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Business with a Foundation Year (Elite Athlete Pathway)

Course details
  • BSc (Hons)
  • 5 Years
  • Sandwich
  • 28/09/2026
  • Undergraduate
Course location
Main Site

Course summary

Business with a Foundation Year for Elite Athletes enables entry into any of our Business courses for students that are classed as elite athletes by our performance sport centre and have not got the qualifications required for direct entry.

Our Foundation Studies programme at Loughborough is designed to help a range of students realise their university ambitions. Our streamed approach enables you to progress on to one of multiple courses within your chosen stream – giving you further time to decide which course is right for you.

The foundation programme would suit:

Students who have not studied the prerequisite subjects needed for first year entry on a preferred course;

Students performing at elite athlete level who have the added challenge of combining study with high-level sporting competition.
As a student on the course, you will be a full member of the University, enjoying access to the Students’ Union, clubs, societies, sports facilities and support departments, and the outstanding student experience Loughborough University offers.

This course is placed within the Business and Humanities stream which is one of our four Foundation streams. Foundation courses in this stream include:

Business with a Foundation Year (elite athlete only)
Economics with a foundation Year (elite athlete only)
Social Sciences and Humanities with a Foundation Year
More information on our four Foundation streams can be found here

Why complete a foundation year

Completing a foundation year within the Business and Humanities Stream will enable you to progress onto the first year of our Business or any course, provided the relevant progression criteria are met.
Completing a foundation year can be a real attribute to your overall degree success. It not only opens doors to courses that may have previously looked closed, but also provides a sound base on which to establish a successful academic career. Many who have completed the foundation pathway have also said how beneficial it was to them in supporting their transition into university life.
Our foundation course is taught in-house by university staff
The Foundation Studies course also offers the opportunity for students performing at a very high standard in their chosen sport, looking to join one of our sporting performance programmes, who wish to study at Loughborough, but do not have the required qualifications. It is ideal for students who wish to combine their performance sports training with academic study. If you think your sport profile qualifies you to be considered for the elite athletes programme, please contact performancesport@lboro.ac.uk before applying.

Modules

For a full list of areas studied, see the 'What You'll Study' section of the course page on our website.

Assessment method

Foundation modules are assessed via written exams and/or coursework assignments.

Typical coursework assignments include: laboratory reports, essays, presentations, assessed tutorials, workshops and peer review (review fellow students’ performance). It is expected that for every hour you are in a structured class, you should spend two hours of your own time researching, writing up, learning work or doing set questions etc.

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:
N1FY
Institution code:
L79
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

International applicants

International students: We are pleased to be working with ONCAMPUS Loughborough to deliver the Undergraduate Foundation Programme (UFP). International students can apply directly for the Undergraduate Foundation at https://www.oncampus.global/uk/campuses/oncampus-loughborough

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

UCAS Tariff - Not accepted

A level - BBC

BBC

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

BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma: DDM

Access to HE Diploma

Considered on a case by case basis. For mature students returning to education, Pass Access Course with 60 credits overall to include 45 at level 3 and achieve 15 level 3 credits at distinction 15 at merit and 15 at pass.

Scottish Advanced Higher

Considered on a case by case basis. Please contact Loughborough University directly.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 30 points

30 points overall.

Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024)

Applicants taking the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma will be asked to achieve the A level requirements for their course as part of their qualification. The Skills Challenge Certificate will be accepted alongside two A levels providing individual course entry and subject requirements are met. www.lboro.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/apply/entry-requirements/

Extended Project

We recognise the benefit of the Extended Project in developing independent research and critical thinking skills. We would consider this as evidence of motivation to study a specific subject in more depth, and while we do not generally include it as part of our offer conditions, it may be used to further consider an application upon receipt of final examination results. www.lboro.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/apply/entry-requirements/

Leaving Certificate - Higher Level (Ireland) (first awarded in 2017)

We accept a wide range of international qualifications for entry as outlined on our website – please view the individual course typical offers on our website and choose Ireland in the Country/region drop down field for more information.

Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal

This qualification is accepted in combination with other qualifications. For details please contact Loughborough University.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

A minimum of 5 GCSE grades 9 - 4 (A*-C) including Maths and English Language

T Level - M

Merit Overall B in Core Component Preferred subjects: T Levels in Accounting; Finance; Management and Administration and Engineering and Manufacturing are considered. Other relevant T Level subjects may be considered on a case by case basis.

Loughborough accepts a wide range of qualifications for entry as outlined on our website www.lboro.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/getting-started/applying/entrance-requirements/
This information details the general requirements and should be read in conjunction with the information given for each course.

Loughborough also accepts a wide range of international qualifications for entry as outlined on our website www.lboro.ac.uk/international/applicants/country/

Loughborough uses contextual data in the admissions process to provide insights into the context in which your academic qualifications have been achieved. This may influence the typical offers outlined in the information given for each course. www.lboro.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/getting-started/applying/contextual-data/

Find out more about qualification requirements for this course.

Additional entry requirements

Other
Students who are eligible for this course are those students competing in their sport at junior international level or higher (or expecting to do so in the next 12 months) who wish to study at Loughborough, but do not have the required qualifications due to sporting commitments. Please contact performancesport@lboro.ac.uk before applying if you think your sport profile qualifies you to be considered. Applicants are treated on a case by case basis and are usually selected solely on the basis of their UCAS application and their sporting achievements, but in exceptional cases, an interview may be required. If applicants are made an offer of a place, they will be invited to visit the department giving them the opportunity to meet staff and students, see facilities and get an insight into what it is like to be a student at Loughborough.

English language requirements

All applicants are required to demonstrate that they have an appropriate level of English language. http://www.lboro.ac.uk/international/applicants/english/

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

We consider contextual information as part of the assessment of an application to provide us with further insight into your achievements. This may lead to reduced offers, up to two grades lower than the typical offer requirements, as well as additional consideration when your results are received. For further information about Contextual Admissions at Loughborough including our Access Loughborough Contextual Offer please visit our website.

Learn more on the Loughborough University website

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.

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students

70 Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)

90 Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

LocationFeeYear
England£9535Year 1
Northern Ireland£9535Year 1
Scotland£9535Year 1
Wales£9535Year 1

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

The fees stated above are for the 2025/26 academic year; fees for 2026/27 have not yet been confirmed by the UK government. We will update this information as soon as it is available. Fees are reviewed annually and are likely to increase to take into account inflationary pressures.

While the cost of your tuition covers lots of things, it doesn’t cover everything. For instance this course doesn’t cover the cost of any stationery, printing, books or re-assessments which you might need.

UK tuition fees align with the applicable fee caps set by the UK government, and as such they are subject to changes made to the agreed cap in a specific year.

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