Undergraduate

An undergraduate is a student pursuing higher education qualifications below postgraduate level, such as a foundation degree, bachelor’s degree or integrated masters.

What is a bachelor’s/undergraduate degree?

A bachelor’s degree, also called an undergraduate degree, is usually the first level of higher education study taken after secondary school requiring at least three years of full-time study or part-time equivalent. Common examples include Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BSc) and Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) across fields like languages, sciences, social sciences and technical disciplines. Degree classifications awarded based on final exam marks include first class, upper second class, lower second class and third class.

How is undergraduate study funded in the UK?

UK home students can access tuition fee and maintenance loans from the UK government to fund higher education costs. Additionally there are grants, scholarships and bursaries offered by universities and private organisations based on things like family income, extracurricular skills and academic performance to help cover expenses. Funding options differ if studying in Scotland.

What graduate career options can I access?

A wide range of careers value the transferable skills developed during UK undergraduate degrees such as communication, critical analysis, problem solving, research and time management. Many roles in sectors like public, private, third sector and academia are open to graduates. Studying a subject specialisation focusing on a target industry can give employability benefits too. Further vocational training may be required for some regulated professions.