If you are thinking of applying for your graduate degree in the UK, you may be surprised to know that master’s degrees are 12 months in length, PhD’s are 3 year’s in length, and neither require the GRE’s for admission! The UK application process tends to be very straightforward and easy to understand compared to most undergraduate application processes (remember those?). In this article, we have listed what you need to know when applying to graduate degrees in the UK.
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How to Apply
For most courses, you will make your application directly to the University you wish to study at. To check, we recommend reading the university’s “Apply Now” page to see which application method they prefer students to use. They may direct you to UCAS, since they now offer graduate applications, or the university will direct you to their direct online application.
Deadlines
Universities may have deadlines for their MBA, Business, and Medical degrees but most UK graduate degrees do not have deadlines. It is common for universities to set their own internal deadlines and processes, so it’s recommended to check each course before applying.
Applications typically open each September/October for courses starting in the next academic year. Each university and college will make their decisions at different times, meaning you might hear back from them at different times.
Tip: Even though most postgraduate degrees in the UK offer rolling admissions, it’s important to remember that once a student has an offer, it may takes a few months to gather your financial evidence and begin your visa application. The sooner you apply, the better you can prepare for the journey!
Admissions Tests
As mentioned earlier, the GRE’s are not required to apply to UK universities. If you are applying for professional degrees or an MBA, you may need to take additional tests such as the MCAT or GMAT. If it is a research degree, you may also need to submit a research proposal. Make sure to double check their entry requirements if they require any additional documents or tests.
Application Documents
The following is a standard list of what the university requires from US students to apply to UK graduate degrees:
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Official University Transcript
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Personal Statement/Essay (learn how to write a UK graduate essay)
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2 Recommendations Letters – you should have at least one reference written by an academic who has taught a subject related to the degree you are applying to. If the academic hasn’t studied the subject you are applying to, make sure there’s a valid reason why they would be writing your reference. If you have been out of school for over two years, two work references should suffice, however, we recommend checking with the university just in case.
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Copy of your passport (optional)
University Search
If you are looking at university options, check out our UK graduate university search engine by inputting your GPA and subject interest. You may be surprised which universities you are matched with!
If you are ever confused and wish to speak to a UK university representative who assists with US students, you can contact a representative directly on our university webpages. Click the “contact university” on the red button on the university page and your message will be sent directly to them.
If you want to ensure that you are making the right decision in the application process, our advisors can support you throughout the process and help you get into your dream UK university!
