University of Manchester

The University of Manchester is a public research university in Manchester, North West England, and a member of the Russell Group. It traces its origins to 1824 and took its present form in 2004, when the Victoria University of Manchester merged with UMIST. It describes itself as the largest single-site university in the UK, with more than 44,000 students and about 12,000 staff; QS counts around 19,600 international students, roughly 45% of the student body. Teaching and research are organised in three faculties: Biology, Medicine and Health; Science and Engineering; and Humanities, which includes the Alliance Manchester Business School. In REF 2021 it was ranked fifth in the UK for research power. Twenty-six Nobel Prize winners are among its alumni and staff, and graphene was first isolated there in 2004. It is known for engineering, computer science, materials, medicine, business and the social sciences. The campus runs along Oxford Road south of the city centre and includes the Manchester Museum, the Whitworth gallery and the Students' Union, with student residences in the City, Victoria Park and Fallowfield areas. Undergraduates apply through UCAS (institution code M20), while most taught master's courses use staged admission rounds and require a GBP 2,500 deposit before a CAS is issued.

Ranked #35 in the QS World University Rankings 2026 and joint #40 in QS 2027, joint #60 in THE 2027, and 24th in the Complete University Guide 2027.

Accreditations & Memberships

Score out of 100 across each QS evaluation pillar, with University of Manchester's global standing for that metric.

Popular Programs

Standardized Test Requirements

Financials

Where Graduates Land

Notable Alumni

The main campus stretches along Oxford Road just south of Manchester city centre, taking in the Main Library, the John Rylands Research Institute, the Manchester Museum, the Whitworth gallery and the Students' Union. University halls are grouped in three residential areas: City (e.g. Whitworth Park), Victoria Park (e.g. Dalton-Ellis Hall) and Fallowfield (e.g. Richmond Park).

Housing

Dining

Health & Wellness

Activities & Clubs

Undergraduate courses start in September; UCAS applications received by the January equal-consideration deadline are considered equally, late applications are considered until 30 June if places remain, and medicine and dentistry close in mid-October of the previous year. Most taught master's courses start in September and use staged admissions: for MSc Advanced Computer Science 2027 the rounds close on 6 November 2026, 1 January 2027, 26 February 2027 and 21 May 2027, and offer conditions must be met by 31 July 2027.