Intro

The foundation year is an integrated pathway to our architecture, interior architecture and product design degrees. This course gives you the opportunity to learn in a creative and inclusive studio environment and develop the confidence, design skills and portfolio of work needed to study at degree level.

We will introduce you to the fundamental design principles and transferable skills of architecture and design. You’ll explore the design process through creative projects and technical workshops, and develop core skills in drawing, making, digital practice, presentation and communication, and critical thinking and writing. These core skills will inform a final design project in your chosen subject.

You will have hands-on academic and technical support, work in excellent facilities, and when you leave the course you’ll be equipped to get the most out of whichever design degree you choose.

Foundation students study together for their first year, but you will choose one of the three degrees listed here when you apply via UCAS.

Key facts

Location Brighton: Moulsecoomb

UCAS codes

  • Tap ‘apply now with UCAS’ to apply for your chosen course
    • Architecture BA(Hons) with integrated foundation year – K15F
    • Interior Architecture BA(Hons) with integrated foundation year – W2F5
    • Interior Design BA(Hons) with integrated foundation year – W253 (available from 2026 entry)
    • Product Design BSc(Hons) with integrated foundation year – W24Y

Full-time 4 or 5 years – one year foundation course plus three- or four-year honours degree depending on subject chosen

What are my next steps?

Clearing 2026

If you have your results, you can apply online for a place through Clearing.

Apply online now

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Entry criteria

Clearing 2026

Our Clearing offers are usually lower than the standard grades published on this page. And grades are not the only thing we consider. Every story is different and that’s why we’ll treat you and your application as an individual.

Get in touch today to talk through your options and next steps in Clearing.

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Entry requirements

Entry requirements for 2026

Before making a decision on which course to apply for, we strongly encourage you to have an informal chat with our admissions team. You can call or message them from the Stay in touch tab.

A-levels DDD.

BTEC Extended Diploma MMP/DM.

International Baccalaureate 24 points.

UCAS tariff 72 points. Level 3 Key Skills and General Studies will count towards the tariff.

Work out how many UCAS tariff points you have achieved with the UCAS tariff calculator.

T-level Merit in any T-level.

Other qualifications
We will consider applicants who have completed an Access course or other type of level 3 qualification on an individual basis; relevant experience may also be taken into account.

English language requirements
If English is not your first language, IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each element. Find out about the other English qualifications that we accept.

Transferring from another university
Thinking about transferring from another uni? Check our transferring to Brighton info and give us a call.

International requirements and visas

International requirements by country
Country name
Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bermuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czechia
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guyana
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malaysia
Malawi
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Montenegro
Morocco
Myanmar (Burma)
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian National Authority
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Syria
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tunisia
Türkiye Turkiye Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

View our English language courses

For pre-sessional English preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For degree preparation courses.

Visas and immigration advice

Applying for a student visa

Check out our step-by-step guidance.

Contextual admissions

At Brighton, we understand that not everyone has the same opportunities, and some may face extra challenges to meet grade requirements. If you meet our contextual admissions criteria, we’ll make you an offer of at least two grades or 16 UCAS tariff points lower than the standard for your course. Find out about contextual admissions at Brighton.

With a contextual offer, you may also qualify for extra financial support through our Brighton Boost cost of living package. Find out about the Brighton Boost.

Graphic with the text 'Potential + possibility'

Course content

Top reasons to choose this course

  • Integrated foundation year pathway – gain the confidence, design skills and portfolio needed for degree-level study before progressing to Architecture, Interior Architecture, Interior Design or Product Design. 
  • Creative and inclusive studio environment – learn alongside students with different interests in a supportive studio culture that encourages collaboration, discussion and creative exploration.
  • Explore architecture and design disciplines – discover the principles, processes and practices that underpin architecture, interior architecture, interior design and product design.
  • Build essential design skills – develop expertise in drawing, model-making, digital practice, presentation, communication and critical thinking. 
  • Hands-on creative learning – work on practical design projects and creative workshops that gradually build your confidence, technical ability and problem-solving skills.
  • Learn both analogue and digital techniques – master hand drawing and physical modelling before progressing to digital drawing, modelling, fabrication and visual communication methods.
  • Create a professional portfolio – produce a portfolio showcasing your creative development, technical skills and final disciplinary project ready for progression to degree study. 
  • Dedicated studio and workshop facilities – work in specialist design studios, digital spaces and workshops supported by experienced technical staff.
  • Expert teaching across multiple disciplines – learn from lecturers across architecture, interior architecture, interior design and product design, gaining a broad understanding of design practice. 
  • Develop your own creative direction – complete a final project in your chosen discipline, bringing together everything you've learned and preparing you for success on your degree course.

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Why Brighton is a great place to study architecture and design

Brighton & Hove is a creative city with a progressive design culture that values sustainability and community. It’s where historic architecture meets contemporary design – perfect for testing ideas in real contexts.

Named one of the best cities on the planet and the third best city in the UK by Time Out, Brighton is just under an hour from central London and the capital’s global architecture practices.

Course structure

Throughout the year you will work on design projects and creative workshops which build in complexity and skill, enabling you to develop the confidence and expertise to explore design ideas.

Term 1 will concentrate on analogue skills, introducing you to observational and hand-drawing skills as well as physical/3D modelling techniques, enabling you to understand different scales.

Term 2 will expand on the skills you have learned and combine them with digital practice. You’ll be introduced to digital drawing, modelling and fabrication and representation and communication techniques. Projects will develop your knowledge of the design process and technical ability.  

Term 3 focuses on a final project within your chosen discipline and course. You’ll produce a portfolio where you’ll document your development and your final design project. The project will be specific to your discipline and draw together all the skills learnt over the year, preparing you for your degree in Architecture, Interior Architecture or Product Design. It will include physical hand drawings, photography, models, digital work and discipline-specific outputs.

The portfolio and project are assessed and you must pass in order to progress onto your chosen degree course.

Architecture students working on a model of a building

Follow the Architecture and design integrated foundation course on Instagram.

Learning environment

You will have a dedicated design studio space in which you will receive teaching and undertake learning activities, as well as having your own individual space to work. Working alongside your peers, you’ll explore projects through discussion, drawing and modelling, writing and critical thinking, informing a broad understanding of design as a discipline. 

Your design studio will be in the heart of the school, allowing you to observe, interact and collaborate with the studio culture across the three subjects and with students on all years of their course. There is a lead tutor for the integrated foundation and you’ll be learning with lecturers across all three design subjects throughout the year. The design studio is complemented by digital and workshop spaces supported by a team of creative technical staff.

Follow the Architecture and design integrated foundation on Instagram to find out more about life on the course.

Four students gathered around a table working on an architecture project

Facilities

You’ll benefit from access to specialist facilities designed to support creative exploration, technical development and hands-on architectural practice.

  • Dedicated studio spaces – individual studio areas for each group and programme, providing a permanent workspace throughout your studies.
  • Model-making and construction workshops – equipped for fabrication in wood, metal, plastics, resins and textiles, helping you develop physical modelling and making skills. 
  • Photographic studios and darkroom – supporting visual communication, documentation and creative experimentation. 
  • Digital fabrication facilities – including laser cutting and 3D printing technologies for producing architectural models and prototypes. 
  • Advanced prototyping equipment – featuring rapid prototyping, 5-axis milling and CNC routing facilities. 
  • Specialist computer suites – PC and Mac labs with industry-standard software including Adobe Creative Suite, Vectorworks, Autodesk applications, Rhino, Blender, Maya, Cinema 4D and Premiere.
  • Surveying and audiovisual equipment – equipment for you to borrow for project work and site-based studies
  • Take a virtual 360 tour of our specialist facilities.

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Progress to a degree

The foundation year offers you an integrated pathway to:

On these course pages you’ll be able to see student work and find more info about studying these subjects with us.

Successful completion of the foundation year means that you can progress directly to the degree you have chosen.

You will apply for a specific course through UCAS, but the foundation offers the flexibility and opportunity to change your mind after terms 1 or 2 and to progress to a different degree within the design disciplines if you choose to.

architecture student working on a drawing in the studio

Summer shows

At the end of every academic year, the campus comes alive with creativity, celebration, and community spirit at our annual Architecture and Design Summer Show. This vibrant event marks the culmination of months of hard work, innovation, and exploration by our talented students and offers a glimpse into the future of architecture and design.

Take a virtual tour of the Architecture and Design Summer Show and explore our students’ creative work.

More about this subject at Brighton

From inclusive design to industry awards: Brighton students shine at New Designers 2026

“Talking to so many people across the industry and hearing the positivity towards my project made the past four months of long days so worth it.

Meet our 2026 graduates: Keira Forman, Product Design BSc(Hons)

“Throughout the course, we have had opportunities to chat with and present to industry professionals, present our work at shows, and receive constant guidance and support to create products we are proud of.

Meet our 2026 graduates: Tilly Lawless, Product Design BSc(Hons)

Can waste become something desirable… even luxurious?

Meet our 2026 graduates: Will, Product Design BA(Hons)

“The course is set up really well to find your area of design.

Read more from our blog

Careers

What you can do with this degree

The Architecture and Design Integrated Foundation Year is designed to prepare you for degree-level study in Architecture, Interior Architecture, Interior Design or Product Design. It provides a supportive route into higher education, helping you build the confidence, portfolio and creative skills needed to progress onto your chosen design degree.

Through creative projects, technical workshops and studio-based learning, you'll develop practical and transferable skills in drawing, model-making, digital practice, presentation, communication, critical thinking and design development.

By the end of the foundation year, you'll have gained experience in:

  • design thinking and creative problem-solving
  • drawing, sketching and visual communication
  • physical and 3D model-making techniques
  • digital drawing, modelling and fabrication
  • design presentation and communication skills
  • critical thinking and design research
  • portfolio development and project documentation
  • collaborative studio-based working practices.

The course culminates in a final project within your chosen discipline, allowing you to apply the skills you've developed and produce a portfolio that demonstrates your creative and technical abilities. Successful completion enables progression onto your chosen architecture or design degree.

Whether you're returning to study, changing career direction or building a pathway towards a creative profession, the foundation year equips you with the skills, confidence and portfolio needed to take the next step in architecture and design education.

Transferable skills

Through creative projects, technical workshops and studio-based learning, you'll develop a broad range of creative, practical and professional skills that prepare you for further study across architecture and design disciplines.

  • Independent learning and self-direction – building the confidence and skills needed to manage your own work and progress successfully to degree-level study.
  • Adaptability across design disciplines – gaining an understanding of architecture, interior architecture, interior design and product design before specialising in your chosen degree pathway.
  • Professional and academic readiness – developing the confidence, design skills and portfolio required for successful progression to degree-level study.
  • Collaboration and teamwork – working alongside peers from different design interests within a shared studio environment that encourages discussion and exchange of ideas.
  • Design thinking and creative problem-solving – exploring the design process through projects that encourage innovation, experimentation and the development of original ideas.
  • Drawing and visual communication – building confidence in observational drawing, sketching and visual representation techniques used to communicate design ideas.
  • Model-making and physical prototyping – developing hands-on making skills through physical and 3D modelling activities that explore form, scale and construction.
  • Digital design skills – learning digital drawing, modelling and fabrication techniques used across architecture and design professions.
  • Presentation and communication – presenting design ideas clearly through portfolios, visual outputs, project work and verbal communication.
  • Critical thinking and analysis – developing the ability to evaluate ideas, reflect on your work and use critical thinking to inform design decisions.
  • Research and enquiry – investigating design challenges and gathering information to support project development and creative exploration.
  • Portfolio development – documenting your progress and producing a portfolio that showcases your creative, technical and conceptual development.
  • Project development – taking projects from initial concepts through experimentation, development and final outcomes.
  • Technical workshop skills – learning practical making and fabrication techniques with support from specialist technical staff and workshop facilities.

Our industry connections

You’ll develop your understanding of architecture and design through live projects, site-specific briefs and collaborative studio experiences that connect learning with real places, communities and creative practice.

  • Live client projects – work on real-world design briefs with external partners. Recent students have developed proposals for a Worthing seafront shelter used by local creative practitioners as a workshop and gallery space, creating designs that respond to the needs of a live client.
  • Site-specific design challenges – tackle projects based on real locations and contexts. Students have reimagined sites such as Gun Gardens in Rye, creating proposals for The Lookout Market, a market and viewing point overlooking Rye Harbour and the surrounding marshes.
  • Architecture and Design Summer Show – showcase your work as part of the annual end-of-year exhibition, presenting projects, models and portfolios to staff, students, visitors and prospective employers while developing confidence in communicating your ideas.

 

Career support for life

Beyond your course, our Careers and Employability team are here to support you as you discover (and rediscover) your strengths and what matters to you. We are here for you throughout your university journey as you work towards a fulfilling and rewarding career.

  • Find part-time work that you can combine with your studies.
  • Find, or be, a mentor or get involved with our peer-to-peer support scheme.
  • Develop your business ideas through our entrepreneurial support network.
  • Get professional advice and support with career planning, CV writing and interview top tips.
  • Meet potential employers at our careers fairs.
  • Find rewarding volunteering opportunities to help you discover more about what makes you tick and build your CV.

Whatever your career needs, we are here to help. And that’s not just while you are a student – our support carries on after you’ve graduated.

Find out about careers and employability at Brighton.

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Fees and costs

Course fees

UK (full-time)* 9,790 GBP

International (full-time) 18,108 GBP

Students applying for this course will be eligible to apply for student funding for the full course – foundation year plus honours degree.

The course fees shown here are what you will pay for the first year of your course if you start in the academic year 2026–27 and you are studying full-time (fee amount is subject to parliamentary approval). You pay fees in each year of your course. The fees you pay may increase each year.

Regulated fees

Fees for UK students on undergraduate and some postgraduate courses are set by the UK government. These are known as regulated fees. From academic year 2026–27, regulated fees will increase annually in line with forecast inflation.

Student Finance England loans for tuition fees and maintenance will also rise in line with inflation.

If you are studying part-time your fee will usually be calculated based on the number of modules that you take.

Unregulated fees

Course fees for international students taking undergraduate courses and for most postgraduate courses are not regulated by the UK government. Unregulated fees may increase each year by up to 5% or the forecast Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation (whichever is higher).

Find out more

What's included

Here you’ll find details of specific resources and services that are included in the tuition fee for our School of Architecture, Technology and Engineering students. To help you to budget for your studies, there is also information on any additional costs that you may have to pay or can choose to pay in addition to your tuition fee.

Find out how tuition fees enable us to support all of our students with important services, facilities and resources across the university and check out our finance pages for info about fees, funding and scholarships along with advice on international and island fee-paying status.

You can chat with our enquiries team if you have a question or need more information.

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees.

  • Travel and accommodation costs are included for all mandatory taught residential field trips, but you’ll need to provide your own food and drink.
  • There will be opportunities to attend additional study trips or optional taught residential field trips throughout the school, but these are not required to pass your course. Normally, a contribution will be required towards expenses such as travel, entrance fees and accommodation. This will vary depending on where and how long the trip is, but you should budget around £1,500.
  • Where optional international field trips are offered, these are not required to pass your course. You should expect to budget £300–£500 for these, to cover flight, accommodation, food and entrance to museums. The total amount spent would be based on location and number of trips taken.
  • If you choose to take an optional paid placement, you’ll be expected to cover your own travel, accommodation, food and drink.
  • Some students require specialist outdoor equipment and/or personal protective equipment (PPE) and should budget up to £150.
  • You will have access to computers and necessary software; however, many students choose to buy their own hardware, software and accessories. The amount spent will depend on your individual choices, but this expenditure is not essential to pass any of our courses.
  • Course books are available from the university, but you may wish to budget from £15 to £100 per year to buy your own copies and subscribe to design magazines.
  • In most cases coursework submissions are electronic but students may wish to print notes which would involve an extra cost.
  • Costs of up to £50 are included in the fees for students on engineering courses to pay for materials for their final year projects. On rare occasions where material costs exceed £50, they will need to be paid for by the student.

Architecture, interior architecture, design and product design additional costs

  • Students should budget around £25 for printing and binding dissertations in their final year.
  • In your first year of studies, you will need to buy a drawing and modelling toolkit. Each course will suggest a list of items of which some will be essential, and others optional. You should budget around £100–£250 for these.
  • For most courses you will need to budget between £100 to £300 per year for printing and portfolio costs. Costs will vary depending on type of printer and type and size of paper used. Some students tend to work digitally, spending more on printing and some by hand, spending more on materials so these costs vary widely between students.
  • For most courses you will need to budget between £10 and £100 for material costs per design project. Costs will vary depending on how and what you use to make models. You are encouraged to recycle used materials where possible.
  • You will need to budget between £5–£50 to exhibit work for the end-of-year show. Fundraising by the student society, BIAAS, normally helps towards this cost.

Location and student life

Campus where this course is taught

Moulsecoomb campus

Two miles north of Brighton seafront, Moulsecoomb is our largest campus and student village. Moulsecoomb has been transformed by a recent development of our estate. On campus you’ll find the Students’ Union events venue, and sports and fitness facilities, alongside the library and student centre.

Over 900 students live here in our Moulsecoomb Place halls and the new Mithras halls – Brunswick, Goldstone, Hanover, Preston and Regency.

Moulsecoomb has easy access to buses and trains so you can access all the exciting things happening in our home city.

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Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students. So if you apply for halls by the deadline you are guaranteed a room in our halls of residence. Almost all (98%) of students starting their course with us in 2025 got their first or second room choice. 

Brighton: Moulsecoomb

Halls of residence

We have self-catered halls on all our campuses, within minutes of your classes, and other options that are very nearby.

You can apply for any of our halls, but the options closest to your study location are:

  • Mithras Halls are stylish high-rises in the heart of the student village at our Moulsecoomb campus with en suite rooms for more than 800 students.
  • Varley Park is a popular, dedicated halls site, offering a mix of rooms and bathroom options at different prices. It is around two miles from Moulsecoomb campus and four miles from the city centre, and is easy to get to by bus.

Want to live independently?

We can help – find out more about private renting.

Find out more about your accommodation options

Relaxing in halls

Modern accommodation at Moulsecoomb

Mithras halls room with a view

Relaxing in halls near the campus

Student Union social space

Student Union social space at Moulsecoomb

Local area

One of Time Out's 50 best cities in the world

“Brighton has… all the important parts of a sprawling cosmopolitan metropolis (connections to London in under an hour, an array of properly excellent restaurants, energetic late-night spots) … with the easy-breezy beachy attitude to life that makes you feel welcome in an instant.”
Time Out’s 50 Best Cities in the World, 2025

About Brighton

The city of Brighton & Hove is a forward-thinking place which leads the way in the arts, technology, sustainability and creativity. You'll find living here plays a key role in your learning experience.

Brighton is a leading centre for creative media technology, recently named the startup capital of the UK.

The city is home to more than 1,000 tech businesses. The digital sector is worth over £1bn a year to the local economy – as much as tourism.

All of our full-time undergraduate courses involve work-based learning - this could be through placements, live briefs and guest lectures. Many of these opportunities are provided by local businesses and organisations.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and there are daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton
Brighton Beach sunset

Maps

Moulsecoomb campus map

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Support and wellbeing

Your course team

Your personal academic tutor, course leader and other tutors are all there to help you with your personal and academic progress. You’ll also have a student support and guidance tutor (SSGT) who can help with everything from homesickness to managing stress and accommodation issues.

Your academic skills

Our Brighton Student Skills Hub gives you extra support and resources to develop the skills you’ll need for university study, whatever your level of experience so far.

Your mental health and wellbeing

As well as being supported to succeed, we want you to feel good too. You’ll be part of a community that builds you up, with lots of ways to connect with one another, as well as having access to dedicated experts if you need them. Find out more about how we support your wellbeing.

Sport at Brighton

Sport Brighton

Sport Brighton brings together our sport and recreation services. As a Brighton student you'll have use of sport and fitness facilities across all our campuses and there are opportunities to play for fun, fitness or take part in serious competition. 

Find out more about Sport Brighton.

Sports scholarships

Our sports scholarship scheme is designed to help students develop their full sporting potential to train and compete at the highest level. We offer scholarships for elite athletes, elite disabled athletes and talented sports performers.

Find out more about sport scholarships.

Brighton Cricket Academy

Develop your cricketing skills in the UK’s largest indoor cricket facility alongside studying for a degree. Whether you can already play or you’re new to the game offers the opportunity to train with top coaches in our world-class training environment. 

Find out about the Brighton Cricket Academy.

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Take a tour of sport facilities on our Falmer campus

Stay in touch

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What are my next steps?

Clearing 2026

If you have your results, you can apply online for a place through Clearing.

Apply online now

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