Manchester ranks 24th of 130 in the Complete University Guide 2027 and 40th in the world in QS, and most degrees ask for AAA at A level. It is a Russell Group university on one city centre campus, and international undergraduate fees for 2027 entry run from £29,200 to £39,700 a year.
- Location
- a single campus on Oxford Road in Manchester city centre
- Type
- a Russell Group university, formed in 2004 from the Victoria University of Manchester and UMIST
- Ranking
- 24th of 130 in the UK (Complete University Guide 2027), 40th in the world (QS 2027)
- Typical offer
- AAA for most degrees, A*AA for Law and Computer Science, A*A*A for Mechanical Engineering
- IELTS
- 6.5 to 7.0 overall with 6.0 to 6.5 in each element, depending on the course
- International fee
- £29,200 to £39,700 a year for 2027 entry, from History to Computer Science
Reviewed by Dr Elizabeth Adey for 2027 entry · Uni Direct team, 2026
Source: Complete University Guide 2027, QS 2027 and the University of Manchester’s course pages for 2027 entry, read 5 October 2026.
Source: Complete University Guide 2027, QS 2027 and the University of Manchester’s own course pages, read 5 October 2026.
Where is the University of Manchester, and what is it like?
The University of Manchester is on Oxford Road in Manchester city centre, on a single campus that holds all three of its faculties. It calls itself England’s first civic university, and it marked its bicentenary in 2024.
The Complete University Guide puts Manchester above 25,000 students, 66% of them undergraduates, with 37% international and a further 3% from the European Union. Manchester calls itself the largest single-site university in the UK.
Manchester suits a student who wants a big city and a big university. Less so one who wants a small community where everyone knows them.
Is the University of Manchester a good university?
Yes, with one clear exception. The Complete University Guide 2027 ranks the University of Manchester 24th of 130 UK universities, with research quality 7th and entry standards 20th. The exception is student satisfaction, which is 116th.
Manchester also ranks well worldwide, 40th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, and 28 of its subjects are in the UK top ten. The Complete University Guide records its teaching rating as TEF Silver.
| Measure | Manchester | Table |
|---|---|---|
| Overall UK ranking | 24th of 130 | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| Entry standards | 160 UCAS points, 20th | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| Research quality | 3.47 of 4, 7th | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| Graduate prospects, outcomes | 79.7 of 100, 26th | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| Graduate prospects, on track | 77.7 of 100, 30th | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| Student satisfaction | 3.06 of 4, 116th | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| World ranking | 40th | QS World University Rankings 2027 |
| World ranking | 56th | Times Higher Education 2026 |
| World ranking | 46th | Academic Ranking of World Universities 2025 |
Source: Complete University Guide 2027 and the University of Manchester’s own rankings page, read 5 October 2026.
Manchester asks for high grades, and its graduates do well, at 26th for outcomes. Its own students rate the experience lower than at most UK universities, at 116th for satisfaction. So speak to current students on your course before you decide.
You can compare it with Warwick, Durham, Edinburgh and UCL, all in our guide to the best UK universities.
University of Manchester entry requirements
Manchester asks for AAA on most degrees, A*AA on Law and Computer Science, and A*A*A on Mechanical Engineering, with 36 to 38 International Baccalaureate points. The table shows the requirements for 2027 entry on each course page.
Entry requirements for 2027 entry
A level
International Baccalaureate
IELTS
Source: University of Manchester course pages for 2027 entry, read 5 October 2026.
Manchester also translates its requirements into your own school system. For India, it asks for 80% to 95% overall in CBSE or ISC Standard XII for direct entry, depending on the course, and it accepts five state boards on the same terms: Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Gujarat. If you score 70% or more in Standard XII, with 75% in Mathematics and Physics and 65% in English, you can be considered for its Science and Engineering degrees with an integrated foundation year.
If your IELTS score is short of the course requirement, our guide to studying in the UK without IELTS covers the other routes.
University of Manchester acceptance rate
Manchester does not publish an acceptance rate for the university as a whole.
The nearest figure is entry standards. The Complete University Guide 2027 records entrants arriving with an average of 160 UCAS points, 20th of 130, so the AAA and A*AA offers in the table above describe the level at which most of its students arrive.
Manchester’s medical school is the exception. It publishes its application and offer figures for home and overseas applicants, and the overseas figures are in the medicine section.
Source: Complete University Guide 2027 and University of Manchester admissions pages, read 5 October 2026.
Courses the University of Manchester is best known for
Manchester is best known for science, engineering and the arts. The Complete University Guide 2027 puts 28 of its subjects in the UK top ten, including American Studies, Drama, Dance and Cinematics, Music and Optometry.
In the 2027 subject tables Computer Science is 9th of 118 and Mechanical Engineering 9th of 74, and Electrical and Electronic Engineering is also in the top ten. Those two carry the highest fees after Medicine, so check the cost table before you plan around one.
Economics and Management both ask for AAA. Economics adds Mathematics to that.
Source: Complete University Guide 2027 university profile and subject tables, read 5 October 2026.
How much does the University of Manchester cost?
Your international tuition fee at Manchester depends on your course, and the fees for 2027 entry are already published. They run from £29,200 for History to £39,700 for Computer Science. Manchester’s Medicine page says it may raise the fee by up to 7% a year after the first year, so ask whether your course carries the same term.
What a year at Manchester costs an international student
Source: University of Manchester course pages for 2027 entry and its cost of living page, read 5 October 2026. GOV.UK for the visa figures, read 5 October 2026.
Manchester guarantees the offer of a room in its halls to every new full-time undergraduate. You can compare costs elsewhere in our guides to the cost of living for international students and the cheapest universities in the UK.
The visa figures come from GOV.UK, which is the only authority on the Student visa rules. We explain the published rules, and we pass individual visa questions to the partners we work with. Our student visa guide sets out the steps.
University of Manchester scholarships for international students
The main undergraduate award is the Global Futures Scholarship, and you apply for it once you hold an offer, through an online form emailed to offer-holders. It is for students from listed countries, including Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and Vietnam.
The value depends on where you are from. For applicants from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam starting in September 2026, it was £10,000 a year for up to three years, provided you averaged 60% in each year. Manchester has not yet published its values for 2027 entry.
Read the terms for your own country when they appear, and return the form as soon as it reaches you.
Source: University of Manchester Global Futures Scholarship pages, read 5 October 2026.
University of Manchester medicine entry requirements for international students
Medicine at Manchester asks you to sit the UCAT in your application year.
| Requirement | Figure |
|---|---|
| A level | AAA, including Biology or Human Biology or Chemistry, and one of Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Psychology or Mathematics |
| IELTS | 7.0 on average with no component below 6.5 at the same sitting |
| Situational Judgement Test | Applicants who score Band 3 or 4 are not considered |
| Tuition, 2026/27 | £39,900 a year in years 1 and 2, £60,900 a year in years 3 to 5 |
| UCAS closing date | 15 October 2026 |
| UCAT threshold, 2026 | 2,060 for standard applicants, 2,250 for overseas applicants |
Source: University of Manchester Medicine course page for 2027 entry and its School of Medicine application statistics page, read 5 October 2026.
Manchester publishes its medical school figures. For 2026 entry, 1,036 overseas applications led to 191 shortlisted applicants, 18% of the total, and 40 offers, 20% of those shortlisted. That is 40 offers from 1,036 applications, about one in 26. Manchester says these figures are for information only and should not be used to predict future cycles.
How do I apply to the University of Manchester?
Apply through UCAS
You apply to Manchester through UCAS, using institution code M20.
Medicine and Dentistry
Medicine and Dentistry close on 15 October 2026 at 6pm.
Every other course
For every other course Manchester has not yet posted its 2027 date, and in the 2026 cycle the equal consideration deadline was 14 January at 6pm, so plan to apply by early January.
Help with your Manchester application
We can help you with your application to Manchester, from choosing your courses to writing your personal statement and meeting your deadline. If you are not sure yet whether Manchester is right for you, we can talk it through with you first.
Students tell us the quick replies made the biggest difference.
Manchester is the university I describe to families as a big city research university that asks a great deal of an applicant, with AAA as the starting point and A*AA or more for Law, Computer Science and engineering. The figure I would put beside the ranking is student satisfaction, 116th of 130, because it says the experience matters as much as the name. Fees for 2027 entry are already published, so budget for all three years and ask whether yours can rise. For Medicine, 40 overseas offers in 2026 tells you to keep a second course in the plan.
Frequently asked questions about the University of Manchester
How many students are at the University of Manchester?
The Complete University Guide places Manchester above 25,000 students, 66% of them undergraduates and 34% postgraduates. It records 60% of students as UK, 37% as international and 3% as from the European Union. Teaching for all of them is on one campus on Oxford Road in the city centre.
Is the University of Manchester in the Russell Group?
Yes. The University of Manchester is a member of the Russell Group. You can read who belongs in our guide to Russell Group universities, and what membership does and does not tell you about a university. Manchester is also 24th of 130 in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2027.
Is the University of Manchester a good university?
Yes. The Complete University Guide 2027 ranks it 24th of 130 in the UK, with research quality 7th and 28 subjects in the top ten. Its weakest measure is student satisfaction, at 116th, so ask current students on your course what the teaching is like. It is 40th in the world in the QS rankings for 2027.
Where does the University of Manchester rank in the world?
Manchester is 40th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, 56th in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026 and 46th in the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2025, according to its own rankings page. In the UK, the Complete University Guide 2027 places it 24th of 130, with research quality 7th.
How many universities are there in Manchester?
Several. A search for Manchester University almost always means the University of Manchester, covered here. Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Greater Manchester are separate universities with their own courses and fees. Check the full name on your offer letter and your CAS before you pay a deposit.
Where is the University of Manchester?
On Oxford Road in Manchester city centre, in the north west of England. The university describes its campus as a single campus holding all three of its faculties: Biology, Medicine and Health, Humanities, and Science and Engineering. Manchester guarantees the offer of a hall room to every new full-time undergraduate.
How old is the University of Manchester?
Manchester traces its history to 1824, when the Manchester Mechanics’ Institution was formed. The Victoria University of Manchester and UMIST combined on 22 October 2004 to form the present university, which Manchester calls the largest single-site university in the UK. It marked its bicentenary in 2024.
The next step
Tell us your grades and the Manchester courses you are considering, and we will tell you where you stand.
If Manchester is on your list, send us your grades and the courses you are considering. We will tell you how your profile compares with Manchester’s requirements and which courses give you the best chance. Our guide on how to study in the UK covers the steps from choosing a course to arriving.
If engineering is your subject, our guide to the best engineering universities in the UK puts Manchester in context. Or for a free consultation, contact us now.
Sources: Complete University Guide 2027 · University of Manchester course, rankings, history, campus, accommodation, scholarship and medical school pages · GOV.UK Student visa. Read 5 October 2026. Photograph by citysuitesimages, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Next review: when Manchester publishes its 2026/27 hall prices and 2027 scholarship terms, and when UCAS confirms the 2027 deadlines.