By the time Year 1 rolled around, I already had one year of experience under my belt

What drew you to apply and accept a place on the Foundation Year (FY)?

As I went through clearing, I saw the Foundation Year as a great opportunity to fulfil my goal of studying Computer Science at an esteemed University.

What was your educational background before and what were the main concerns you had before embarking on the course?

I studied Maths, Computer Science and History at A-level - however, I just missed out on my Maths grades for my original choices. I guess my main concern was that it was really my last chance to get into a great university that has great prospects for engineering students.

How did FY help to prepare you for Year 1 study and beyond?

The Foundation Year helped me settle into the university lifestyle, so by the time Year 1 rolled around, I already had one year of experience under my belt.

It also gave me experience with degree aspects such as graded laboratory sessions - for example, in the second semester, the lab sessions become more focused on your desired degree.

I remember having to complete lab sheets that were heavily focused on more computational problems, and this kept my motivation up, as to me, it was a sample of what was to come once I had completed the year.

Furthermore, the group assignment helped me prepare for Year 1 as it helped me develop my teamwork skills and time management.

Computer Science can be heavily team-focused, so gaining the experience from the Foundation Year has allowed my First Year group work to be more efficient from the go.

Additionally, the Foundation Year’s individual assignments have helped with my independent study, as I now have more confidence to find my own resources. It also gave me greater assurance of my own ability when it came to working on my own.

The Physics and Further Maths content that I learnt from the FY has made some of the Year 1 content easier to handle as I had not learnt those topics at A-level.

Of course, whilst Maths is the only required A-level for Computer Science, reinforcing that with Physics and Further Maths has improved my overall Maths skills and has bolstered my more general engineering knowledge.

Being so close to the Peak District has allowed for some fun days out in the sun with friends

Luca Del Basso

BSc Computer Science with a Year in Industry

What were the big learning points for you during your FY?

One of the most impressive parts of the foundation year and the wider university is access to both internal and external student support services.

Foundation year students are treated the same as everyone else and have access to all university facilities and support networks. Staff are extremely approachable and quickly respond to queries and concerns.

Alongside providing you with a range of engineering and course-related experiences, the foundation year gives you an additional year to find your feet before your university course really begins. After completing the foundation year, I knew my way around the university and most of the city.

What are your favourite things about studying in Sheffield?

How easy and rewarding it has been to get involved with extra-curricular activities and societies. There is always something going on at the Students’ Union and it gives that student community atmosphere that I think a lot of students anticipate and hope for when they come to university.

Also, being so close to the Peak District has allowed for some fun days out in the sun with friends. It is really a good chance to de-stress, especially around exam season.

Even on weekdays, there are loads of parks dotted around campus and the city centre, meaning an hour between lectures can be an hour sitting on the grass.

How have you overcome challenges so far and what would be your advice to a prospective Foundation Year student?

A challenge I had to overcome was my organisation: once getting to university, it is up to you and you alone to attend and to put a shift in, and it took me a while to truly realise this.

Knowing that once I completed the Foundation Year I would be studying a course I am passionate about at a highly regarded university was what motivated me to get my head down.

My advice for prospective students would be to really study hard. I know that is obvious advice, but the Foundation Year can be a tough one to catch up on if you start to slack. Of course, there are loads of resources to help you along the way, but ultimately it is you that sits the exam.

However, receiving the phone call over the summer holidays that you have made it onto Year 1 and your proper university journey is beginning is a memory that will stick with me.