Before you apply

Before you apply for an online postgraduate degree, you should check that you meet our entry requirements and you should have all your supporting documents ready.

Follow these steps to make sure you have everything you need before you submit your application.

Programme choice

Think carefully about your particular goals and which type of degree will best help you achieve them.

Is this the right programme for you?

Think about what you can bring to the programme, what you want from it, and potentially what impact you feel it will have on your future career.

Choosing a postgraduate degree

Do you meet the entry requirements?

To study at postgraduate level, you will need to meet the academic and English language entry requirements for your chosen programme. You can find the entry requirements in our degree finder.

Degree finder

Can you devote enough of your time to studying?

A full masters programme delivered online normally takes about three years but some programmes offer the opportunity to study over a shorter or longer period, up to six years. 

Online degrees require you to dedicate between 10-15 hours of research, writing and participation each week.

Technical requirements

Online students must have regular and reliable access to a computer and the internet, and a fully up to date web browser. 

When to apply

We strongly recommend that you apply as early as possible so that we have enough time to process your application. As a general guide we encourage you to apply at least one month prior to entry, or one month prior to the application deadline should your programme have one.

If you are applying for financial support or a loan you will need to be aware of the relevant funding deadlines. You may need to have an offer in place from the University before you can be considered for some sources of funding, but you don't need to wait for examination results or the outcome of scholarship applications before you apply for your programme of study.

Before you apply, you should make sure you have the correct supporting documents ready to submit with your application. You may need to upload some or all of the following:

• a personal statement outlining your academic history and experience
• copies of your degree certificates, if you have already completed your qualification, along with academic transcripts that confirm your final marks
• references, if these are required for the application to your chosen programme
• evidence of your competence in written and spoken English, if English is not your first language
• certified translations, if your original documents are not in English

To make sure your application is processed in the fastest possible time, you should upload your supporting documents to your application before you submit it. We can't make a decision on your application until we have received all your relevant documents.

Find out more about the different types of supporting documents we ask for:

Contacting us

If you wish to discuss your proposed programme and any special conditions that may apply to your studies, please use the degree finder to find the contact details for your chosen programme

Degree finder