MSc Polymer Materials Science and Engineering

Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.

• Materials
• Chemistry

You will need a UK 2.2 Honours degree or overseas equivalent in the following backgrounds; Materials Science, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Physical Chemistry, Polymer Engineering, Composite Materials and Engineering, Biofunctional Materials, Metallurgy and Macromolecular Materials and Engineering. We can consider Biomaterials, Material Physics and other backgrounds on a case by case basis.

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.

Some English language test results are only valid for two years. Your English language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.

A combination of educational and professional qualifications and industrial experience may also be approved for admission onto the programme. There is no specific entry requirement for registration for single units.

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2026, the tuition fees are as follows:

• MSc (full-time)
  UK students (per annum): £14,700
  International, including EU, students (per annum): £39,400

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition, administration and computational costs during your studies.

All fees for entry will be subject to yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of courses lasting more than a year for UK/EU students (fees are typically fixed for International students, for the course duration at the year of entry). For general fees information please visit: postgraduate fees . Always contact the department if you are unsure which fee applies to your qualification award and method of attendance.

Self-funded international applicants for this course will be required to pay a deposit of £1000 towards their tuition fees before a confirmation of acceptance for studies (CAS) is issued. This deposit will only be refunded if immigration permission is refused. We will notify you about how and when to make this payment.

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).

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.

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.

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.

No interview is required for this course.

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).

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.

If you applied in the previous year and your application was not successful you may apply again. Your application will be considered against the standard course entry criteria for that year of entry. In your new application you should demonstrate how your application has improved. We may draw upon all information from your previous applications or any previous registrations at the University as a student when assessing your suitability for your chosen course.

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: dass@manchester.ac.uk

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).