MEnvSci Environmental Science with International Study

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

• Earth and Environmental Sciences
• Biological Sciences
• Chemistry
• Environmental Sciences
• Geology
• Physics and Astronomy
• Physical Geography

AAB, including at least one science subject.

Subjects considered to be science subjects are Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Geology, Environmental Science, and Geography.

If Geography is the only science subject being taken, the offer will typically specify an A in Geography and applicants may first be required to attend an interview online or in person to assess their suitability for the course.

If you do not have the required grades or subjects you may want to consider our integrated foundation year.

Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore there will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A-level taken. Where applicants are applying for science and related degrees, this is likely to be made explicit in the offers you will receive. 

Please check for specific GCSE/IGCSE subject entry requirements below

Your application will be considered against the standard selection process of your chosen course if you either: 

a) sat your examinations early; 

or

b) followed an accelerated curriculum and spent three years studying A-levels where the examinations were taken over two years. 

If you are studying an advanced curriculum where the examinations are spread over three years, consideration for an offer will be at the discretion of the admissions tutor for that subject.

ABB, including at least one science subject.

Subjects considered to be science subjects are Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Geology, Environmental Science, and Geography.

If Geography is the only science subject being taken, the offer will typically specify an A in Geography and applicants may first be required to attend an interview online or in person to assess their suitability for the course.

Find out more about contextual admissions.

Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore there will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A-level taken. Where applicants are applying for science and related degrees, this is likely to be made explicit in the offers you will receive. 

Please check for specific GCSE/IGCSE subject entry requirements below

Contextual offers are available for applicants who:

• live in the UK and will be under the age of 21 on 1 September of the year they will start their course; and
• live in an area of disadvantage or with low progression into higher education; and
• have attended a UK school or college for their GCSEs or A-levels (or equivalent qualifications) that has performed below the national average over multiple years.

See our contextual admissions page for full details and to check your eligibility.

BBB/ABC, including at least one science subject.

Subjects considered to be science subjects are Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Geology, Environmental Science, and Geography.

If Geography is the only science subject being taken, the offer will typically specify an A in Geography and applicants may first be required to attend an interview online or in person to assess their suitability for the course.

Practical skills are a crucial part of science education and therefore will be a requirement to pass the practical element of any science A Level taken. Where applicants are applying for science and related degrees, this is likely to be made explicit in the offer you will receive.

Applicants taking A Levels are normally expected to offer three full A Levels. If you’re taking more than three A Levels, these won’t be included in your offer. We will only make offers consisting of three A Levels.  

Please check for specific GCSE/IGCSE subject entry requirements below

UK refugee/care-experienced offers are available for applicants who:

• have been looked after in care for more than three months; or
• have been granted refugee status by the UK government or have been issued a UK visa under one of the Ukrainian schemes (Homes for Ukraine, Ukraine Family Scheme or Ukraine Extension Scheme).

See our contextual admissions page for full details and to check your eligibility.

35 points overall with 6,6,5 at Higher Level, including at least one science subject.

We will accept Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches or Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation. 

Applicants must demonstrate a broad general education, typically a minimum of five GCSE/IGCSEs, including acceptable levels of literacy and numeracy, equivalent to at least grade 4/C in GCSE/IGCSE English Language and grade 6/B in GCSE/IGCSE Mathematics.

GCSE/IGCSE English Literature will not be accepted in lieu of GCSE/IGCSE English Language.

We accept a range of qualifications from different countries.

Detailed information on our international entry criteria is available on the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences website .

For general entry requirements for countries not listed above, see accepted entry qualifications from your country . Please note that these general requirements may differ from the Department’s requirements.

The minimum English Language requirement for this course is either:

• GCSE/IGCSE English Language grade 4/C,
• IELTS 6.5 overall with no sub-skill below 6.0,
• TOEFL iBT 90 overall with no sub-score below 20. We do not accept TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition, or;
• An acceptable equivalent qualification .

Where specified, we also require grade 1 or 2 in the Oral Exam component of the IGCSE English Language (first or second language) qualification.

Please note that if you hold English as a Second Language IGCSE qualification, we may also require you to offer one of our acceptable equivalent English Language qualifications or achieve a higher grade in your IGCSE than the one stated above.

If you need to improve your English language skills to meet the entry requirements for your academic course, the University Centre for Academic English (UCAE) summer pre-sessional courses can help. Check if your academic course offers the option of taking a pre-sessional course on the UCAE page .

The UK Visas and Immigration ( UKVI ) student-visas requires that every student requiring a visa to study in the UK must show evidence of a minimum level of English Language (Common European Framework (CEFR) B2 level) to be granted a Student Route visa (previously known as a Tier 4 visa) to study at undergraduate or postgraduate level.

In addition, our academic Schools/Departments may require applicants to demonstrate English proficiency above the B2 level. Further information about our English Language policy, including a list of some of the English Language qualifications we accept, can be found on our website.

Fees for entry in 2026 have not yet been set. For entry in 2025 the tuition fees were £9,535 per annum for home students, and are expected to increase slightly for 2026 entry.

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).

The University of Manchester is committed to attracting and supporting the very best students. We have a focus on nurturing talent and ability and we want to make sure that you have the opportunity to study here, regardless of your financial circumstances.

For information about scholarships and bursaries please visit our  undergraduate student finance pages  and the  Department funding pages .

If you are a student who has followed a non-standard educational route, e.g. you have been educated at home; your application will be considered against the standard entry criteria of the course for which you are applying. You will be required to demonstrate that you meet the specified academic entry requirements of the course.  

We will also require a reference from somebody who knows you well enough, in an official capacity, to write about you and your suitability for higher education. Please refer to UCAS for further information.

If you are a home-schooled student and would like further information or advice please contact the Department Admissions Team.

Mature applicants who are returning to studies after a break from formal education will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

If you require further clarification about the acceptability of the qualifications you hold please contact the Department Admissions Team directly. Further information for mature students  can be found on our website.

All applications are considered on an individual basis once we receive a formal application through UCAS which includes details of the subjects taken and grades achieved, a personal statement, academic reference and your predicted grades (if you have not yet taken your final examinations).

Applicants are not routinely interviewed. In the majority of cases, admissions decisions will be made on the basis of the application information alone. However, depending on the qualifications taken, applicants may be invited to undertake an interview online or in person before a final decision is made.

All applicants should be aware that, if they are interviewed, information provided in the personal statement may be used as the basis for further discussion in an interview with an academic member of staff.

Further information and advice on writing your personal statement and the UCAS application process can be found on the UCAS website .

Applications for deferred entry are considered equally to other applications up to the point of confirmation.

Deferred entry is granted at the discretion of admissions staff, and is normally granted for one year only and two years at the maximum in exceptional circumstances.

Some English Language test results, such as IELTS or TOEFL, are only valid for two years from the test date. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.

We normally guarantee a place in the current year should an applicant's gap year plans change. However, this is subject to availability of places.

We are happy to consider applicants who are taking their examinations in different sittings, provided they were taken over the standard two-year period.

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.

If you are applying for a place for the same year of entry through UCAS Extra, you should provide additional evidence of your suitability for the course. If you are applying through UCAS Clearing, you are required to meet the Clearing requirements. In both UCAS Extra and Clearing, places will be subject to availability. 

We are happy to consider students who want to transfer to the first year of this course from other courses within the University. Transfers into the first or second year from other institutions are considered on a case-by-case basis.

If you wish to enquire about whether you would be eligible to apply for entry onto the first or second year, please contact the Admissions Team with full details of your qualifications and copies of your transcripts to date. 

Our Environmental Science course covers all major aspects of the earth system. The course has a common first year, allowing you to choose your degree pathway based on your experience during year 1.

In years 2 and 3 you'll follow your choice of pathway. Each pathway is defined to ensure you develop core knowledge alongside a choice of optional units.

Our first year will introduce you to the modern way we study the Earth. The emphasis in the first year is on building foundational knowledge in the natural sciences, tailored to the Earth, planets and their environments, and on developing practical and transferrable skills.

During this year you will study the principles that underlie all our pathways and will receive one-on-one advice to help you choose your preferred pathway at the end of the first year.  Every first year student will be supported by our peer mentoring schemes and small group work with an academic tutor

The first year units will develop your theoretical knowledge, your numerical, field and laboratory skills, and aid your professional development:

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

In year 2 you will tailor your studies to your own academic interests by focusing on a particular aspect of the Earth's environmental system.  Each pathway  consists of the series of core units and extends topics from your first year, introducing new areas in your area of specialisation.

For an indicate list of the course units for each pathway, please click on the links below:

Pollution and Environmental Processes -  On this pathway you'll study climate change, biodiversity and environmental management, pollution and control, population dynamics, ecosystems and urbanisation, tackling some of the global grand and pressing problems that will ensure human needs are met in a sustainable way.

Atmospheric and Climate Science -  Understanding the atmosphere allows us to address a wide range of societal and environmental issues, including weather forecasting, urban air quality, pollutant transport and climate change. On this pathway you'll focus on the atmosphere and its relationship to the Earth system, as well as to society.

Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology -  The Earth is the only known planet supporting life. The history of the Earth is intertwined with the history of life, and the world is both shaped by, and shapes, the organisms alive today. This pathway focuses on understanding those relationships.

Students on the international study programme select the University and units they would like to study during their placement year. You will be assisted in making this choice by your programme director and the study abroad placement academic tutor.

Eligibility for continuation on this MEnvSci programme is at our discretion, based on your general performance and your second year mark. If you are not eligible you will be transferred to the BSc programme.

During your international study, you will effectively be a student of the host institution. You will follow a course that is broadly similar to that delivered to the third-year students who stay in Manchester, but you may have study options that may not currently be available in Manchester and that are unique to the country you are visiting. The course you follow will be carefully chosen to ensure that your education development is at the correct level. Your placement year will be fully assessed by the host university and will involve coursework, laboratory classes, and examinations. You may have the opportunity to attend field courses in that country and we encourage you to make the most of this opportunity.

The study abroad academic tutor will be in contact with you during your stay and will provide help and support when necessary.

We choose our partner universities on the basis of their academic standing and their ability to provide an overall educational experience similar to that of Manchester. We regularly review our partner universities to ensure that your educational experience is not compromised during your year abroad. As a result, it is important to note that our list of host institutions may change as a result of this auditing exercise.

The current list of worldwide placement institutions includes:

• University of Toronto
• The University of Auckland
• University of Sydney Utrecht University
• University of Western Australia
• University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• University of British Columbia
• University of Illinois
• University of Queensland
• University of Melbourne

On returning to Manchester for your fourth and final year, you'll carry out an extended individual research project working alongside world-leading scientists using state-of-the-art research facilities, study subject-related units, and attend specialist lectures.

This programme is accredited by the Committee of Heads of Environmental Sciences (CHES), the education committee of the Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES). CHES is the collective voice of the environmental sciences academic community and serves to enhance the quality of environmental education worldwide.

A programme accredited by CHES is assured to meet high standards, contain a strong component of practical, field and theoretical activities, and has excellent opportunities for training, work experience and links to the professional environmental sector. Students enrolled on CHES accredited programmes can apply for free Student Membership of the IES and for a fast-track route to membership once they graduate, starting you on a route towards becoming a Chartered Environmentalist or Chartered Scientist.