Postgraduate Taught Degrees
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I eligible for postgraduate study?
To be eligible for postgraduate study you need to have a good UK Honours
degree or overseas equivalent. Good relevant work experience
may also be taken into account. Non-native English speakers will
need an English language qualification.
Please note that the Admissions Tutors can only determine the eligibility of
international students by seeing a full academic transcript and academic
references. Regretfully, we are unable to comment on qualifications via email.
Are there restrictions on part-time study?
Please note that studying part-time is only an option for home or EU students
and not for overseas students.
Do I need an English language qualification?
A satisfactory level of competence in the English language - speaking,
listening, reading and writing - is essential for international students who
wish to undertake postgraduate studies in the UK.
Non-native speakers of English must provide proof of
English language
ability in order to be accepted on a postgraduate module.
We accept the following qualifications:
TOEFL - 220 computer-based, 83 internet-based or higher
IELTS - 6.0 or higher
Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English - Grade C or higher
Certificate of Proficiency in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) awarded by
the University of Essex with an overall mark of 60% or higher
Please note that this is the absolute minimum requirement and students will
not be permitted to register for a postgraduate degree in the School of Computer
Science and Electronic Engineering without one of these English language
qualifications at or higher than the stated level.
Exceptions may be made only in a small number of cases, for example where a
student from overseas has obtained a Bachelor degree in the UK.
An offer of admission may be made to an international student who does not
have one of the required English qualifications, in which case the offer will be
conditional on obtaining one or on successful completion of a suitable
pre-sessional
English course.
We cannot over emphasise the importance of a
satisfactory command of English if students are to succeed in their postgraduate
studies and we therefore strongly recommend that international students consider
enrolling for a pre-sessional English course run by our
International Academy (formerly known as the English Language Teaching
Centre). We recommend the 15 or 10 week course for students who have reached the
minimum requirement, and the 10 or 5 week course for those who have obtained a
higher level.
When do postgraduate modules run?
The academic year for taught postgraduate students runs from October to
September. See also
Term dates.
Can I start my MSc in January or April?
No, there is only an October intake each year to all of the MSc taught
modules in this School.
How much will it cost?
You can find details of tuition fees for our courses
on the
University fees pages.
Estimated
living expenses per year for postgraduate students are between £8,500
and £9,000.
Is there any funding available?
Sources of Funding
Many UK students fund themselves through
Career
Development Loans.
Overseas students should seek advice from their nearest British Council
Office on possible external sources of funding. Further information may be found
on the Student
Support Office International Students web page.
How do I apply?
The easiest way to apply is by submitting an
online application
form and then mailing us your supporting documents.
All of the information you require at the application stage is available on
the University of Essex and School of Computer Science and Electronic
Engineering web pages. However, should you wish to be sent a postal application
pack, you may request one via email using the online enquiry form.
Please allow time for your request to be processed and your pack to reach you
(up to 10 working days for UK destinations, 2 - 3 weeks for overseas).
How will I know if you have received my application?
You will be sent an acknowledgement via email as soon as an online
application or a postal application has been received. Please allow enough time
for postal applications to arrive before contacting us as mail from outside the
UK can take several weeks to reach us.
How long does it take to process an application?
Once all relevant supporting documents have been received, the papers are
passed to a Graduate Admissions Tutor. Provided we have received all necessary
documentation, we aim to process taught module applications within a week
although at certain peak periods it may take a little longer.
Graduate Admissions Tutors make recommendations to the Dean of the Graduate
School. Applicant files are then forwarded to the Graduate Admissions Office
which sends out formal offer letters. In addition, you should allow a reasonable
time for the postal service, in the UK and abroad, but if you have not heard
from us within 4 weeks of sending all requested documents, please contact the
Graduate Administrator.
In order to consider making an admissions offer, the Graduate Admissions
Tutors need information about your background and previous qualifications and
experience. We therefore ask you to supply transcript(s) of previous degree(s)
and other educational or professional qualifications showing the subjects
studied and examination marks obtained, together with two references from
academics who have taught you (or one academic and an employer if relevant), who
can comment on your past achievement and suitability for postgraduate study.
References should be sealed in an envelope which should then be signed on the
back by the referee. The referees may then pass the references to the applicant,
or alternatively, mail them direct to us.
You may also send us anything else you think may be relevant to your
application (for example, professional or prize certificates), and in the case
of non-native English speakers an English language test score if you have one.
I obtained my Bachelor degree a long time ago and cannot get an academic
reference, what should I do?
Occasionally mature students may have difficulty in finding a former lecturer
or tutor to write a reference for them. If this happens, you should ask your
former academic department to send a letter to the Graduate Administrator
confirming your attendance and the qualification you obtained, and you should
obtain two employers' references to submit with your application.
I am a student from a country outside the EEA (European Economic Area). Can
I work in the UK after finishing my degree?
Please consult the
Home Office web site, in particular information with regards to
post-study workers.
Will I be able to live on campus?
Most of our postgraduate students live in University-owned accommodation,
mostly on campus, a few close to the campus. There is also a lot of private
accommodation available within a reasonable distance of the University.
Overseas students who have accepted an offer of admission and have submitted
an accommodation application form together with a deposit by the deadline are
guaranteed University-owned accommodation. Home and EU students are treated on a
"first come, first served" basis and should make sure that they apply in good
time. For more information see the
Accommodation Web Pages.
I have accepted an offer of admission - what happens next?
From May/June onwards, the Graduate Admissions Office will send to all
prospective students who have provisionally accepted an offer of admission a
pack containing registration papers, an accommodation application form and
booklets which provide all the information that you are likely to need before
you come to Essex.
If you hold an unconditional offer, you will be asked to confirm acceptance
of your place by completing and returning the "confirmation of status/financial
guarantee form". Graduate Admissions will then confirm your place and, in the
case of overseas students, send you a letter which you may use to apply for a
student visa.
If you hold a conditional offer, you are asked to return the form together
with proof that you have fulfilled the condition, or conditions, as soon as this
is available.
Do I need to do any preparatory work before commencing my postgraduate
studies?
Intending MSc students are strongly encouraged to do some preparatory study
before commencing the degree. There are recommendations on preparatory work in
the description of certain degree schemes, please click on the appropriate link
below:
Recommended reading can also be found by following the links to the individual
modules listed in the description of each MSc scheme.
![[picture of teaching session]](/csee/images/rotator/lb9.jpg)
