International Students

Internationally recognised and connected courses

We are currently recognised as being among the top five architecture schools in the world (QS World Rankings 2023) and you can see the work of our alumni across the globe as The Reichstag Dome, Berlin (Norman Foster) and The Highline, Chicago (James Corner).

Our students and alumni benefit from our international connections, with recent student project including collaborating with Fine Art students to produce site-specific installations for FAVOURITEN festival in Dortmund, and working in collaboration with the Faculty of Architecture at The University of Lisbon to create new structures and renovate existing features.

A vibrant city to call home

Located just two hours by train from London, Manchester is often referred to as the UK’s ‘second city’, with links to the rest of the UK by train and an airport located only 20 minutes outside the city centre.

Manchester has one of the largest student populations in the UK with over 100,000 students living and working in a city where over 200 languages are spoken. Its multicultural nature is evident in institutions such as the Centre for Contemporary Chinese Art, Instituto Cervantes and Alliance Francaise. 42% of those who study in Manchester choose to live here after graduation, including those who work in the city’s range of nationally and internationally renowned architecture practices.

Our city is renowned for being home to two football giants, Manchester United Football Club and Manchester City Football Club, as well as our rich musical heritage with The Smiths, Elbow and Joy Division being just some of the acts to emerge from our home city.

Our campus is based just 15 minutes’ walk from the city centre, and is along one of the busiest bus routes in Europe, meaning that it’s easy to reach Manchester’s bustling nightlife, culinary and cultural scenes.

Your home on campus

International students at Manchester School of Architecture can qualify for guaranteed accommodation in halls at The University of Manchester.

These halls offer a safe and welcoming environment for you to live and study alongside British students in close proximity to arts and cultural scenes, sporting events and nightlife of Manchester City Centre.

With over 8000 rooms, from modern flats to traditional college-style catered halls of residence, there are options to suit a range of budgets and preferences with many halls having their own social areas, libraries and sports facilities. However, wherever you stay, you are assured privacy, as all rooms are single occupancy, with specially adapted rooms available for students with disabilities.

A supportive and welcoming environment

The Student Support and Advice teams at The University of Manchester are here to help you with finding academic support, managing your finances, wellbeing and much more.

There are also sessions available to help you with developing your academic English, for essays and assessments, while The University of Manchester’s Student Immigration Team are here to help provide immigration advice to international students.

A dynamic campus

As well as societies about activities, hobbies and sports, there are societies for members of The University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University’s international communities.

You will have access to both Students’ Unions, and will be able to benefit from societies such as The Bulgarian Society, Chinese Society, Latinos Society, Middle Eastern and North African Society (MENA) to name just a few.

In addition, The University of Manchester’s International Society, based on Oxford Road, has over 3,000 members and holds over 40 classes a week as well as social event such as cultural nights and trips around to UK, to help you make the most of studying and living in Manchester.

Applying to Manchester School of Architecture

Details on how to apply for our courses and the latest fees information can be found on the individual courses pages, along with academic and English Language Entry requirements.

When applying for our courses, many international and EU students use a recruitment consultant or education advisor based in their home country to help them. Manchester School of Architecture works with a number of education advisers worldwide and you may and that we have one in your country. They will be able to tell you more about MSA and how best to present yourself in a way that will interest admissions tutors and some will offer you assistance with your visa and predeparture briefings.

Scholarships, Bursaries and Finance

Tuition fees for Manchester School of Architecture cover the cost of study, registration charges, tuition, supervision, examinations and graduation.

Our international fees are competitive and are fixed for the duration of your study, and the cost of living in Manchester is lower than in London and many other cities.

To help with financing your studies, The University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University, offer a variety of bursaries and scholarships for international students seeking financial support assistance with their studies.