Find out what makes Cardiff a great place to live and study.
Find a warm welcome at Cardiff
We'll get you to where you want to be
Cardiff University International Study Centre is your first step to gaining a degree from a world-leading, Russell Group University. When you start one of our specialist pathway programmes, you will develop the academic and English language skills you need for a degree at Cardiff University.
Why choose Cardiff University?
Respected worldwide
Cardiff University is ranked 186th in the World in the QS World University Rankings 2025.
27 Subjects Ranked in the Top 20 in the UK
(Complete University Guide, 2025)
Fantastic career prospects
Top 11 in the UK for Graduate Employability (Global University Employability Ranking, 2022).
This was an opportunity to ease into the course instead of jumping immediately to the engineering course. So, it helped me get a head start and see where my feet are at before jumping into the course immediately. The ISC has been super welcoming, very open to the ideas of us celebrating our own cultures and holiday celebrations. You learn other things, other beliefs, other how people do certain things and it's nice bonding with other people and understanding why they do certain things. So, it's been a great diversity and being around international people.
Awrad from Kuwait
Studied: International Foundation Year in Engineering, Physical Science and Architecture
Progressing to: BEng Architectural Engineering
Undergraduate programmes
Our International Foundation Year, Accelerated International Foundation and International Year One programmes are a route to an undergraduate degree at Cardiff University. Choose from a number of subject routes while improving your English, and prepare to make a confident start to your degree.
Postgraduate pathways
Our Pre-Master's programme helps you get ready for postgraduate study at Cardiff University, with a combination of English language tuition and content from your chosen subject route.
Fees
Find out all you need to know about the fees for our pathway programmes.
Entry requirements
Explore entry requirements for all our programmes, including English language levels and academic grades.
Join our supportive community
At the Cardiff University International Study Centre we will give you a warm welcome and help you to settle in to university life. You will be supported at every step to get where you want to be - studying your degree at Cardiff University.
A fantastic student city
Cardiff is the capital of Wales and the second most affordable university city for rental costs in the UK (NatWest Student Living Index 2023). Recently voted 3rd for Student Life with a top 2 Students' Union in the Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023, it is safe and friendly, with students making up 20% of the population. Friendly and diverse, it has a vibrant culture with international restaurants, great entertainment and a modern waterfront.
On weekends, you can visit beautiful Welsh beaches, mountains and historic castles. London is two hours away by train and Cardiff is well-connected to other UK cities.
Where to find us
Cardiff is the capital city of Wales, one of the four countries that make up the UK. Wales borders England on its east coast. It has its own proud identity, forged around music, myths, and rugby.