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Astronautics and Space Engineering with Foundation Year

  • BEng (Hon)
  • 4 Years
  • Full-time including foundation year
  • 09/2026
  • Undergraduate
Stag Hill
More about University of Surrey

Course options

2026-2027
Apply

Course summary

Foundation courses
A foundation year can develop your skills and make it easier to get started at university. It is an extra year of study at the start of your course that leads in to a full degree programme. It’s a great option if:

You don’t have the grades for a full degree course
You have non-traditional qualifications or experience
You’re starting university after some time away from education
You’re looking for more support during the transition into university study.

Life as a foundation year student
During a foundation year you’ll learn about your chosen subject, develop your study skills and get used to university life. On successful completion of your foundation year, you’ll be ready to progress to the first year of your degree course.

As a foundation year student, you’ll be a full student of the University and part of our community. You’ll have access to all our campus facilities and support.

Why choose this course

  • Having pioneered the small satellite industry 40 years ago, the Surrey Space Centre designs and builds innovative commercial satellites to launch into orbit.

  • This means our BEng and MEng Astronautics and Space Engineering courses give you a unique opportunity to learn from inspiring academics at the forefront of space engineering.

  • Take the opportunity to get industry-ready with our award-winning Professional Training placements.

  • You can hone your practical, teamwork and leadership skills by joining one of our successful and dynamic student competition design groups. These include the UAS Challenge team (champions in 2021 and 2022), and our Team Peryton rocketry and satellite design teams (both category winners in 2023).

  • With our strong heritage in space study, we're widely recognised as one of the best astronautical engineer universities in the UK.

What you will study
You’ll apply your knowledge through project work, giving you the opportunity to work closely with academics from Surrey Space Centre. This will enable you to gain practical experience of the technologies that go into space missions.

You can apply to study for either a BEng or MEng. The MEng builds on the BEng with a masters year and is a direct route to a masters qualification, known as an integrated masters. Depending on your progress, you may have the option to switch to a BEng or MEng during your studies.

Modules

To see the full range of modules for this course please visit our website. The link is under course ‘contact details’. You will also find full details of the programme, including assessment methods, programme structure, contact hours and Graduate prospects.

Ways to study this course

Campuses

  • Stag Hill

Study options

  • BEng (Hon) • Full-time including foundation year • 4 Years

Start dates

  • 09/2026

Apply by
14 January

This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.

Application codes

Course code:
H655
Institution code:
S85
Campus name:
Stag Hill
Campus Code:
-
Points of Entry:
Foundation

University of Surrey has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

See why these ratings were awarded
What does this TEF outcome mean?

How to apply

Apply by
14 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
H655
Institution code:
S85
Campus name:
Stag Hill
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Foundation

International applicants

We are proud to be one of the most culturally diverse universities in the UK, with more than 140 nationalities playing a role in university life. Our International Recruitment team are here to help you throughout the application process – from advising on choosing the right course to applying for a visa and preparing for your first few weeks at Surrey. You can contact them via international@surrey.ac.uk

Applicants who require a Student Visa to study in the UK:
To apply for a Student Visa, you must have a Confirmation of Acceptance (CAS) for the University you wish to study at. This is a unique number which will enable you to apply for your visa. The University is under no legal obligation to sponsor any individual and exercises caution with respect to issuing a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) to avoid risking its status as a Student sponsor. Confirmation of Acceptance to Study (CAS) will be issued in accordance with the Student Route and CAS Issuing Policy, available at: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/apply/policies

Chat to student ambassadors

Discover what it's like to study Astronautics and Space Engineering with Foundation Year at University of Surrey: insights on the course, making friends, personal statement tips, uni prep, and recommended books, podcasts, and videos.

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    Hello! I’m a second-year Business Management and French student at the University of Surrey. I have a strong interest in public relations and hope to pursue a career in crisis PR in the future. Alongside my studies, I currently work in marketing for a destination wedding company. If you’re thinking about studying business, languages, or any arts-related subject, feel free to ask me any questions. I’m also happy to chat about student life and studying at Surrey. Don’t hesitate to get in touch! <3

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Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

UCAS Tariff - Not accepted

A level - CCC

Overall: CCC We do not include General Studies or Critical Thinking in our offers. Required Subjects: Mathematics and another STEM subject. Applicants taking the Science Practical Endorsement are expected to pass.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - MMM

Overall: MMM, with an additional A Level Mathematics. Required Subjects: A-level Mathematics grade C and BTEC must be in a relevant subject.

Access to HE Diploma - D: 21 credits M: 3 credits P: 21 credits

Overall: QAA recognised Access to Higher Education Diploma with 45 Level 3 credits overall including 21 at Distinction, 3 at Merit and and 21 at Pass. Additionally, A-level Mathematics grade C. Required Subjects: Access to Higher Education modules must be in relevant subjects. GCSE or Equivalent: Inclusion of GCSE English equivalent within Access programme

Scottish Higher - BBBCC

Overall: BBBCC Required Subjects: Mathematics and another STEM subject. GCSE or Equivalent: English Language: Scottish National 5 - C.

Scottish Advanced Higher - CCC

Overall: CCC Required Subjects: Mathematics and another STEM subject. GCSE or Equivalent: English Language: Scottish National 5 - C.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 29 points

Overall: 29 Required Subjects: Mathematics Analysis and Approaches HL4/SL6 or Mathematics Applications and Interpretations HL4, and HL4/SL6 in another STEM subject. GCSE or Equivalent: English A HL4/SL4 or English B HL5/SL6.

WJEC Level 3 Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales

Overall: Pass overall with CCC from a combination of the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales and two A-levels. Required subjects: A levels in Mathematics and another STEM subject. A-level General Studies and A-level Critical Thinking are not accepted. Applicants taking the Science Practical Endorsement are expected to pass. GCSE or equivalent: English at grade 4 (C).

GCSE/National 4/National 5

GCSE English Language at Grade C(4).

Applications are considered on an individual basis, taking into account qualifications achieved, predicted grades, personal statement and academic reference. Conditional offers are specified in terms of required grades; we do not make offers in terms of overall UCAS tariff.

We understand that predicted grades are an estimate and will consider applicants who have predicted grades that are a little lower than our published requirement. Any offers we make will align with the grades shown above unless a grade reduction can be offered under our Contextual Admissions policy or our In2Surrey scheme. Details can be found here: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/schools-colleges/contextual-admissions-policy

Applicants with a mixed qualification profile (e.g. those taking A-levels and BTEC qualifications) are encouraged to contact admissions@surrey.ac.uk for guidance on the grades accepted.

English language requirements

TestGradeAdditional details
IELTS (Academic)66.0 overall with 5.5 in each element

View the other English language qualifications that we accept: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/apply/international/english-language-requirements

Historical entry grades data BETA

This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

No fee information has been provided for this course

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

Please see our website for up-to-date information on our fees for 2026/27:

https://www.surrey.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/tuition-fees/undergraduate-2026-entry

Sponsorship information

The University of Surrey offers a range of scholarships and bursaries to support our students, please visit https://www.surrey.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/scholarships-and-bursaries for more details.

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