Pre-Master's Programmes in the United Kingdom

Not quite readyfor direct entry?

A Pre-Master's is for students who already have higher education but do not fully meet the academic or English requirement for a UK master's. It is a pathway, not the master's itself, and completing one does not open every postgraduate course at the university.

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Typical programme length: 1–3 termsTypical programme length
A common starting range: IELTS 5.0–6.0A common starting range
The master's comes after, if you progress: Not the awardThe master's comes after, if you progress

The pathway

What is a Pre-Master's?

A postgraduate pathway for students who have finished higher education but do not fully meet the academic or English requirement for direct entry to a UK master's. It builds academic English, research, critical thinking and subject skills before an approved postgraduate degree.

There is no single UK format. Titles include Pre-Master's, Graduate Diploma, Graduate Certificate and postgraduate preparation programme. Duration, level, visa sponsorship, credit and progression all differ by institution.

Common subject routes

Business, Economics and Finance
Law and Social Sciences
Science and Engineering
Computing and Information Technology
Media and Communications
Management and Marketing
Architecture and the built environment
Health and life sciences, where offered

Programmes can run for one, two or three terms, depending on the starting point. Length changes the tuition, the visa and how much preparation there is before the master's.

Selected pathways

Navitas colleges and where they lead

Example master's progression, not a guarantee. Students have to be admitted to an approved pathway, hit the required grades, English and attendance, and stay on that pathway's progression list. Lists are updated by the provider.

ARU College
Anglia Ruskin University
Navitas · Cambridge, Chelmsford, Peterborough
Pre-Master's stage: 1 semester
Business, Finance and Management; Computing, Engineering and Technology; Criminology and Law; Public Health and Social Sciences; Education, English and Creative Writing; Psychology; Life and Medical Sciences.
- MSc Accounting and Finance
- MBA, including Banking and Finance, Digital Marketing and FinTech routes
- MSc International Business
- MSc Marketing
- MSc Project Management
- MSc Supply Chain Management
- LLM programmes
Birmingham City University International College
Birmingham City University
Navitas · Birmingham
Business: 1 or 2 semesters (September, January, May)
Business and Management; Computing; Engineering; Built Environment; Law; Media; Art and Design; Health and Life Sciences; Psychology, Sociology and Criminology; Education.
- MSc Accounting and Finance
- International MBA
- MSc Management and Finance
- MSc Management and International Business
- MSc Management and Marketing
- MSc Logistics and Supply Chain Management
Brunel Pathway College
Brunel University of London
Navitas · Uxbridge, London
1 semester (January, May, September)
Business and Management; Finance; Engineering and Design; Information and Computer Science; Law; Education; English; Environmental Sciences.
- Management MSc
- International Business MSc
- Marketing MSc
- Human Resource Management MSc
- Global Supply Chain Management MSc
- Advanced Engineering Design MSc
- Engineering Management MSc
- Electric Vehicle Systems MSc
- Design Strategy and Innovation MA
Hertfordshire International College
University of Hertfordshire
Navitas · Hatfield
Business: 1 or 2 semesters (January and May). Creative routes also offered.
Business and Management; Animation, Film, Games and Creative Media; Art and Design; Music Composition, Technology and Production.
- MSc International Business
- MSc Management
- MSc Project Management
- MSc Finance and Investment Banking
- MA Human Resource Management
- MBA
- MSc International Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management
International College Portsmouth
University of Portsmouth
Navitas · Portsmouth
Business: 1 semester (September, March, June)
Business and Management; Accounting and Finance; Logistics and Supply Chain Management; Science and Engineering; Art, Architecture and Design; Education; International Relations and Criminal Justice.
- Global MBA
- MSc International Business and Management
- MSc International Human Resource Management
- MSc Project Management
- MSc Sports Management
- MA Digital Marketing
- MSc Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship
International College Robert Gordon University
Robert Gordon University
Navitas · Aberdeen, Scotland
10-week programme (February, June, October)
Business and Management; Accounting and Finance; Computing; Engineering; Built Environment; Law; Creative and Cultural Business; Healthcare; Public Health.
- MSc Business and Management
- MSc Project Management
- MSc Energy Management
- MSc Procurement and Supply Chain Management
- MSc Business Analytics
Keele University International College
Keele University
Navitas · Staffordshire
Business: 1 semester
Business; Computing.
- MSc Accounting and Financial Management
- MSc Banking and Finance
- MSc Business Analytics
- MSc International Business
- MSc Management
- MSc Marketing
- MA Human Resource Management
- MBA
Manchester Metropolitan University International College
Manchester Metropolitan University
Navitas · Manchester
1 semester (60 credits)
Business Management and Finance; Engineering and Computing; Humanities and Social Sciences.
- MSc Business Analytics
- MSc Finance
- MSc International Business Management
- MSc Management
- MSc Project Management
- MSc Digital Marketing Communications
- LLM
The College, Swansea University
Swansea University
Navitas · Bay Campus, Swansea
1, 2 or 3 semesters (September, January, June)
Management; Accounting and Finance; Computer Science; Engineering; Public Health and Management; Languages, Politics and Culture; Children and Young People.
- MSc Management
- Finance
- International Management
- Marketing
- Human Resource Management
- Operations and Supply Management
- Business Analytics
University of Plymouth International College
University of Plymouth
Navitas · Plymouth
Business: 1 semester (September, January, May)
Business and Management; Data and Computer Science; Engineering; Law and Social Sciences; Psychology; Health Professions; Education; Architecture, Art and Design; Communication Design; Tourism and Hospitality.
- MBA
- MSc Business and Management
- MSc Finance
- MSc International Business
- MSc Digital and Social Media Marketing
- MSc International Logistics and Supply Chain Management
- MSc International Shipping
- MSc Project Management
- MA Human Resource Management

Entry

Academic background and English

Previous tertiary study

Depending on the provider: a recognised three- or four-year bachelor's, a diploma or advanced diploma plus relevant study, or another qualification judged suitable for postgraduate preparation. The route is useful where degree length, grades, subject background or recognition sit below direct master's entry.

A Nepali three-year bachelor's may fit at selected institutions. A pathway does not override subject prerequisites for a professional or technical master's. The provider has to confirm the prior study is acceptable for that packaged progression.

Often IELTS 5.0–6.0

A common starting range is about IELTS 5.0–6.0 overall, usually with minimum component scores, depending on length and provider. That is normally below direct master's entry. Students still have to meet the pathway's English and academic conditions before they move on.

Progression is not open-ended. Completing a Pre-Master's does not open every master's at the university. The offer has to name an approved list, and some clinical, engineering, architecture, psychology, education and law programmes keep extra requirements.

The visa around the pathway

Fees, funds, work and what follows

Work rights depend on the exact course level, sponsor and CAS. Do not assume the 20-hour degree-level allowance applies. A Pre-Master's by itself is not normally the qualifying award for the Graduate visa, and it does not normally allow dependants.

Student visa planning figures for a UK Pre-Master's
Item	Current planning information
Student visa fee	£558 for an application from outside the UK.
Maintenance, London	£1,529 per month for up to 9 months (maximum £13,761), plus relevant course fees.
Maintenance, outside London	£1,171 per month for up to 9 months (maximum £10,539), plus relevant course fees.
Funds period	Where financial evidence is required, the funds generally need to be held for 28 consecutive days.

Student visa fee
Current planning information
£558 for an application from outside the UK.
Maintenance, London
Current planning information
£1,529 per month for up to 9 months (maximum £13,761), plus relevant course fees.
Maintenance, outside London
Current planning information
£1,171 per month for up to 9 months (maximum £10,539), plus relevant course fees.
Funds period
Current planning information
Where financial evidence is required, the funds generally need to be held for 28 consecutive days.

Immigration rules change. The CAS, the sponsor, the course level and the conditions on the visa have to be checked before anyone relies on work, dependant or post-study rights.

Frequently asked questions

When higher education is already complete, but the academic or English requirement for direct postgraduate entry is not. That includes a degree shorter than the university normally accepts, grades below the direct threshold, a subject background that needs strengthening, or a university that asks for extra postgraduate preparation.

Eligibility still depends on the provider and the intended master's.

No. It is a preparatory pathway, not the final award. Providers may call it a Pre-Master's, a Graduate Diploma, a Graduate Certificate or a postgraduate preparation programme. Level, credit, visa sponsorship and progression rules vary.

The pathway certificate and the master's that follows it are different qualifications.

One, two or three terms or semesters, depending on the academic and English starting point. Some providers also offer accelerated or digital formats.

Length changes the tuition, the visa length and how much preparation there is before the master's.

At selected institutions, yes, where the three-year degree does not meet that university's usual direct equivalency, or where grades or recognition fall short.

The pathway does not override subject prerequisites. The provider has to confirm that the previous qualification is acceptable for the packaged progression.

No. Progression is normally limited to an approved list. Students have to meet the grades, the English standard and the attendance requirement.

Clinical, engineering, architecture, psychology, education and law programmes can keep extra conditions that a general Pre-Master's result does not satisfy.

A common starting range is about IELTS 5.0–6.0 overall, usually with minimum component scores, depending on length and provider.

That is often lower than direct master's entry. The pathway's own English progression requirement still has to be met before the master's.

No. Work permission depends on the course level, the sponsor and the CAS.

Below-degree study can be limited to 10 hours a week with a qualifying sponsor, and some pathway arrangements allow no work. Use the conditions on the visa, not the rules that apply to a degree-level master's.

Normally, no. The pathway is not usually the qualifying award for the Graduate route, and it does not normally allow dependants.

A student who later completes an eligible UK master's may qualify for the Graduate route under the rules then in force. For applications on or after 1 January 2027, that standard period for eligible non-doctoral graduates is 18 months. Dependant rules can differ later if the course is a research degree or a doctorate.

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Not quite readyfor direct entry?

What is a Pre-Master's?

Navitas colleges and where they lead

ARU College

Birmingham City University International College

Brunel Pathway College

Hertfordshire International College

International College Portsmouth

International College Robert Gordon University

Keele University International College

Manchester Metropolitan University International College

The College, Swansea University

University of Plymouth International College

Academic background and English

Previous tertiary study

Often IELTS 5.0–6.0

Fees, funds, work and what follows

Frequently asked questions

When should a student consider a Pre-Master's instead of applying directly?

Is a Pre-Master's a master's degree?

How long can it take?

Can a Nepali student with a three-year bachelor's use this route?

Does completion allow progression to any master's at the university?

What English score is commonly accepted?

Can a Pre-Master's student assume 20 hours of work a week?

Does the Pre-Master's itself qualify for a Graduate visa or dependants?

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