Postgraduate taught FAQs

The most up-to-date and detailed information on the courses we offer and related matters is available on our postgraduate degree pages, but you can view our digital postgraduate prospectus too.

Please see our tuition fees section for the latest information.

All of our courses start in September and some also have a February intake. Please visit the programme webpage to check the availability of your chosen programme.

All of our courses are offered on a full-time basis and some of them also offer part-time or distance learning options.

Please see the course information page for the postgraduate degree you are interested in, for details on the modes of study available.

The score or level of English language required varies between courses. Please visit the individual postgraduate degree pages to see the requirements for each one.

The qualifications we can accept as evidence of English language ability are available on our English language requirements page.

If you are an international student planning to study on a degree course with us but don't meet our initial English language requirements, you may benefit from our pre-sessional English language courses. You can find further information about these courses on the Pre-sessional English language courses webpage.

We may consider applications from applicants who narrowly miss out on achieving required grades.

In some cases, satisfactory amount of work experience within your chosen field may be sufficient to make up for a shortfall in required grades, but applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis and will usually be reviewed by the faculty.

If you have taken or are taking non-UK based qualifications, please check our international students pages for information on the entry requirements from your country.

If your country isn’t listed, contact the Admissions team for more information.

Take a look at our how to apply section for all the information you need to apply to Surrey.

Your application is considered complete once you have submitted both the application form and the Fee Status Questionnaire. After completing and submitting the questionnaire, your application will be submitted for review. 

A decision on your application is usually made within 14 working days, however, this can vary depending on the programme and during peak periods.

We do not charge a fee for submitting an application to us.

Take a look at our how to apply section for all the information you need to apply to Surrey.

Applications for February usually open in July and applications for September usually open in October.

Yes, you can apply for more than one course. However, we ask that you consider your choices carefully and ensure that your personal statement is relevant to each application that you make.

You may be made more than one offer, but will only be able to accept one of them. When you accept one offer, any offer offers will be withdrawn.

Please see our how to apply page for the latest information.

We recommend that you apply as early as possible to allow us sufficient time to process your application and to avoid any disappointment if your chosen course reaches capacity.

Take a look at our fees and funding section for information regarding potential sources of funding and financial support for postgraduate students, including scholarships and postgraduate loans.

You can track the progress of your application via applicant portal. If you don’t receive any updates on your application within two weeks, you can contact the Admissions team to check the progress.

If you have not received an acknowledgement email within 48 hours after submitting your application, please check your spam/junk folder, and if you don't see anything there, please contact the Admissions team.

If you wish to be considered for a different course, please submit a new application through the course page, providing a new personal statement.

If you just wish to add/remove a placement, or change from part time to full time or vice versa, please contact the Admissions team.

It is only possible to defer postgraduate applications within the same academic cycle, e.g. from a September start to a February start (where available).

Please send your request to the Admissions team. We will confirm whether or not the deferral is possible.

If you wish to be considered for the following academic year, you will need to submit a new application when the next admissions cycle opens in September.

• Upload evidence to meet the conditions of your offer via applicant portal.
• Pay your deposit/provide evidence of sponsorship
• Apply for accommodation
• Apply for ATAS (if required and following specific instructions that we will send you)

Most non-UK and non-EU applicants studying subjects in certain areas require an ATAS certificate, irrespective of country of residence at the point of application. However, if you have indefinite leave to remain, you will not require ATAS to study in the UK.

To check whether your chosen course requires ATAS, look at the CAH3 code shown on your offer letter and then visit the gov.uk website to see if this is on the list of subject areas concerned and whether your nationality requires an ATAS certificate. There you’ll find further details on how to apply.

We will also contact you if you require an ATAS certificate, with specific instructions when it is time for you to apply. When making your application, you must use the specific module list that has been sent to you by the University of Surrey.

Please note that UK immigration law does not allow universities to register students for an ATAS applicable course (and ATAS applicable nationality) until the student has supplied the university with all the relevant ATAS certificate details for their application.

If you have questions about how and when to apply, please refer to the gov.uk website.

Once you’ve paid the deposit or provided the evidence of sponsorship, you’ll receive an email to complete the CAS application on CAS Shield. Your request will be reviewed once your offer is unconditional, and all required documents are provided. 

Welcome instructions, including details of how to access your teaching timetable, are usually sent out four weeks prior to your start date. You will only receive this information once your offer is unconditional and:

• You have accepted the offer
• Confirmed your right to study/ completed the CAS request process
• Confirmed your fee status.

To apply for accommodation you must have firmly accepted your academic offer.

You will only be offered a room once you have met the formal conditions of your academic offer and firmly accepted the offer.

For further queries please contact the Accommodation team by phone+44 (0)1483 682466 or email accommodation@surrey.ac.uk.

Registration will open approximately four weeks before the start of teaching. You will receive an email detailing the pre-registration process at this time.

Please note that in order to receive details of ‘how to register’, you must hold an unconditional firm offer; must have completed your ‘Confirm Fee Status’ check and your ‘CAS request/Right to study’ form must have been approved.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to arrive on time and register by the course start date. If you are unable to arrive on time, please contact the admissions team to check the registration deadline for your intake.

We do not offer a meet and greet service, however, please see our International Students Arrival Guide for guidance on how to travel to the University.

If you have any other questions about applying for a visa, international travel or what to expect upon arrival in the UK then please contact us via internationalsupport@surrey.ac.uk.

Take a look at the 'paying your balance' guidance on our how to pay your fees page for the most up-to-date information on fee deadlines.

Online form can be submitted to the admissions team within four weeks of the original start date of the course. 

Once a deposit has been paid, a refund request can only be considered for the following reasons after deduction of an administrative fees of £100-

• Refusal of a student visa 
• Inability to meet academic or English language requirements specified in offer
• Extenuating circumstances
• Programme closure