A Master of Research is the route most Nepalese students never hear about — it starts in January and February as well as September, several courses accept a 2:2, and because it is a research degree it can carry dependant rights that a taught master's does not. Thirty-three courses below, with what each actually asks for.
These are earlier than a taught-course deadline because a research place also needs a supervisor to accept the project. Applying in the last week is not a strategy here.
A Master of Research is a research-based master's at RQF level 7, normally 12 months full-time. Instead of taught modules and exams, most of the year is a supervised research project and a thesis, with research-methods training alongside it.
That changes the application in two ways worth knowing before you advise anyone. First, almost every MRes requires a written research proposal — BCU states plainly that it cannot consider an application submitted without one. Second, admission depends on a supervisor being available in the topic area, not only on grades. A strong student with a proposal nobody at that university can supervise is a rejection.
For courses starting on or after 1 January 2024, GOV.UK permits a student to bring a partner and children only where the course is a PhD or other doctoral qualification, or a research-based higher degree, at postgraduate level (RQF 7 or above), full-time, and 9 months or longer.
A taught MSc, MA or MBA carries no dependant rights at all. An MRes is a research-based higher degree, so it can qualify.
But the award name does not decide it — the university does. Nottingham Trent states on every one of its MRes course pages: “all of our MRes courses are classed as ‘postgraduate taught’ and therefore do not meet the requirement for you to be accompanied to the UK by your dependants.” Six NTU courses on this page are genuine MRes degrees that carry no dependant rights whatsoever. Never promise a family on the strength of the letters “MRes”. Get the provider’s written confirmation that the course is a research-based higher degree, course by course.
The condition that decides it: the provider must confirm the course is a research-based higher degree. That confirmation sits with the university and is reflected on the CAS. Get it in writing before you say anything to a family about bringing a spouse — this is the single most damaging thing on this page to get wrong.
Every figure on this page is the international rate. Birmingham City University publishes its MRes Sustainable Engineering at £18,970 for international students in 2026/27, full-time over 12 months.
Two things catch people on research degrees specifically:
Not available to Nepalese students: the postgraduate doctoral loan of up to £29,390 advertised on several of these course pages is for UK, Irish and eligible EU nationals only. It appears prominently in the funding section and is easy to mistake for something a Nepalese applicant can use.
Grouped by intake. Entry and English requirements are as supplied by each institution; where a figure is marked verify it has not been confirmed against a live page and must be checked before counselling.
| University | Course | Campus | Academic entry | English | Notes that decide the case |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham City BCU | MRes Health and Life SciencesHealth · Life Sciences · Sport & Exercise · Psychology pathways | City South, Edgbaston | UK 2:2 or equivalentpathway relevance applies | IELTS 6.56.0 each band | Research proposal required and must fit available supervision. Open to international |
| Birmingham City | MRes Business and Management | City Centre | UK 2:2 or equivalenttopic fit is central, not subject | IELTS 6.5 | Proposal and supervisor alignment required. |
| Birmingham City | MRes Computing | City Centre | UK 2:2 in computing, CS, data or related | IELTS 6.56.0 each band | Specialisations in AI, data science, cybersecurity and HCI. |
| Birmingham City | MRes Creative Arts | City Centre | UK 2:2 in a creative art, design or media discipline | IELTS 6.5 | A portfolio or evidence of practice may be requested. |
| Birmingham City | MRes Built Environment | City Centre | UK 2:2 in architecture, construction, planning, surveying or civil engineering | IELTS 6.56.0 each band | Fee is TBC — not published. Bench fee up to £1,500 plus materials. |
| Birmingham City | MRes Sustainable Engineering | City Centre | UK 2:2 in mechanical, civil, electrical or electronic engineering | IELTS 6.56.0 each band | £18,970 international, 2026/27. FT 12 months, PT 18 months. |
| Portsmouth | MRes Science and Health | Portsmouth, Hampshire | Second-class honours in a relevant subject | IELTS 6.5no band below 5.5 | January study is full-time only. Specialism and supervisor support must be checked. verify cohort |
| Portsmouth | MRes Humanities and Social Sciences | Portsmouth, Hampshire | Second-class honours in a relevant discipline | IELTS 6.5no band below 5.5 | Later 2027/28 entries may raise this to a 2:1 — do not carry these criteria forward. |
| Birmingham Russell Group | MRes Clinical Health Research | Edgbaston | UK 2:1 in a health-related or regulated discipline | IELTS 6.5no band below 6.0 | Expects a clinical/research profile. Two entry points a year, January and September. |
| Staffordshire | MRes Evidence Based PracticeHealth and Care Studies | Stoke-on-Trent | Relevant degree or health-and-care background | verify | Part-time / flexible — do not assume Student Route sponsorship. Starts 25 Jan 2027. verify CAS |
| Lancashire formerly UCLan | MRes Medical Sciences | Preston, Lancashire | Science, bioscience, medicine or allied discipline | verify | For graduates, clinicians and intercalating medical students. verify fee, supervisor, CAS |
| Greater Manchester Bolton | MRes Artificial Intelligence | Bolton, Greater Manchester | UK 2:1 or equivalent | IELTS 6.0no band below 5.5 | Lowest English requirement on this page. Needs a ~1,000-word proposal and an academic interview defending it. |
| Gloucestershire open to Nepal | Professional MRes International Businessthe website lists this as “International Business — Professional MSc by Research” Nepal deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Oxstalls, Gloucester | UK 2:2 bachelor’s or overseas equivalent | IELTS 6.5min 6.0 writing, 5.5 each component | Nepal is one of only two eligible groups £13,830 a year — but it runs 2 years, so £27,660 in total. No research proposal required, unlike every other Gloucestershire research route. Progression check: a student who already holds an MSc in International Business or a close Management/Business master’s may be refused as unsuitable progression. |
| Gloucestershire open to Nepal | MRes — all other subjectslisted on the website as MA / MSc by Research Nepal deadline 31 Oct 2026 | Gloucester / Cheltenhamcampus varies by subject | UK 2:2 or equivalent | IELTS 6.5min 6.0 writing, 5.5 each component | 2 years, not one. Research proposal is mandatory at the point of application. Decisions take 10–12 weeks minimum, so 31 October is the last possible moment, not a target. verify fee by subject |
| Nottingham Trent NTU | MRes Medical ImagingMRI, CT, ultrasound · 120-credit research project Starts 18 Jan 2027 | Clifton Campus, Nottingham | UK 2:2 in a physics-based degree, engineering or relatedrelevant employment experience also considered | IELTS 6.5min 5.5 each component | Intl Scholarship Scheme NTU states all its MRes are ‘postgraduate taught’ and so carry NO dependant rights. £18,300 international. Starts 18 Jan 2027. Not clinical or vocational — gives no radiography training. |
| Nottingham Trent | MRes Pharmaceutical Analysis Starts 18 Jan 2027 | Clifton Campus, Nottingham | UK 2:2 in a chemistry-related subjectforensic science, pharmacology and pharmacy accepted, subject to the admissions tutor assessing course content | IELTS 6.5min 5.5 each component | Intl Scholarship Scheme NTU states all its MRes are ‘postgraduate taught’ and so carry NO dependant rights. £18,300 international. Starts 18 Jan 2027. |
| Nottingham Trent | MRes Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Science Starts 18 Jan 2027 | Clifton Campus, Nottingham | UK 2:2 in a chemistry-related subjectforensic science, pharmacology and pharmacy accepted | IELTS 6.5min 5.5 each component | Intl Scholarship Scheme NTU states all its MRes are ‘postgraduate taught’ and so carry NO dependant rights. £18,300 international. Starts 18 Jan 2027. |
| Nottingham Trent | MRes Analytical Chemistry Starts 18 Jan 2027 | Clifton Campus, Nottingham | UK 2:2 in a chemistry-related subjectforensic science, pharmacology and pharmacy accepted | IELTS 6.5min 5.5 each component | NTU states all its MRes are ‘postgraduate taught’ and so carry NO dependant rights. £18,300 international. Starts 18 Jan 2027. |
| Nottingham Trent | MRes Advanced Materials Chemistry Starts 18 Jan 2027 | Clifton Campus, Nottingham | UK 2:2 in a relevant subjectthe international page words this as Chemistry, Forensics, Pharmacology and Pharmacy | IELTS 6.5min 5.5 each component | NTU states all its MRes are ‘postgraduate taught’ and so carry NO dependant rights. £18,300 international. Starts 18 Jan 2027. |
| Nottingham Trent | MRes Chemistry Starts 18 Jan 2027 | Clifton Campus, Nottingham | UK 2:2 in a chemistry-related subjectforensic science, pharmacology and pharmacy accepted | IELTS 6.5min 5.5 each component | NTU states all its MRes are ‘postgraduate taught’ and so carry NO dependant rights. £18,300 international. Starts 18 Jan 2027. |
| Buckingham not called an MRes | MSc Psychology by ResearchSep, Jan, Apr and Jul starts — four entry points a year | Buckingham, Buckinghamshire | UK 2:1 in psychology or a closely related subject | verify with admissions | £14,500 international — the cheapest research master’s on this page. 1 yr FT / 2 yrs PT. UKVI Student Sponsor. Selection includes an interview (Teams for international applicants). Award is “MSc by Research”, not “MRes” — confirm the visa classification in writing. Also runs Computing, Mathematics and English Literature by Research. |
| University | Course | Campus | Academic entry | English | Notes that decide the case |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edge Hill | Masters by Researchgeneral MRes, most disciplines | Ormskirk, Lancashire | UK First or 2:1 or equivalentno subject restriction, but proposal and supervision govern admission | IELTS 7.0no component below 6.5 | International deadline 20 October 2026. Needs a proposal of max 1,000 words, academic CV, passport, budget sheet and transcripts. |
| Derby Intl Business School | MRes Leadership & Management10 pathways incl. HRM, Project Mgmt, Marketing, Supply Chain, Applied AI CAS by 26 Nov 2026 | Kedleston Road, Derbycode MN1AS | UK 2:1, or 2:2 in a business subject, or 2:2 in any subject with managerial experienceCV and personal statement must evidence leading a team or project | IELTS 6.5no component below 5.5 | cannot apply from Nepal Derby's page: international applications are September 2026 entry only and applicants must already be residing in the UK. £17,500 · £8,000 deposit. Agents only. |
| Derby Health & Humanities | MRes Health and CarePublic Health · Allied Health Professions CAS by 26 Nov 2026 | Kedleston Road, Derbycode MB7BH | UK 2:2 or aboveplus registration with a public health body or equivalent, or a relevant degree with substantial experience | IELTS 6.0min 6.0 each area — the lowest here | cannot apply from Nepal Same restriction. Needs a 500–600 word proposal. One year, three trimesters. Subject to minimum numbers. £17,500 · £8,000 deposit. |
| Derby Science & Engineering | MRes Engineering18 months, not 12 · Sept and Jan intakes CAS by 26 Nov 2026 | Markeaton Street, Derbycode MH9MR | UK 2:1 in engineering or closely relatedindustrial or professional engineering experience also considered | IELTS 6.5min 6.0 writing | cannot apply from Nepal Same restriction. ATAS certificate required. Rolls-Royce sponsorship is UK students only. £17,500 · £8,000 deposit. |
| Derby Science & Engineering | MRes Psychologyblended: online research-skills modules plus on-campus teaching CAS by 26 Nov 2026 | Kedleston Road, Derbycode MC8AS | UK 2:1 in psychology or closely relatedneeds good coverage of undergraduate research methods | IELTS 6.5min 6.0 each skill area | no residency clause published Unlike Derby's other three, this page carries no September-2026/UK-resident restriction and says apply directly. Confirm before relying on it. £17,500 · £8,000 deposit. |
| University | Course | Campus | Academic entry | English | Notes that decide the case |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anglia Ruskin ARU | MRes Life Sciencesalso runs January 2027 | Cambridge | First, 2:1 or 2:2may also consider 5+ years of relevant industry experience | IELTS 6.5min 5.5 each component | The most forgiving entry route here — and the only one with a published experience-based alternative. 1 yr FT / 2 yrs PT. |
| Sussex | MRes Advanced Artificial Intelligence | Falmer, Brighton | UK 2:1 in CS, maths, physics or engineeringtranscript must evidence ML/statistical modelling, linear algebra and programming | IELTS 6.0min 5.5 each component | Not a conversion course. Prerequisites must appear in the transcript. International deadline 1 August 2027. |
| Manchester Russell Group | MRes Management | Oxford Road, Manchester | UK 2:1 or overseas equivalentprofessional qualifications/experience may also count | IELTS 7.06.5 other components | TOEFL iBT 100 (25 all sections) or PTE 76 accepted. Students must normally live within commuting distance while registered. |
| Imperial College London | MRes Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning | South Kensington | First-class or equivalent in CS, maths, physics, engineering, economics or a heavily mathematical discipline | verify on opening | Applications expected to open October 2026. Prior CS study not mandatory, but linear algebra, calculus, probability and statistics are. Some applicants need ATAS clearance. |
| Strathclyde Glasgow | MRes Mathematical Sciences120-credit project plus 60 credits taught September start ONLY | Glasgow, Scotland | UK First or 2:1 or equivalent | IELTS 6.5no component below 5.5 | £24,350 international 2026/27 (£23,100 in 2025/26). No January intake — do not offer this as a January option. International students cannot take the part-time route. ATAS may be required. Two references, one academic. £2,000 deposit. Strathclyde also runs MRes Physics, Economics, Geoenvironmental Engineering, Biofluid Mechanics, Speech & Language Sciences and Research Methodology for Business & Management. |
| Aston Birmingham | MRes Biosciences | Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET | UK 2:1 in a biological, biomedical or biochemistry-based subject, or a related field | IELTS 6.5min 6.0 all bands | Published and bookable. confirm intake and international fee — Aston lists several start dates a year across its masters portfolio and the MRes fee is not published on this page. |
| Aston | MRes Clinical and Health Researchwork-based · 1 yr FT or 2 yrs PT | Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET | UK 2:1 in a clinical or health-related disciplineapplicants must already be working in a clinical or health setting and able to carry out research in that environment | IELTS 6.5min 6.0 all bands | £24,800 international 2026/27. The employment condition rules out most applicants from Nepal — it is not a standard graduate-entry course. confirm intake |
The university has restricted this intake to onshore UK students of all nationalities and students based in Nepal. Every other market is closed. Nothing else on this page is scoped to Nepal in that way, which makes it the strongest single opportunity here.
| Course | Length | Research proposal | What decides the case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional MRes International Businesswebsite name: International Business — Professional MSc by Research | 2 years | Not required | £13,830/yr international → £27,660 over two years. 2:2, IELTS 6.5 (6.0 writing, 5.5 each). Oxstalls, Gloucester. The only research route here with no proposal to write, which makes it the realistic one for a student applying at short notice. Progression risk: an existing MSc in International Business or a close Business/Management master’s may be judged unsuitable progression and refused. |
| MRes — all other subjects | 2 years | Mandatory | Decisions 10–12 weeks minimum. Follow the university’s published proposal guidance rather than a generic template. |
| Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) | 4 years | Mandatory | A doctorate (RQF 8) — so unlike every master’s on this page it carries dependant rights in its own right, with no argument about whether the course counts as research-based. Decisions 10–12 weeks. verify entry and fee |
| Doctor of Education (EdD) | 4 years | Not requiredbut academic writing quality is decisive | Doctorate (RQF 8), dependant rights in its own right. No proposal needed, which lowers the barrier considerably for a teacher or education professional. Decisions 10–12 weeks. verify entry and fee |
| PhD | 4 years | Mandatory | Doctorate (RQF 8), dependant rights in its own right. Decisions 10–12 weeks. verify entry and fee |
| MA Social Work | — | — | Automatic £5,000 fee waiver on this programme. Note this is a taught MA, not a research degree, so it carries no dependant rights. verify entry, English and registration requirements |
Every other Gloucestershire course is closed for this intake — including ones the website will still show as open. The university has warned that some courses appear available online because they are open to Home (UK) applicants, and that applications submitted for those will not be processed. Treat the list above as the whole of what can be applied for, and do not take the public course search as evidence that something else is bookable.
Searching for this on the website will fail. The agent-facing list says “Professional MRes International Business”; the website lists the same programme under “MSc by Research”, and a search of the course catalogue for MRes returns no results at all. Use the website’s wording when checking fees and modules, and the agent wording when applying. Course list, deadlines, proposal rules and decision timelines here are from the university’s South Asia recruitment team (partner communication, September 2026); entry, English, fee, campus and duration were confirmed on Gloucestershire’s own course page.
| Applicant profile | Prioritise | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Relevant bachelor's at UK 2:2, IELTS 6.5 | BCU Health & Life Sciences · BCU Sustainable Engineering (if the degree is relevant) · ARU Life Sciences · Portsmouth, subject to specialism fit | These are the routes that publish 2:2-level entry or assess on broad subject relevance. |
| Strong 2:1 with a clear proposal, IELTS 6.5 | The BCU portfolio · Portsmouth · Birmingham Clinical Health Research · Greater Manchester AI · Sussex Advanced AI | These emphasise 2:1 academics, disciplinary relevance or demonstrated research preparation. |
| Very strong quantitative profile, First-equivalent | Imperial AI and Machine Learning, and other highly competitive specialist MRes options | Imperial requires a First-class degree and substantial mathematical readiness. |
| Mature applicant, substantial professional experience, weaker classification | ARU Life Sciences, subject to relevance and institutional discretion | ARU is the one institution here that publishes an experience-based route — at least five years of relevant industry experience. |
| Needs Student Route sponsorship | Full-time campus-based January, February or September routes only, once CAS availability is confirmed | Never treat a part-time, flexible or distance format as visa-eligible by default. This is the most common way an MRes recommendation goes wrong. |
These are recorded as unconfirmed on purpose. An unverified figure is safer than an invented one, but only if the gap is visible.
business-and-management-mres redirects to the taught MSc page, and computer-science-mres and engineering-mres redirect to a Microsoft staff login — all returning HTTP 200, so an automated check reads them as fine. The MSc’s £25,500 is not the MRes fee and must not be quoted as one. Aston’s MRes Biosciences and Clinical & Health Research pages do resolve and are in the table above; MRes Neuropharmacology also exists. Confirm intake dates, international fees and whether applications have opened before counselling any Aston MRes.It is a different signal, not a lesser one. An MRes evidences independent research capability and is the standard route into a PhD, which is why several of these courses describe doctoral progression explicitly. For a student whose goal is a research or academic career, or a PhD application, it is the stronger qualification. For a student whose goal is a specific industry job, a taught master's with a placement may communicate more directly.
A master's-level qualification gets the Graduate Route on the same terms as any other — 2 years for anyone applying on or before 31 December 2026, and 18 months for anyone applying on or after 1 January 2027. Three years applies to a PhD, not to an MRes. Since these courses start in January and February 2027 and run 12 months, a graduate will be applying well after the cut, so plan on 18 months.
Research degrees are not tied to a taught-module calendar in the way an MSc is, so universities can start a supervised project at more than one point in the year. That is genuinely useful for a student who missed September, had a refusal elsewhere, or needs time to prepare funds — but it also means the intake exists only where a supervisor is free, which is why the deadlines are early and places close when filled rather than on a fixed date.
Generally no. Birmingham City University states it is unable to consider any application submitted without a personal statement and project proposal. Edge Hill caps the proposal at 1,000 words and also asks for an academic CV, passport scan, budget sheet and transcripts. The University of Greater Manchester requires roughly 1,000 words and an academic interview in which the applicant defends the research idea. Budget real time for the proposal — it is the part of the application that decides the outcome.
The Master Reckoner carries verified international fees, English requirements and entry routes for the UK alongside New Zealand, Canada, Malaysia and Thailand — so you can put an MRes next to the taught alternative before advising.
Open the Master Reckoner