Masters in Psychology in UK: Universities, Admission Requirements and Job Outcomes

Highlights:

• Top Universities: University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University College London are among the top universities for Masters in Psychology in UK.
• Admission Requirements: Bachelor degree with minimum 55-60% marks is required for Psychology masters programs in UK.
• Intakes: January and September are the two main intakes for postgraduate admissions in UK. Aim for the January intake as it is the main and the largest intake.
• Career: You can get jobs as Psychologist, Counselor, Corporate Management Consultant or other positions upon degree completion. The average annual salary for these position comes around at 29,000 GBP. 

Psychology is one of the popular courses to study in UK. Around 140 universities in UK are offering more than 1,400 psychology courses in UK. In terms of salary expectations, a psychologist in the UK earns 37 lakhs/year. Almost all UK psychology programs are accredited by BPS (British Psychological Society) and have international value as well. Now, what is a perfect psychology degree to study? A masters in psychology in UK can be the answer. It is a 1-2 years postgraduate program designed to provide students with advanced knowledge and skills in psychology. If you already have a bachelor degree from an reputed Indian university, you can apply too as the Indian degrees are valid and accepted in UK. The eligibility criteria for an MA psychology UK are as follows

• Bachelor’s honors degree in a relevant steam from a recognized university
• An overall aggregate of 3 out of 4 GPA / 8 out of 10 CGPA / Grade C or 55-60% aggregate
• Relevant prior experience
• Official or certified copies of transcripts
• At least 2 academic and 1 professional Letter of Reference (LOR)
• A 500-word Statement of Purpose for UK
• An updated Resume or Curriculum Vitae
• Minimum scores for English Proficiency:-
  • IELTS: 6.5 to 7.5 overall score
  • TOEFL iBT: 88 to 110 overall score
• Valid Passport
• UK Student Visa

The tuition fee in some of the best universities in UK for Masters in Psychology ranges from 16,000 to 38,000 GBP per year. This equates to approximately 16 to 39 Lakhs INR for Indian candidates. If you have studied a course in another stream at undergraduate level, an intensive psychology conversion course can bring you up to speed in just one-year. University of Surrey, University of Nottingham offer psychology conversion courses in UK. Two universities with maximum number of Indian students are University College London and University of Warwick with 900 and 741 Indian students respectively. 

Best Universities for UK Psychology Masters Programs

In QS rankings by subject 2024, 47 UK universities are featured as the top for masters in psychology United Kingdom. Some of the top universities offering Masters in Psychology in UK are given with corresponding application deadlines as follows:-

Why Study Masters in Psychology in UK

Masters in Psychology in UK is offered by several globally ranked and highly accredited universities such as University of Edinburgh, University of Oxford, etc. Some of the major reasons to pursue a Master in Psychology in UK are:-

• Close to 20 universities offering Masters in Psychology in UK rank among the top 100 psychology universities of the world, as per the QS World Subject Rankings 2025.
• Masters in Psychology in UK graduates are highly in demand all over the world. In addition to creating more chances for teaching and research, there is a growing need for professionals to fill vacancies in caring for individuals with psychological issues and working with children.
• Graduates of Masters in Psychology in UK can earn an average annual salary ranging from GBP 23,800 to GBP 38,000 (INR 23.6 Lakhs to INR 37.6 Lakhs).
• Masters in Psychology in UK comes with an employment rate of over 56%.
• Offered by one of the most popular study abroad destinations, Masters in Psychology in UK corresponds to high-quality education, excellent placement options, and numerous funding options.

Masters in Psychology in UK Subjects and Specializations

Masters in Psychology in UK is available in three different degrees - MSc, MScR, and MRes. Some of the popular specializations in Masters in Psychology in UK are listed as follows:-

• MScR Psychology
• MSc in Psychological Research
• MSc in Psychology of Education
• MSc in Health Psychology
• MSc in Developmental Psychology and Clinical Practice
• MSc Developmental Psychology and Psychopathology
• MSc in Clinical and Health Psychology
• Masters in Counseling Psychology in UK
• Masters in Clinical Psychology UK

Admission Requirements for Psychology Masters Programs in UK

The application sessions for Masters in Psychology in UK commence twice or, sometimes, thrice a year, depending on the university. Therefore, candidates are advised to keep an eye on the application deadlines. It must be noted some universities in UK accept applications through their official website while others use UCAS online portal for admissions. All the applicants must have graduated in Psychology or a relevant stream from a recognized or reputed university. The university-specific degree requirements and language proficiency requirements for Masters in Psychology in UK for international students are given in the table as follows:

Cost to Study Masters in Psychology in UK for International Students

The United Kingdom is included among the costliest destinations for international studies. The annual tuition fees for a Master in Psychology in UK range from GBP 20,100 to GBP 35,000 for full-time programs, equivalent to INR 19.9 Lakhs to INR 34.7 Lakhs. The university-wise tuition fee distribution is given as follows:-

Masters in Psychology UK Fees

A graphical representation of the tuition fees at the top universities for masters in clinical psychology UK are given below. 

Note: 1 GBP= 105.87 as of June 15, 2024

Cost of Living in UK

Students have to deal with high annual tuition fees along with a high cost of living. London is considered the costliest part of the United Kingdom. Moreover, the cost of living in UK is roughly 185% higher than that of India. The estimated monthly expenditure and cost of living in UK for an international student is around 13,000 GBP (1.41 lakhs INR). The following graphical prsentation suggests the regular expenses a student makes while residing in UK:

Note: 1 GBP= 105.87 as of June 15, 2024

Scholarships for MSc Psychology in UK Universities

Being one of the costliest study abroad destinations, UK also provides a number of ways to fund your education. Following are some of the popular scholarships for international students in UK to help you bear the cost structure of studying in UK:

Note: 1 GBP= 105.87 as of June 15, 2024

Masters in Psychology in UK Salary

After completing Masters in Psychology in UK, candidates can earn an annual graduate salary ranging from 23,000 to 38,000 GBP which is equivalent to 24 to 39 lakhs INR per annum. You can search for your suitable job in the job portals like LinkedIn, Naukri, Reed and others. Hospitals, Community Health Centers, Ardmore, Mintel International Group hire students with a MSc psychology in UK degree. Some of the popular jobs in UK after pursuing a psychology masters programs UK are as follows:

Note: 1 GBP= 105.87 as of June 15, 2024

ROI After Masters in Psychology England

As we already discussed about the benefits of a psychology program, let’s check out the ROI that a student can get after masters degree psychology UK. Below we have added a graph for the same. 

Masters in Psychology in UK is a highly suitable program for candidates who wish to make a name in the psychology industry. Furthermore, an economically developed region like UK incorporates numerous opportunities for individuals in terms of upskilling, earning, and investing.

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