Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF) has announced that the registration deadline for the International Foundation Programme has been extended until the end of this month.

It comes as a result of the recent confirmation by the National Recognition Information Centre (UK NARIC) of the programme's comparability to the GCE Advanced level and Scottish Advanced Higher standard, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

The announcement was made during a workshop at the Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Residence and Spa which provided detailed information about the programme.

"There is a significant population of students in the GCC who would need to take a very expensive, zero-credit foundation year in the UK, but can now do so at BIBF, right here in Bahrain," said BIBF academic programme manager Thomas M Weeks-Barnitt.

"Our programme is much more cost-effective for students wishing to study abroad and allows them to spend one more year with family before continuing their studies."

BIBF is a Universities and Colleges Admissions Service-recognised institution and can counsel and directly assist foundation year students when selecting and applying to a UK university.

Tim Buttress, who is head of the Stakeholder Management Group at UK NARIC, flew in to attend the workshop.

"Of the 42,000 undergraduate programmes available throughout all UK universities, students of BIBF's International Foundation Programme will be eligible for the vast majority.

"The programme will allow students to apply to a variety of undergraduate programmes, including but not limited to business. This means those who want to study law, social science, history and other subjects will have that option" said Buttress. – TradeArabia News Service