Master of Science
MSc Nanomaterials
Gain hands-on training in the dynamic and cutting-edge field of nano and functional materials
Due to high demand for this course, we operate a staged admissions process with multiple selection deadlines throughout the year, to maintain a fair and transparent approach.
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Overview
Course overview
- Specialise in the field of nanomaterials and gain an in-depth understanding of their properties and characterisation techniques.
- Explore scale-dependant properties of materials and their link to functionality and applications.
- Learn about strategies for nanomaterials assembly in 3D and nanocomposite fabrication with a view on their advantages and limitations.
- Undertake an extensive research project and deepen your knowledge in an area of your interest.
- We are ranked 4 th in the UK, and 21st in the world, for Materials Science (QS World Rankings 2025).
- Accredited by the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3).
- Learn in our brand-new Home of Engineering and Materials . A purpose-built space for innovation and creativity that is transforming the way our students study, research and shape the world.
A study experience that makes a difference
We place social responsibility at the heart of your learning which means you can take advantage of unique ways to make a difference while studying with us, through your course or through extra-curricular activities.
- Complete our Ethical Grand Challenges to learn how you can create a better world and become more socially responsible.
- Work with an external organisation to tackle real-world sustainability problems through our University Living Lab.
- Discover subjects that broaden your horizon with our interdisciplinary learning opportunities.
Explore how you'll make your mark
Every course at Manchester contributes towards the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, so no matter what you're studying you'll be playing an active role in the protection of people and planet.
You will explore the following goals in your course:
- Goal 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure
Open days
Contact details
- Department
- Department of Materials
- Contact name
- Postgraduate Admissions Team
- Telephone
- +44 (0)161 529 3043
- pgt-materials@manchester.ac.uk
- Website
- https://www.materials.manchester.ac.uk
- School/Faculty overview
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Our internationally-renowned expertise across the School of Natural Sciences informs research led teaching with strong collaboration across disciplines, unlocking new and exciting fields and translating science into reality. Our multidisciplinary learning and research activities advance the boundaries of science for the wider benefit of society, inspiring students to promote positive change through educating future leaders in the true fundamentals of science. Find out more about Science and Engineering at Manchester .
Courses in related subject areas
Entry requirements
Academic entry qualification overview
You will need at least a UK 2.2 Honours degree or overseas equivalent in Materials Science, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Nanoscience or Nanotechnology.Alternatively, a UK 2.1 Honours degree or equivalent is required in Physics, Mathematics, Civil Engineering, Electrical/Electronic Engineering or Biochemical Engineering.
Other backgrounds may also be considered. For more details, please email pgt-materials@manchester.ac.uk
English language
All applicants will need to demonstrate competency in English language. Applicants who do not already possess an acceptable English Language qualification will need to take a recognised test and attain the required English Language score:
- IELTS: at least 6.5 overall with no sub-test below 6.0.
- TOFEL iBT: at least 90 overall with no sub-test below 20. We do not accept 'MyBestScore'.
- Pearson PTE: at least 70 overall with no sub-test below 65.
Further information on language requirements can be found on our website .
Pre-sessional English
We will consider applicants who do not meet these scores but you may be required to complete a pre-sessional English language course at the University of Manchester prior to the start of the course.
To be considered for a pre-sessional English language course for this programme we require the following minimum IELTS (Academic) scores:
- 6 Week Pre-Sessional Course: Minimum 6.0 overall with no sub-test below 5.5.
- 10 Week Pre-sessional Course: Minimum 5.5 overall with no sub-test below 5.5.
If you have not yet completed your current academic study and are interested in studying a pre-sessional course, you must hold an IELTS for UKVI (Academic) test certificate.
English language test validity
Fees and funding
Fees
Fees for entry in 2026 have not yet been set. For reference, the fees for the academic year beginning September 2025 were as follows:
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MSc (full-time)
UK students (per annum): £14,000
International, including EU, students (per annum): £35,000
Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Scholarships/sponsorships
We offer a number of postgraduate taught scholarships and awards to outstanding UK and international students each year.
The University of Manchester is committed to widening participation in master's study, and allocates £300,000 in funding each year. Our Manchester Master's Bursaries are aimed at widening access to master's courses by removing barriers to postgraduate education for students from underrepresented groups.
We also welcome the best and brightest international students each year and reward excellence with a number of merit-based scholarships. See our range of master’s scholarships for international students .
And, if you have completed an undergraduate degree at The University of Manchester, or are currently in your final year of an undergraduate degree with us, you may be eligible for a discount of 10% on tuition fees if you choose to study on a taught postgraduate course here. Find out if you're eligible and how to apply .
For more information on master's tuition fees and studying costs, visit the University of Manchester funding for master's courses website to help you plan your finances.
Application and selection
How to apply
As there is high demand for this course we operate a staged admissions process with selection deadlines throughout the year. Please find more information in our Application and Selection section .
If you are made an offer, in order to confirm your place you will be required to make a deposit payment of £1,000 on or before the deadline date stated in your offer letter.
Please note, refunds are only given for a limited number of reasons, see our page on Acceptance deposits for more information.
Staged admissions
Due to the competition for places, we give preference to students with grades above our minimum entry requirements. If we make you an offer, you will have 6 weeks in which to accept. Any offers not accepted within 6 weeks will be withdrawn so that an offer can be made to another candidate.
- Stage 1: Application received by 24 October 2025. Decision by 12 December 2025.
- Stage 2: Application received by 12 December 2025. Decision by 13 February 2026.
- Stage 3: Application received by 20 February 2026. Decision by 24 April 2026.
- Stage 4: Application received by 01 May 2026. Decision by 19 June 2026.
You need to submit your supporting documents with your application as it may delay us processing your application by the decision deadline.
Whilst we aim to give you a decision on your application by the deadline date, in some instances due to the competition for places and the volume of applications received, it may be necessary to roll your application forward to the next stage. If this is the case we will let you know.
Applications received after our final application deadline will be considered at our discretion if places are still available.
Please note: All places are subject to availability and if you apply at one of the later stages, some courses may already be closed. We therefore recommend that you apply early in the cycle to secure your place with us.
Applicants who are made a conditional offer of a place must demonstrate that they have met all the conditions of their offer by 31st July 2026.
Advice to applicants
We require the following documents before we can consider your application.
- Latest transcripts of study showing all modules completed including credit weighting and grades achieved
- If you have not yet graduated, a list of the modules that you will be completing in the final year of your degree together with their credit weighting
- An official document from your university verifying your current weighted average mark if this information is not included in your transcript of study. Please note : this must be recorded as a percentage, not as a GPA grade, and must give the weighted average mark, not an arithmetic average mark
- We require a reference from someone who has knowledge of your academic ability in support of your application. In most cases this should be an academic reference, from a lecturer or professor at your last/current university. In some cases (for example, if your academic studies occurred some time ago) it might be more appropriate to submit a recommendation from someone who is familiar with your professional experience. If you have difficulty in identifying a suitable referee you should ask for advice from the admissions team. We will contact the referee directly after you submit your application and direct them to complete our online reference form.
- Degree certificate if you have already graduated.
- Curriculum vitae (CV) if you graduated more than three years ago.
If English is not your first language, we also require proof of your English language ability. If you have already taken an English language qualification, please include your certificate with your application.
We may be willing to consider your application without this document, but if we choose to make you an offer, the conditions will include IELTS (or equivalent qualification).You must submit all these supporting documents with your application. If any of the above information is missing, we will not be able to consider your application and it will be rolled forward to the next stage or withdrawn.
How your application is considered
We consider your full academic history including which course units you have taken and the marks obtained. Even if you have met our minimum entry requirements, we will take into account your marks in relevant course units in our final decision making.
If you graduated more than three years ago, we will also consider the information contained on your CV and any relevant work experience you have to assess if you are still able to fulfil the entry criteria.
Interview requirements
Overseas (non-UK) applicants
CAS Information
Please upload a copy of your current valid passport with your application showing the photograph page with your application. For CAS purposes, this must show your full name, date of birth, nationality, passport number and the date the passport is valid until, which must be later than the date of your planned arrival in the UK, and the start date of your course.
If you have previously studied in the UK on a Student visa as an undergraduate or postgraduate student, please send a copy of your previous CAS statement to us as it will assist with the issue of your new CAS statement. This includes study in the UK on study abroad programmes and any study that you did not complete.
You cannot use your CAS to apply for a visa more than three months before the start date of your course. The Admissions Team will contact you at the appropriate time.
Your CAS number is only valid for one Student Route application.
ATAS Information
You should apply for an ATAS clearance certificate if your course requires it, unless you're exempt because you're a national of the UK, EU, EEA, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea or the USA.
Your Student Route Visa application, or extension of stay, will automatically be refused if you need an ATAS certificate and cannot provide one. For further guidance on obtaining an ATAS certificate, please see the information in our ATAS guidance .
Please do not apply for ATAS until contacted by your admissions team, as the information required is subject to change.
Failure to obtain a correct ATAS certificate will prevent our ability to issue a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies).
Deferrals
Applications for deferred entry are not accepted for this course. If you receive an offer for 2026 entry and decide not to accept it, you would need to withdraw your application and submit a new application for 2027 entry.
Please note: as we do not offer deferrals it is not possible to roll forward any previous deposits paid.
Re-applications
Course details
Course description
This exciting new one-year MSc provides research-focused teaching and training for graduates wishing to develop a career in the cutting-edge, dynamic field of nano and functional materials.
This MSc course provides an in-depth understanding of the principles governing nano and functional materials properties and synthesis, their characterisation and assembly into advanced functional devices, from photovoltaics to supercapacitors.
The master's covers a wide range of themes from advanced composites to graphene and functional nano materials. You will also gain hands-on advanced research training.
This course will prepare you to become an academic or industrial scientist with unique skills and expertise in nano and functional materials and related technologies.
Aims
This course provides research-focused teaching and training for graduates wishing to develop a career in nano and functional materials.Students will gain an in-depth understanding of the principles governing nano and functional materials properties and synthesis, their characterisation and assembly into advanced functional devices from photovoltaics to supercapacitors.
The course provides advanced knowledge and trainingin state-of-the-art nano and functional materials and devices with a focus on low-dimensional materials, from 0D quantum dots to graphene and related 2D materials. Students will develop an understanding of scale-dependant properties of materials and their link to functionality and applications; they will explore strategies for nanomaterials assembly in 3D and nanocomposite fabrication with a view on their advantages and limitations; and they will be provided with an overview of the potential socio-economic and environmental impacts of nanomaterials as a disruptive technology. World-class research papers and industrial case studies will guide teaching throughout.
Teaching and learning
The course is delivered through amix of lecturing, blended and small group tutorials with hands-on research training.
Coursework and assessment
We will assess your progress using:
- written reports
- oral presentations
- laboratory reports
- examinations
- dissertation project
Course unit details
Course unit list
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
---|---|---|---|
MATS63330 | 90 | Mandatory | |
MATS64101 | 15 | Mandatory | |
MATS64201 | 15 | Mandatory | |
MATS64602 | 15 | Mandatory | |
MATS64802 | 15 | Mandatory | |
MATS65060 | 0 | Mandatory | |
MATS67301 | 15 | Mandatory | |
MATS64702 | 15 | Optional | |
MATS65602 | 15 | Optional |
Facilities
The Department of Materials has moved to a brand new, state-of-the-art building, designed to transform the way our students study, research and shape the world. Our new Home for Engineering and Materials boasts a range of teaching spaces, lecture theatres, multi-purpose study areas, social spaces and of course fantastic laboratories.
The excellent materials science labs we have underpin our research and teaching activities. As well as our extensive laboratory facilities, including the electron microscopy suite, polymer processing equipment, corrosion labs, mechanical testing equipment and chemistry laboratories, we also have the National Graphene Institute and Henry Royce Institute right on our campus. Manchester is the place to be if you're a materials scientist!
Disability support
Careers
Career opportunities
This course aims to prepare graduates to become academic or industrial scientists with unique skills and expertise in nano and functional materials and related technologies.
Graduates from our Department progress on to fill key posts as materials scientists, engineers, project managers and consultants in academia, industry and research and development.
Accrediting organisations
This course is accredited by the Engineering Council and Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3).
Upon graduating with an a an accredited Bachelor’s (with Honours) in engineering/technology plus further learning of an accredited Master’s - such as this MSc course- students will have fulfilled the educational requirements for professional registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng).
Regulated by the Office for Students
The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website.
You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website.