The International Foundation programme is designed specifically for International students and combines studio projects, critical studies, and English language with potential for progression to Year 2 of GSA undergraduate study in Fine Art and Design.

It provides specialised projects and tuition by a small staff team in dedicated studios, with additional contributions by tutors from across the academic departments.  At the end of the first term students can choose their specialist programme of study and as the International Foundation offers the potential for progression to Year 2 of one of GSA's undergraduate programmes in Fine Art or Design, it ensures students complete their undergraduate degree programme in the same amount of time as entry into our regular first year.

Alongside broad-based projects that are applicable to first year in either Design or Fine Art, the Foundation provides focused language support, concentrating on the development of English for Academic Purposes, which will enable you to develop the ability to think (and to talk and write) about your work in appropriate conceptual terms, and to develop creative approaches to your studio practice informed by critical discourse in lectures and studio discussion groups. It also provides solid English language training to enable you to improve your overall ability and achieve the required IELTS threshold (equivalent to IELTS 6.0, but internally moderated) for progression to 2nd year.

As a result of the specialist English Language support on the International Foundation students may be admitted with IELTS 5.0 (min 5.0 in each component).