Masters in UK 2026: Top Universities, Fees, and Requirements
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Jasmine Grover

Study Abroad Expert | Updated 3+ months ago

The UK remains one of the most preferred destinations for Indian students pursuing a Master’s degree. Top Master universities in UK consistently rank among the top globally. In the QS World University Rankings 2026, Imperial College London is #2 worldwide, the University of Oxford is #3, and the University of Cambridge is #5. 

A UK Master’s degree typically takes 12 months, offering Indian students a 40–50% cost and time advantage compared to countries like the US, Australia, or Germany. Once the degree is completed, the Graduate Route allows students to work in the UK for 2 years (3 years for PhD graduates).

UK Master's programs require a relevant Bachelor's degree (3 years in England/Wales/Northern Ireland; 4 years in Scotland or for integrated honors). Eligibility requirement for international students for Masters in UK includes a minimum 2:2 honors (or equivalent GPA ~3.0/4.0) and English proficiency (IELTS 6.5+).

Popular Master's for internationals include MSc/MS in Computer Science (e.g., at Imperial/Edinburgh, focusing on AI/ML), MS in Engineering (e.g., mechanical/electrical at Cambridge/UCL), and MSc programs in data science, finance, or marketing. The Graduate Route permits international graduates to stay and work in the UK for two years post-degree completion, further enhancing career prospects.


Why Study Masters in UK?

  • 1-year duration – provides a career boost in less time
  • Recognized globally across industry and academia
  • Strong post-study work visa (via Graduate Route)
  • Highly ranked UK public universities with strong placements
  • Industry-led curriculum in tech, business, engineering & healthcare
  • 3-year Indian Bachelor’s degrees accepted by most UK universities

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Top Masters Degrees in UK for Indian Students

Indian students prefer programs that offer high ROI, strong employability, and clear pathways to jobs in technology, business, engineering, and law. Popular degrees include:

Degree Focus Areas (Popular for Indians) Top Universities Tuition Fees (per year) Median Starting Salary (GBP/INR)
MSc in UK (Master of Science) Computer Science, Data Science/AI, Engineering Management, Finance & Accounting Imperial College London, University of Oxford, UCL, University of Edinburgh, University of Manchester £20,000–£40,000 (INR 23.6L–47.2L) £35,000 / INR 41.3L (e.g., Data Scientist: £45,000+)
MBA in UK (Master of Business Administration) Global Business, Finance, Marketing, International Management London Business School, University of Oxford Saïd, Cambridge Judge, Warwick Business School, Alliance Manchester £40,000–£100,000 (INR 47.2L–118L) £50,000 / INR 59L (e.g., Consultant: £70,000+)
MA in UK (Master of Arts) International Relations, Media/Communications, Economics, Public Policy University of Oxford, LSE, King's College London, University of Edinburgh £18,000–£35,000 (INR 21.2L–41.3L) £32,000 / INR 37.8L (e.g., Policy Analyst: £40,000+)
LLM in UK (Master of Laws) International Law, Corporate/Commercial Law, Human Rights UCL, King's College London, University of Oxford, LSE, Queen Mary University of London £20,000–£45,000 (INR 23.6L–53.1L) £38,000 / INR 44.8L (e.g., Legal Advisor: £50,000+)
MEng in UK (Master of Engineering) Civil/Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace, Sustainable Energy Imperial College London, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, University of Southampton, University of Bristol £25,000–£42,000 (INR 29.5L–49.6L) £33,000 / INR 39L (e.g., Engineer: £40,000+)

Top MSc Programs in UK

QS 2026 Rank University Name Course Name Course Fee for Indian Students Application Deadline Notes
2 Imperial College London MSc Computing £43,800 / INR 51.7 Lakhs June 30, 2026  AI/ML focus, high salaries; 95% employment in tech
3 University of Oxford MSc Advanced Computer Science £43,730 / INR 51.6 Lakhs Jan 8, 2026  Research-heavy; ideal for PhD pathways; strong alumni in finance/tech
9 UCL (University College London) MSc Computer Science £39,800 / INR 47.0 Lakhs Mar 27, 2026 Accepts non-CS background
27 University of Edinburgh MSc Data Science £40,900 / INR 48.3 Lakhs Mar 31, 2026 AI + Data specialization
34 University of Manchester MSc Advanced Computer Science £39,400 / INR 46.5 Lakhs May 22, 2026 Cybersecurity pathways

Notes: Fees exclude £12,000–£15,000 living costs/year.

Top MBA Programs in the UK for Indian Students

QS Global MBA Rankings 2026 highlight these 15–21-month programs for leadership roles. Indian students (35% of cohorts) benefit from strong finance/consulting networks.

QS 2026 Rank University Name Course Name Course Fee (International, GBP/INR) Application Deadline Notes
5 London Business School MBA £123,950 / INR 146.3 Lakhs Rolling Avg post-MBA salary £120k
19 University of Oxford Saïd MBA £88,800 / INR 104.9 Lakhs Mar 16, 2026 (Stage 5) 1-year intensive MBA
7 University of Cambridge Judge MBA  £80,000 / INR 94.4 Lakhs May 5, 2026 (Round 5) Strong for finance & tech
17 Warwick Business School MBA £59,500 / INR 70.2 Lakhs May 31, 2026 (international final) ROI-focused for Indians.
91 Alliance Manchester Business School MBA £50,000 / INR 59.0 akhsL May 3, 2026 (Round 6) Strong scholarships

Notes: GMAT/GRE often waived with 3+ years of experience. Indian-friendly: 20–30% cohorts from India.

Top MA Programs in the UK for Indian Students

These 1-year MAs in International Relations/Economics suit civil services aspirants or policy roles. 

QS 2026 Rank University Course Name Fee (GBP) Deadline (2026 Notes
40 King’s College London MA International Relations £33,258 Rolling (Jul) Very popular
135 Queen Mary University MA International Relations & Global Politics £24,000 Rolling Affordable London option
711–720 SOAS University of London MA South Asian Area Studies / MA Pacific Asian Studies £25,320–£26,660 Jun/Jul 2026 Extremely popular with Indian students
34 University of Manchester MA International Relations £28,500 Rolling True MA
54 University of Warwick MA International Politics & Europe £28,190 Aug 2026 True MA

Top LLM Programs in the UK for Indian Students

QS Law 2026 ranks these 1-year LLMs for corporate/international law. The Bar Council of India recognizes them for practice.

QS 2026 Rank University Name Course Name Course Fee (International, GBP/INR) Application Deadline (Upcoming for Dec 2025) Notes
9 UCL (University College London) LLM (General/International Law) £33,000 / INR 39.0L Mar 27, 2026 (rolling) Flexible specializations; London internships.
40 King's College London LLM  £38,300 / INR 45.2L Jul 25, 2026 90% employment in firms like Magic Circle.
3 University of Oxford MSc Law and Finance £46,850 / INR 55.3L Jan 8, 2026 2:1 required
50 LSE (London School of Economics) LLM (International Business Law) £31,000 / INR 36.6L Rolling (Dec 2025 priority) 96% grads in top firms; GMAT optional.
135 Queen Mary University of London LLM (International Commercial Law) £29,950 / INR 35.3L Sep 1, 2026 (rolling) Strong for Indian corporates; scholarships £5k+.

Top MEng Programs in the UK for Indian Students

4-year integrated MEngs (BEng + Master's) in engineering.

QS 2026 Rank University Name Course Name Course Fee (International, GBP/INR per year) Application Deadline  Notes
2 Imperial College London MEng Computing £40,940 / INR 48.3L Oct 15, 2025 (UCAS) AI/software focus
5 University of Cambridge MEng Engineering £39,162 / INR 46.2L Oct 15, 2025 (UCAS) Broad engineering
3 University of Oxford MEng Engineering Science £52,140 / INR 61.5L (Years 1-3); £59,260 (Year 4) Oct 15, 2025 (UCAS) Research opportunities
80 University of Southampton MEng Mechanical Engineering £30,000 / INR 35.4L Jan 14, 2026 (UCAS equal consideration) Scholarships £3k.
54 University of Bristol MEng Civil Engineering £31,300 / INR 37.0L Jan 14, 2026 (UCAS) Industry year option.

Admission Process for Masters in UK

The eligibility criteria for pursuing Master in UK include -

  • Academic Degree: Completion of a relevant 3-4 year Bachelor's (or equivalent) from a recognized institution.
    • "Relevant" means subject alignment (e.g., business undergrad for MBA); conversion programs accept broader backgrounds.
  • GPA: Minimum equivalent to UK 2:2 honors (50-59%, or ~2.7-3.0/4.0 GPA) for entry-level programs, but most require 2:1 (60-69%, or 3.3-3.7/4.0 GPA in Indian systems). 
  • English Proficiency: IELTS 6.5-7.0 overall (no sub-score <6.0); TOEFL iBT 88-110. 
  • Standardized Tests: Required/optional for ~20-30% of programs, mainly business/finance (e.g., MBA at LBS). 
Requirement Entry-Level Programs Top Universities Notes
Academic Eligibility 3–4 year Bachelor’s 2:1 equivalent 3-year Indian degrees accepted
GPA 50–60% (UK 2:2 equivalent) 60–70% (UK 2:1 equivalent) Oxford/Cambridge require higher
IELTS 6.0 6.5–7.0 Waivers available if Class 12 in English
TOEFL iBT 80 88–110 Home Edition is widely accepted
GRE/GMAT Mostly optional Required for some finance/MBA. GMAT: 600+ (55th percentile); GRE Quant: 160+ (Verbal: 150+) LBS MBA: 600-650; Imperial Finance: GMAT 600/GRE Quant 159. Averages higher (GMAT 680+). Waivers for strong experience.

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Cost of Studying Masters in UK

Pursuing a Master's degree in the UK (e.g., MA, MSc, MBA, LLM, MEng) for international students involves tuition fees that vary by university, program, and field, plus living expenses that differ significantly by city.

Average Tuition Fees at Top Masters UK Universities

Fees are for full-time, 1-year taught programs (ranges reflect subject-specific variations, e.g., STEM > humanities). 

University Average Tuition Fee (GBP) Tuition Fee (INR)
University of Oxford £29,350–£59,360 INR 35.1L–70.9L
University of Cambridge £24,789–£69,000 INR 29.6L–82.4L
Imperial College London £40,900–£47,000 INR 48.9L–56.2L
University College London (UCL) £31,100–£47,100 INR 37.2L–56.3L
University of Edinburgh £29,000–£40,900 INR 34.7L–48.9L
University of Manchester £20,000–£50,000 INR 23.9L–59.8L
King’s College London £20,000–£38,300 INR 23.9L–45.8L
London School of Economics (LSE) £27,500–£48,500 INR 32.9L–58.0L
University of Bristol £24,000–£31,300 INR 28.7L–37.4L
University of Warwick £27,000–£44,950 INR 32.3L–53.7L
University of Leeds £24,130–£32,510 INR 28.8L–38.8L
University of Nottingham £20,500–£36,400 INR 24.5L–43.5L
University of Sheffield £18,900–£32,905 INR 22.6L–39.3L
Lancaster University £20,700–£27,200 INR 24.7L–32.5L
Queen Mary University of London £20,000–£29,950 INR 23.9L–35.8L

Notes: Excludes £1,000-£3,000 deposits; lab-based/clinical programs +10-20%. 

Average Tuition Fees by Subject 

Subject Average Tuition Fee (GBP) Average Tuition Fee (INR) Notes
Science £12,000–£30,000 INR 14.3L–35.9L E.g., MSc Physics; lower at mid-tier unis.
Technology £15,000–£35,000 INR 17.9L–41.8L E.g., MSc Data Science/AI.
Engineering £18,000–£42,000 INR 21.5L–50.2L Includes lab fees; Imperial/Oxford highest.
Mathematics £14,000–£28,000 INR 16.7L–33.5L E.g., MSc Statistics.
Clinical/Health £18,000–£38,000 INR 21.5L–45.4L E.g., MSc Public Health/Nursing.
Business £18,000–£50,000 INR 21.5L–59.8L MBAs up to £100,000 (e.g., LBS).

Check: Top Courses in UK for Indian Students

Cost of Living by Top Student Cities

Living costs for international students (excluding tuition) vary by city—London is ~50% higher due to rent/transport. UKVI requires proof of £1,334/month (London) or £1,136/month (outside) for 9 months. 

City (Key Universities) Monthly Cost (GBP) Annual Cost (GBP/INR) Breakdown (GBP/Month) Notes/Source
London (UCL, Imperial, KCL, LSE) £1,500–£2,200 £18,000–£26,400 (INR 21.5L–31.6L) Rent: £800–£1,200; Food: £250–£350; Transport: £100–£150; Utilities: £100–£150; Misc: £250–£350 Highest rent; use Oyster card discounts. UKVI: £1,334 min.
Oxford (University of Oxford) £1,400–£1,900 £16,800–£22,800 (INR 20.1L–27.2L) Rent: £700–£1,000; Food: £200–£300; Transport: £50–£100; Utilities: £100–£150; Misc: £200–£300 Historic city premium; cycle-friendly.
Cambridge (University of Cambridge) £1,300–£1,800 £15,600–£21,600 (INR 18.6L–25.8L) Rent: £650–£950; Food: £200–£300; Transport: £50–£100; Utilities: £100–£150; Misc: £200–£300 Similar to Oxford, lower transport.
Manchester (University of Manchester) £1,000–£1,400 £12,000–£16,800 (INR 14.3L–20.1L) Rent: £500–£800; Food: £200–£250; Transport: £50–£80; Utilities: £80–£120; Misc: £150–£200 Affordable North; student discounts. UKVI: £1,136 min.
Edinburgh (University of Edinburgh) £1,100–£1,500 £13,200–£18,000 (INR 15.8L–21.5L) Rent: £550–£850; Food: £200–£300; Transport: £40–£70 (free bus under 22); Utilities: £80–£120; Misc: £150–£250 Festivals add costs; scenic but hilly.
Bristol (University of Bristol) £1,100–£1,500 £13,200–£18,000 (INR 15.8L–21.5L) Rent: £550–£850; Food: £200–£250; Transport: £60–£100; Utilities: £80–£120; Misc: £150–£200 Vibrant but rising rents.
Leeds (University of Leeds) £900–£1,200 £10,800–£14,400 (INR 12.9L–17.2L) Rent: £450–£700; Food: £150–£250; Transport: £40–£70; Utilities: £70–£100; Misc: £100–£200 Budget-friendly North; good value.
Sheffield (University of Sheffield) £800–£1,100 £9,600–£13,200 (INR 11.5L–15.8L) Rent: £400–£650; Food: £150–£200; Transport: £30–£60; Utilities: £70–£100; Misc: £100–£150 Cheapest major city; green spaces.

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Scholarships for Masters in the UK

The scholarships that Indian students can explore to pursue Master programs in UK are given below: 

Scholarship Name Provider/University Value/Coverage Eligibility (Key Criteria) Deadline (for 2026 Entry)
Chevening Scholarships UK Government (FCDO) Fully funded: Tuition, living (£1,200+/month), flights, visa Leadership potential; 2+ years work exp.; any 1-year Master's; all nationalities Nov 5, 2025 (applications closed; results July 2026)
GREAT Scholarships British Council/UK Gov (18 countries) £10,000 towards tuition (1-year Master's) Citizens of 18 countries (incl. India); any subject at participating unis Varies by uni (Jan-May 2026)
Commonwealth Scholarships Commonwealth Scholarship Commission Fully funded: Tuition, living (£1,347/month), flights, thesis From developing Commonwealth (incl. India); development impact; Master's/PhD Oct 2025 (nomination Dec 2025)
Clarendon Fund University of Oxford Fully funded: Tuition + £18,180 living stipend All nationalities; academic excellence; any Master's Jan 2026 (course deadline)
UCL Global Master's Scholarship University College London (UCL) £15,000 (tuition reduction) Financial need (household <£42,875); any full-time Master's; overseas fee status May 7, 2026
Think Big Postgraduate University of Bristol £6,500-£26,000 (tuition waiver) Overseas fees; academic merit; any Master's May 2026 (rolling)
Global Masters Scholarship University of Birmingham £10,000 (tuition) Any nationality; merit-based; any 1-year Master's May 2026

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Below is the complete list of top universities in the UK offering Master's programs, updated with 2026 fees, IELTS requirements, rankings & acceptance rates.

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Found 171 universities

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RankingCollege InfoTop CoursesFees & Cost of Living
#2/1401 QS Ranking 2026(Overall)

Imperial College London, London

6.7(Based on 27 User Reviews)England, UK15%Acceptance Rate
MSc Statistics Data Science
Course duration:
1 year
Exams Accepted:
Duolingo125TOEFL5.0PTE69
View 115 Other Programs
Tuition:  
(£42,756/Yr)$56.9K/Yr
Living
(£3,686/Yr)$4.9K/Yr
Check Admission Requirements
#4/1401 QS Ranking 2026(Overall)

University of Oxford, Oxford

8.7(Based on 11 User Reviews)England, UK
MBA
Course duration:
1 year
Exams Accepted:
TOEFL110
View 41 Other Programs
Tuition:  
(£43,503/Yr)$57.9K/Yr
Living
(£13,680/Yr)$18.2K/Yr
Check Admission Requirements
#6/1401 QS Ranking 2026(Overall)

University of Cambridge, Cambridge

7.7(Based on 7 User Reviews)England, UK21%Acceptance Rate
MBA
Course duration:
1 year
Exams Accepted:
TOEFL100
View 100 Other Programs
Tuition:  
(£42,473/Yr)$56.5K/Yr
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#9/1401 QS Ranking 2026(Overall)

University College London, London

8.3(Based on 13 User Reviews)England, UK25%Acceptance Rate
MArch
Course duration:
2 years
Exams Accepted:
TOEFL4.5PTE76
View 184 Other Programs
Tuition:  
(£37,449/Yr)$49.8K/Yr
Living
(£20,058/Yr)$26.7K/Yr
Check Admission Requirements
#31/1401 QS Ranking 2026(Overall)

King's College London, London

8.3(Based on 26 User Reviews)England, UK13%Acceptance Rate
LLM
Course duration:
1 year
Exams Accepted:
IELTS7.0PTE69
View 85 Other Programs
Tuition:  
(£35,528/Yr)$47.3K/Yr
Living
(£15,636/Yr)$20.8K/Yr
Check Admission Requirements
#34/1401 QS Ranking 2026(Overall)

University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh

9.0(Based on 30 User Reviews)Scotland, UK11%Acceptance Rate
MBA
Course duration:
1 year
Exams Accepted:
IELTS7PTE73
View 72 Other Programs
Tuition:  
(£40,800/Yr)$54.3K/Yr
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#35/1401 QS Ranking 2026(Overall)

The University of Manchester, Manchester

8.7(Based on 38 User Reviews)England, UK51%Acceptance Rate
MBA
Course duration:
18 months
Exams Accepted:
IELTS6.5PTE59
View 116 Other Programs
Tuition:  
(£33,427/Yr)$44.5K/Yr
Living
(£8,580/Yr)$11.4K/Yr
Check Admission Requirements
#51/1401 QS Ranking 2026(Overall)

University of Bristol, Bristol

9.3(Based on 17 User Reviews)England, UK12%Acceptance Rate
MSc Data Science
Course duration:
1 year
Exams Accepted:
IELTS6.5PTE67
View 111 Other Programs
Tuition:  
(£33,219/Yr)$44.2K/Yr
Living
(£9,720/Yr)$12.9K/Yr
Check Admission Requirements
#56/1401 QS Ranking 2026(Overall)

London School of Economics and Political Science, London

8.0(Based on 4 User Reviews)England, UK9%Acceptance Rate
LLM
Course duration:
1 year
Exams Accepted:
IELTS7.0PTE70
View 59 Other Programs
Tuition:  
(£32,230/Yr)$42.9K/Yr
Living
(£13,416/Yr)$17.8K/Yr
Check Admission Requirements
#74/1401 QS Ranking 2026(Overall)

University of Warwick, Coventry

8.0(Based on 58 User Reviews)England, UK14%Acceptance Rate
MSc Data Analytics
Course duration:
1 year
Exams Accepted:
Duolingo120IELTS6.5PTE62
View 94 Other Programs
Tuition:  
(£31,820/Yr)$42.3K/Yr
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#76/1401 QS Ranking 2026(Overall)

University of Birmingham, Birmingham

7.7(Based on 28 User Reviews)England, UK13%Acceptance Rate
LLM
Course duration:
1 year
Exams Accepted:
TOEFL88PTE67
View 143 Other Programs
Tuition:  
(£28,379/Yr)$37.7K/Yr
Living
(£8,694/Yr)$11.6K/Yr
Check Admission Requirements
#79/1401 QS Ranking 2026(Overall)

University of Glasgow, Glasgow

9.3(Based on 42 User Reviews)Scotland, UK28%Acceptance Rate
MBA
Course duration:
1 year
Exams Accepted:
IELTS6.5PTE59
View 75 Other Programs
Tuition:  
(£30,702/Yr)$40.8K/Yr
Living
(£9,623/Yr)$12.8K/Yr
Check Admission Requirements
#86/1401 QS Ranking 2026(Overall)

University of Leeds, Leeds

8.7(Based on 56 User Reviews)England, UK56.67%Acceptance Rate
MBA
Course duration:
1 year
Exams Accepted:
GMAT600IELTS6.5PTE64
View 163 Other Programs
Tuition:  
(£33,758/Yr)$44.9K/Yr
Living
(£2,832/Yr)$3.8K/Yr
Check Admission Requirements
#87/1401 QS Ranking 2026(Overall)

University of Southampton, Southampton

9.0(Based on 16 User Reviews)England, UK77%Acceptance Rate
MBA
Course duration:
1 year
Exams Accepted:
Duolingo120IELTS6.5PTE68
View 36 Other Programs
Tuition:  
(£34,881/Yr)$46.4K/Yr
Check Admission Requirements
#92/1401 QS Ranking 2026(Overall)

University of Sheffield, Sheffield

9.7(Based on 27 User Reviews)England, UK85%Acceptance Rate
MBA
Course duration:
1 year
Exams Accepted:
IELTS6.5PTE61
View 54 Other Programs
Tuition:  
(£29,988/Yr)$39.9K/Yr
Living
(£8,012/Yr)$10.7K/Yr
Check Admission Requirements
#94/1401 QS Ranking 2026(Overall)

Durham University, Durham

9.3(Based on 6 User Reviews)England, UK83%Acceptance Rate
MBA
Course duration:
1 year
Exams Accepted:
IELTS7PTE68
View 64 Other Programs
Tuition:  
(£29,889/Yr)$39.8K/Yr
Living
(£11,436/Yr)$15.2K/Yr
Check Admission Requirements
#97/1401 QS Ranking 2026(Overall)

University of Nottingham, Nottingham

9.7(Based on 26 User Reviews)England, UK11%Acceptance Rate
MBA
Course duration:
1 year
Exams Accepted:
IELTS7.0PTE76
View 124 Other Programs
Tuition:  
(£33,388/Yr)$44.4K/Yr
Living
(£8,533/Yr)$11.3K/Yr
Check Admission Requirements
#110/1401 QS Ranking 2026(Overall)

Queen Mary, University of London, London

7.3(Based on 25 User Reviews)England, UK44%Acceptance Rate
MSc Artificial Intelligence
Course duration:
1 year
Exams Accepted:
TOEFL92PTE71
View 158 Other Programs
Tuition:  
(£33,244/Yr)$44.2K/Yr
Living
(£6,571/Yr)$8.7K/Yr
Check Admission Requirements
#113/1401 QS Ranking 2026(Overall)

University of St Andrews, St Andrews

10.0(Based on 5 User Reviews)Scotland, UK
M.Sc Computer Science
Course duration:
1 year
Exams Accepted:
IELTS6.5PTE70
View 112 Other Programs
Tuition:  
(£26,001/Yr)$34.6K/Yr
Living
(£14,590/Yr)$19.4K/Yr
Check Admission Requirements
#132/1401 QS Ranking 2026(Overall)

University of Bath, Bath

9.0(Based on 17 User Reviews)England, UK20%Acceptance Rate
MBA
Course duration:
1 year
Exams Accepted:
Duolingo130IELTS7PTE69
View 87 Other Programs
Tuition:  
(£27,905/Yr)$37.1K/Yr
Living
(£11,781/Yr)$15.7K/Yr
Check Admission Requirements