The transition from high school to university can be big. For many students it’s more than a new school. It is a new academic culture, a new level of independence, often a new language, even a new country.

And that is exactly why so many universities have foundation years and prep programs. These programs help students develop the academic skills, confidence and study habits they might need before beginning a full degree.

But the question is straightforward: do foundation programs really work?

The answer, according to the research, is yes — but with one very important caveat. Foundation programs can be very effective, especially for students who need additional academic preparation. But their long-term impact will depend largely on how the program is structured and backed.

Foundation programs can help students get up to speed

One of the strongest arguments for supporting foundation programs is that they give students another opportunity to demonstrate their academic capabilities.

Grades in high school and entrance exams don’t always reflect what a student can really do. Some students come from under-funded schools. Some are strong learners but need time to adjust to academic English, university expectations or a new education system.

Research has shown that a carefully planned preparatory year can have a profound impact on a student’s academic future

According to a study at King Abdulaziz University, students’ performance after they finished a preparatory year was a stark contrast to what their high school admission scores would have predicted (Brdesee & Alsaggaf, 2021). In other words, the preparatory year was a real opportunity for students to build university readiness, and not just validate their previous academic performance.

The United Arab Emirates reported similar findings. Research on students studying business management found that students who graduated in their foundation year performed as well as students who went directly into the degree and on several occasions they outperformed them. Foundation students didn’t underperform in any of the 15 different modules (Shahid et al., 2025).

This is important because it contests the prevailing assumption that foundation students are ‘weaker’ students by nature. Many of them, in practice, need a structured bridge into university learning.

The issue of “fading out”

Foundation programs tend to yield strong short-term gains, but some studies suggest these benefits fade over time.

A Longitudinal Study of Students Completing a One-Year College Preparatory Program at the U.S. Naval Academy- Initially the students had a clear GPA advantage, especially in the early part of their studies. But this advantage diminished once they moved into more advanced, specialised courses (Kotlikoff et al., 2021).

This suggests an important lesson: academic preparation is not a one-shot deal. It’s not a vaccine that keeps students forever. Students may require ongoing support, especially when their courses become more challenging.

Academic Success Is Not Only About Knowledge

What distinguishes successful foundation programs from less successful ones?

The answer is: university readiness isn’t just about subject knowledge. Students also need resilience, study skills, self-regulation, academic confidence and a sense of belonging.

Research on university retention has shown that academic achievement in the first year of university is one of the most powerful indicators of students’ persistence and eventual graduation (Westrick et al., 2020). Success in the first year, however, depends on much more than entrance scores or test results (Westrick et al., 2015).

A strong foundation program should therefore support the entire student, not just the student’s grades.

This includes academic advising, structured feedback, and active teaching- Research on preparatory education such as the work on King Faisal University shows the importance of steady academic support and proactive teaching that guides students to enhance their future work (Elatla, 2025; Saeed & Mohamedali, 2022).

Non-cognitive skill development should also be included. More and more research demonstrates the importance of resilience, mindful engagement, and good study habits as predictors of first-year success (Ayala & Manzano, 2018). Programs that teach students how to study, manage expectations, and get involved in academic life can provide them with tools that last beyond one semester (Jansen & Suhre, 2010).

Foundation Programs Can Build Belonging, As Well

Foundation programs can also help fulfil another important role for international students and under-represented student groups: helping students feel that university is a place where they belong.

It is not a small thing. Students who understand the system, know where to get help, and feel they are part of the academic community are more likely to persist.

Research into preparatory access programs has demonstrated that they can help students overcome academic, psychological and social barriers. They can also influence students’ thinking about higher education, and how confidently they view themselves as succeeding in higher education (Glennie et al., 2015; Knaggs et al., 2015; Testori, 2022).

This is especially important for international students. It’s not just that they are going to college. They might also be adjusting to a new country, new cultural norms, new teaching styles, and new expectations of independent learning.

The Best Foundation Programs Are Individualised

The evidence is clear, foundation programmes can be a powerful tool for widening access and improving student success. They can help students catch up, calibrate and perform on par with direct entry students.

But often a generic refresher course is not enough.

Strongest foundation programs are targeted. They identify where students need to focus and build a structured pathway for them. Institutions are increasingly employing predictive analytics and machine learning to develop more individualised early-preparation programs (Hammoudi Halat et al., 2023; Tanai & Ciftci, 2023).

This kind of customisation is important because not every student struggles with the same things. One student may need English for academic reasons. Another might involve maths. Another may need confidence, a study routine or help with how university systems work.

A successful foundation program understands these differences.

Final Take Away

Foundation programs work, but only if they are more than a short academic warm-up.

The evidence is that the most effective are those that combine strong subject teaching with academic mentoring, study skills, personal support and a clear transition into university life.

In the best cases, foundation programs do what they are supposed to do. They help students to turn potential into performance, and eventually into a degree.