Frequently Asked Questions: Applying to Cardiff (Postgraduate)

Completing and submitting applications for any purpose can often seem a complex and sometimes daunting task. We endeavour to make this process as simple and stress-free as possible, and as such there is a great deal of information provided within the Apply section of our website.

Additionally, guidance notes are provided for both our Online Application Service and our downloadable application forms. In either case, the guidance notes contain specific hints and explanations for each section of the respective application form.

Secondly, the application process is explained on our website via the following sequence of pages in our Apply section:

When to Apply
Completing & Submitting Your Application (includes access to our Online Application Service and downloadable PDF application forms)
English Language Requirements for EU Students
The Decision Process
Your Offer

To further help you with the application process, we have listed some frequently asked questions below:

How do I choose a postgraduate course?
What are the admission requirements?
What are the English Language requirements? What if I do not meet them?
What are the tuition fees for postgraduate courses?
Should I get in touch with the University before applying?
How do I apply for a postgraduate course? What documentation do I need to send?
Who should I ask to provide me with a reference?
Do I have to send my references in with the application form?
Is there an application fee?
When do postgraduate courses start?
Can I study a postgraduate course part-time?
What are the deadlines for application?
I have completed the Online Application but am having problems uploading my supporting documents. Can I email them to you instead?
How long will it take for a decision to be made?
Who should I contact to check on my application?

If there are any questions which you think should be added to this list, or if you require any further assistance, please contact us.

How do I choose a postgraduate course?

Cardiff University offers a wealth of postgraduate programmes - over 150 taught courses and well over 200 research degrees - to suit your particular interests and aspirations. The study section of our website is packed with information to help you decide which course is right for you. The section includes information on all our postgraduate programmes - including taught courses, research degrees, and part-time study - and our Course Finder database, which you can use to search and browse all the postgraduate courses available at Cardiff.

Alternatively, if you would like to receive a printed copy of our Postgraduate Prospectus, please complete our Prospectus Request Form.

What are the admission requirements?

These will vary according to the specific course(s) in question, so you are advised to consult either our Postgraduate Prospectus or the Course Finder database.

As a general rule, the minimum requirements are as follows:

For a taught Master’s Degree — A UK higher education degree at second class honours level or above, or a non-UK qualification recognised by the University as being equivalent to the above. (Note: in many cases, academic schools require an upper second class Honours Degree or equivalent - entry requirements for specific courses are identified in the Course Finder database)

For a Research Degree (e.g. MPhil/PhD) — A UK higher education degree at upper second class honours level or above, or a non-UK qualification recognised by the University as being equivalent to the above. (Note: in some cases, academic schools require a Master's qualification - entry requirements for specific courses are identified in the Course Finder database)

What are the English Language requirements? What if I do not meet them?

If your first language is not English, you must have a standard of written and spoken English that will enable you to benefit fully from lectures, seminars and tutorials.

The minimum standard required for most courses is an IELTS grade 6.5 or TOEFL score of 570 (including a Computer Based score of 230) — but please bear in mind that some admissions tutors may ask for higher grades than the minimum standards. If you require extra English language tuition before or during your course, this can be arranged through the University's own on-campus language school, housed at the Communications and International Relations Division.

For further information, please visit our English Language Requirements for EU Students page.

What are the tuition fees for postgraduate courses?

You can check the tuition fees for our courses by visiting the Fees page in the Study section. If you have any queries about postgraduate tuition fees, please contact the Finance Division (email: fees@cardiff.ac.uk)

Should I get in touch with the University before applying?

Prospective students are always welcome to contact their respective Academic School to discuss the possibility of undertaking postgraduate study, and for detailed information on teaching methods, course content etc.

In particular, we strongly advise candidates for research degrees (e.g. MPhil, PhD, MD, MScD) to make contact with their Academic School to discuss their proposed area of research: this enables both you and the School to ensure that the School has staff working in related areas who could serve as supervisors, and that your proposed research can be accommodated. Contact with the School in this way allows you the opportunity to discuss and develop your ideas more fully before completing your application form; this will benefit both your research proposal and, ultimately, your application.

Specific contact details are provided in our Postgraduate Prospectus, and also listed in the Course Finder database. Academic School websites can be accessed via the Education page.

How do I apply for a postgraduate course? What documentation do I need to send?

Once you have chosen the course you wish to apply for, there are two ways in which you can submit your application:

Online - using our Online Application Service (available for most postgraduate programmes, excluding new courses awaiting final approval by the University)
Downloading and completing paper-based application forms (in non-editable PDF format) from our website

For details of both processes, please see the Completing and Submitting Your Application page

Who should I ask to provide me with a reference?

You must provide the names and addresses of two people (referees) who have knowledge of your academic or professional ability and who will be prepared to support your application by providing a reference. If you are currently a student or have recently completed your studies, at least one of your referees must be an academic from your university.

Do I have to send my references in with the application form?

If you apply online using our Online Application Service, you will be able to download personalised reference forms from your personal online application homepage after you have submitted your application.

If you are submitting a paper-based application, it will help speed up the application process if you are able to submit your completed referee reports along with your application form. If this is not possible, please ensure that they are forwarded to the postgraduate registry as soon as possible.

Is there an application fee?

No — Cardiff University does not charge an application fee.

When do postgraduate courses start?

Most postgraduate taught degrees will run from the end of September/beginning of October each year; where there are exceptions, this will be noted on the course entries in the Postgraduate Prospectus and on the Course Finder database.

Subject to negotiation with the appropriate School, it is possible to start a postgraduate research degree at four points in any year: on October 1, January 1, April 1, and July 1.

If you are accepted for a place to study on a postgraduate programme, you will be notified of your start-date in your enrolment pack; these are usually sent out over the summer by the Postgraduate Registry.

Can I study a postgraduate course part-time?

Many of our courses are also offered on a part-time basis, so there is a good chance that this option would be open to you — our part-time study opportunities page contains more information, but please check the individual course entries to confirm this, or contact the relevant admissions tutor.

Part-time study at Cardiff typically spreads your chosen course over twice the period of time, breaking it down into more manageable units. This allows for greater flexibility and less intensity in terms of workload, while still providing you with all the benefits enjoyed by full-time students at Cardiff, such as access to 24-hour facilities, the full support of academic staff and a thriving social, cultural and sporting environment.

What are the deadlines for application?

In most cases, there is a very flexible approach to applications for postgraduate study, and the time by which you need to submit your application will vary according to the course you are interested in — particularly in the case of research degrees, where there are several possible start-dates.

In terms of postgraduate taught degrees, in most cases they do not have formal deadlines - applications are considered on a rolling basis and therefore will continue admitting students until all places are full. There are some exceptions - notably for courses in Journalism, Business, or Social Work, but again these will be noted on the course entries in the Postgraduate Prospectus and on the Course Finder database, so please be sure to check.

Applying for Funding: If you are considering applying for some kind of studentship, you will usually need to have a firm offer of a place to study on a postgraduate programme before you will be considered for an award. It is therefore important that you apply for your chosen scheme of study well in advance of the closing date for funding applications as set by the relevant funding body. Information on possible sources of funding can be found in our funding section.

As a general rule, we recommend submitting your application as soon as possible once you are happy with your choice of course.

I have completed the Online Application but am having problems uploading my supporting documents. Can I email them to you instead?

Sometimes documents of an unusual format are not recognised by the Online Application Service. You can submit your application without the documents attached, and then forward the documents either by post to the University Registry (see the address below) or by scanning them in and emailing them to admissions@cardiff.ac.uk. References will need to be printed and signed then scanned back in before they are emailed - they will not be accepted without a physical signature.

You need to ensure that you include your online application reference number in all correspondence with the University so that documents can be matched to your application.

How long will it take for a decision to be made?

Usually, the decision should not take more than four weeks; however, it can take longer than this, depending on the course you have applied for and on how quickly the relevant supporting documentation (including references) is received by the University. The decision for an application to study for a research degree usually takes the longest time.

Who should I contact to check on my application?

If you wish to check on the progress of your application, you should contact the Registry (Admissions Team) by telephoning +44 (0) 29 2087 9999 or e-mailing admissions@cardiff.ac.uk. Alternatively, the postal address for the Registry is:

Postgraduate Admissions

The Registry

Cardiff University
PO Box 927
30-36 Newport Road
Cardiff
CF24 0DE