How to Apply - Postgraduate

Postgraduate Admissions Procedure

This section is designed to explain the application process, and to give immediate access to all our application materials in electronic format. You will find guidance on when to apply, completing and submitting your application form, English Language Requirements, and the decision process.

A note about start dates:

With some exceptions, most postgraduate programmes at Cardiff University start in October each year, with enrolment in late September. However, some taught courses do have different intakes, and research degrees are more flexible; the University allows research programmes to start on one of the following dates: October 1st, January 1st, April 1st, July 1st (subject to the approval of the academic school concerned).

Please contact your chosen academic school for more information.

Applications

For the majority of postgraduate programmes it is possible for applicants to apply at any time in the year; therefore the actual time scale will vary depending on the date of your application, but the sequence of events will be the same. Generally there are no closing dates for postgraduate applications; the course simply stops accepting applications once it is full, with the following exceptions:

Taught courses in the School of Journalism - please check the prospectus for details as the closing dates differ for each course
Doctorate in Educational Psychology - applications should be made by the end of August prior to the start of the programme.

We recommend that you do your best to apply before April to allow enough time for your application to be processed and for you to arrange your visa and your move to Cardiff. It is advisable to submit your application form as early as possible in the academic year, particularly if you are applying for sponsorship, studentships, or scholarships.

With very few exceptions, taught schemes of study commence in September. Research degree programmes can be commenced throughout the year in arrangement with your supervisor. Before applying for a Research programme we first recommend following our advice on finding a supervisor.

You are now able to apply online to Cardiff University, please click here for further information and to access the online application form.

Once you have completed and submitted the form it will be processed through the Postgraduate Registry and sent to the appropriate admissions tutor. You will need to send two references and copies of your exam results, English Language score and any other relevant documents to the Postgraduate Registry. If you do not have exam results or English Language test results yet, don't worry, you can send these after your application.

When you have submitted an online application, you will also be able to use the online application service to:

view your application form;
download a referee report form to assist with the submission of references;
determine your provisional fee classification;
monitor progress of your application;
accept or decline an offer, if appropriate;
view correspondence issued to you by the University Registry in relation to your application;
contact the University by email;
update your personal contact details.

For further information on Postgraduate procedures, application guidelines and other forms, please visit the Postgraduate section of the website

Offers

Applications are made for postgraduate programmes via the Postgraduate Registry. Your application is considered by the Admissions Tutor for the particular degree scheme of your choice and their decision is notified to the Postgraduate Registry. The Postgraduate Registry then sends you an e-mail and issues you with a formal offer letter to study at Cardiff University. This decision can take anything from two weeks to a few months, depending on what course you have applied for. (The decision for an application to a Research Degree (MPhil or PhD) usually takes the longest time).

Your offer is either:

Unconditional
This means that you do not need to send further proof of your qualifications or English Language level; or
Conditional
This means that you must fulfil all the conditions before you are permitted to enrol. If an offer of admission is conditional on examination results, evidence of these should be forwarded to the Postgraduate Registry as soon as they are available. Once you have met the conditions your offer will become 'Unconditional.'

On being made an offer we will automatically send you the following:

Further information on your course
An electronic Residences Brochure and a link to the online Accommodation Request Form. Please note these are not sent out until February/March.
A Welcome Brochure giving you further information about living and studying at Cardiff University.

Selecting Cardiff

You must now consider the variety of offers you may have received from different universities. If you wish to accept an offer of admission to Cardiff University it is essential that you complete and return the acceptance slip at the foot of your offer letter. We will consider you as having a firm place once you have accepted our offer and met any conditions specified in the offer letter. Only when you have firmly accepted your offer and met the conditions of that offer will it be possible to allocate accommodation to you. Please note accommodation allocation only begins in August/September.

If you decide to accept your offer, you will be able to reserve University accommodation immediately upon receiving the electronic Residences Brochure. If you require University accommodation you should submit the online form well before the 10th of September with a £200 deposit, failure to do this means you will not be guaranteed accommodation. From mid-August, accommodation will be allocated to students who have accepted their offers and met their conditions. It is very important that you inform the Postgraduate Registry as soon as you have met the conditions of your offer. Students who are late submitting information relating to meeting the conditions of their offer, but have paid the deposit and submitted a form by the stated date, will be allocated accommodation on their arrival.

Guide for International Students

If you accept our offer of a place we will send you the Guide for International Students. The Guide aims to answer any questions you may have about coming to study at Cardiff University. The Guide reflects our experience with overseas applicants and our knowledge of the sort of questions they have. All of the information in The Guide, and the rest of our publications is available on this website.

Coming to Cardiff

Once you have contacted the Postgraduate Registry and it is confirmed that you have achieved the results needed to come to Cardiff, the following information will be sent to you:

Joining Instructions. For students starting their course in September the Postgraduate Registry will send you Joining Instructions. These instructions will help guide you through the steps you need to take to become a registered student at the University. Joining Instructions are despatched from July onwards to all students who have satisfied the conditions attached to their offer. Do not worry if you do not receive these instructions before you leave for the UK, it is not essential for you to have them before you arrive in Cardiff (Enrolment Information will also be available; and printed copies can also be obtained upon arrival in Cardiff.)
E-Offer of Accommodation and Information Pack. The Residences Office will notify you by e-mail of where you have been allocated a place (this takes place in late August/early September). This e-mail will include all the information you need to take up your place in one of our halls of residence.
Pre-Departure Briefing Notes. We will send you detailed travel information to help you get to Cardiff in July and August. This will include details of our coach collection service from Heathrow and Cardiff airports. In addition, you will receive a programme of induction events for overseas students.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the International Office who will be very happy to help you.