Applications for Taught Postgraduate courses

Most taught courses start in September but some institutions may also have a January start date.  It is wise to plan ahead and start the application process early on in the year ahead as some institutions may have a closing date in the early summer.

You can apply up to a year ahead for a degree and may be given a conditional offer based on your application, your expected results and your references and any English Language requirements that you have to obtain.

Just when you receive an offer will vary considerably depending upon the department, or individual Admissions Tutor, some may wait until they have received most of the information regarding your application, whereas others may wish to make a conditional offer based on you meeting each individual condition.

There is no guarantee that you will be given the place unless you meet each and all of the conditions set out by the university. January to May is a very busy time for applications and it may take longer to obtain a response from the university so, if you like to plan ahead, the earlier you apply the better.

Watch out for specific conditions set out in your offer letters: the university may require you to achieve a certain result in your first degree, plus obtain a minimum score in your English Language test and they may also require l references on university headed paper and an original transcript. It is important to check the exact requirements the university sets out in the offer letter as non compliance may mean that your unconditional offer and visa is delayed.