degrees abroad can study in Dubai for one year, before travelling to any NCUK partner university in countries including Australia, the UK, USA, New Zealand and Canada.

Students will be able to study degrees from fields, including Business, Engineering, Architecture, Computer Science and Medicine. In addition to this, students who decide to continue their studies in the UAE will also be able to complete their bachelor degrees at UOWD.

Professor Mohamed Salem, President of UOWD, said,

"The launch of the International Foundation Year is a critical part of our plans to cement UOWD as an education hub for the UAE, and continue our efforts to provide a truly borderless education experience built on a strong foundation of quality and accessibility."

Andy Straughan, Associate Director, Africa, Middle East, Europe and Americas for NCUK, commented,

"Partnering with UOWD is an exciting extension to the significant growth and demand NCUK has undergone across the MENA region over recent years. In UOWD, a highly experienced and long-established tertiary institution within UAE, we are extremely confident that students from across the region will have an unrivalled opportunity to study a world-class qualification within a world-class teaching environment, with outstanding faculty."

The IFY normally takes nine months to complete and students take four subjects which will prepare them with the foundational knowledge required for their undergraduate studies, in addition to providing students with the necessary academic requirements for visa purposes.

The eligibility for IFY includes students to be at least 17 years old, have completed 12 years of high school education, and have a recognised English language qualification such as IELTS 5.0.

News Source: Emirates News Agency