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Destination guide
United Kingdom
One-year masters, world-famous universities, and a fast route to global careers.
The UK offers intensive, shorter programmes — most masters finish in 12 months. The Graduate Route lets you stay 2 years after graduation (3 for PhDs) without a sponsor.
Tuition
GBP 18,000 – 45,000 / year
Living cost
GBP 12,000 – 16,000 / year (London higher)
Intakes
September primary · January limited
Top universities
- • Oxford
- • Cambridge
- • Imperial College London
- • UCL
- • LSE
- • Edinburgh
Popular programmes
- • MSc Finance
- • MSc Data Science
- • LLM
- • MA International Relations
- • MBA
Student Visa (formerly Tier 4)
Application fee
GBP 524 + IHS GBP 776/year
Processing time
3 weeks (priority 5 days)
Work rights
20 hrs/week term, full-time vacations
Post-study
Graduate Route — 2 years (3 for PhD)
Application timeline
- 1Apply via UCAS (undergrad) or direct (postgrad)
- 2Receive offer → meet conditions → get CAS letter
- 3Take IELTS/UKVI if your university requires it
- 4Apply online for Student visa, pay IHS
- 5Submit biometrics at a VFS centre
- 6Collect BRP within 10 days of arrival
Insider tips
- Russell Group ≠ always best — check subject-specific rankings (QS, REF).
- Chevening, Commonwealth and GREAT scholarships are huge — apply early.
- London cost-of-living is ~40% higher; consider Manchester/Edinburgh/Bristol.
- Open a UK bank account (Monzo/Starling) before arrival — saves weeks.
Tests accepted
IELTSTOEFLPTE AcademicGRE (some)GMAT (business)