University in United Kingdom
Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
University profile
Ulster University is a public university in Northern Ireland and describes itself as the region's civic university. It is the only university spread across Northern Ireland, and it traces its roots to the Victorian era, with a history dating back to 1849. Its core activities are teaching and learning, widening access to education, research and innovation, and technology and knowledge transfer. It was named UK and Ireland University of the Year at the Times Higher Education Awards 2024.
The university operates as one institution with three campuses in Northern Ireland: Belfast in the Cathedral Quarter, Coleraine overlooking the River Bann and Derry~Londonderry overlooking the River Foyle, together with the Ulster University Sports Village at Jordanstown, Newtownabbey. Courses are also delivered at branch campuses in London and Birmingham. The new Belfast campus, a £250 million development, is one of the largest higher education capital builds in Europe.
Teaching and research are organised in four faculties:
Students live in university residences on or near each campus, from The Biscuit Factory in Belfast to Cranagh Village at Coleraine and Duncreggan Village in Derry~Londonderry. Halls offer 24/7 support and security and pastoral and wellbeing support, and the ResLife team runs community events. In 2025 the accommodation service won Best Student Community (UK and Ireland) at the Global Student Living Awards. Each campus has a Students' Union, clubs and societies and sports facilities.
Ulster welcomes international students from more than 70 countries. International applicants can apply directly or through UCAS (institution code U20), and support includes the Global Buddy mentoring scheme, a pre-sessional English programme and an integrated International Foundation Year. Ulster holds an overall 5 Star rating in the QS Stars assessment. The university is constituted by a Royal Charter that took effect on 1 October 1984.
Fees are subject to an annual increase. Some health courses are fully funded by the Department of Health. A postgraduate tuition fee loan of up to £10,000 is available from Student Finance NI, and there is a 10% alumni discount. Tuition fees
For international students (excluding UK and RoI) with a full-time undergraduate or postgraduate taught offer at the Belfast, Coleraine or Derry~Londonderry campuses, starting in January or September 2027. Postgraduates with the equivalent of a UK 2:1 receive £5,000. Undergraduates with the equivalent of A-level BBB receive £5,000 in year 1 and £3,000 a year in years 2-4, excluding the placement year. Country Scholarships of up to £4,000 (undergraduate: up to £4,000 in year 1 and £2,000 a year after) are available to applicants who meet the entry requirements. Scholarships cannot be combined. All international applicants are assessed automatically when an offer is made, and no separate application is needed. Part-time, eLearning and branch-campus programmes are not eligible. Global Excellence Scholarship
Other international awards are the GREAT Scholarship (with the British Council, for postgraduate programmes excluding eLearning), the John J Sweeney Scholarship (US students on specified MSc/MA courses), DUFE PhD Scholarships, the Study Abroad Scholarship (for former exchange students returning for a master's) and the International Accommodation Bursary for new international students at the Belfast campus, which has a limited number of awards. External schemes listed for international students include Chevening, Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships, British Council, Mitchell Scholarships, COLFUTURO and FIDERH. International scholarships
Bursaries do not have to be repaid, and students do not need to apply for them. The University Access Bursary is 10% of the annual fee, which is £498 in 2026/27. It is for Northern Ireland-resident full-time first-degree or PGCE students paying £4,985 whose household income, as assessed by Student Finance NI, is no more than £19,203. Nursing, Allied Health and NI Social Work students are excluded. The Care Leaver Bursary (£1,000 for 2024/25) supports full-time undergraduates who have been in care for three months or more. Students qualify by ticking the in-care box on the UCAS form. A Financial Hardship Fund is also available. Bursaries
The scholarship finder lists 24 upcoming awards, including the All Ireland Scholarships Scheme for EMA recipients, Individual Performance Sport Scholarships, the McColgan Engineering Scholarship (£1,000 a year for up to 4 years), the Sharlene Gill Scholarship for Women in Engineering (full NI fees in years two and four and the placement year), the SSE Renewables Scholarship (50% of tuition fees for students from counties Derry, Donegal, Fermanagh and Tyrone), the ICAEW Foundation Scholarship, A&O Shearman Scholarships (LLM Access to Justice) and Choice Scholarships. Scholarships
Individual Performance Sport Scholarships →
Browse the scholarships listed for Ulster University and check each award’s eligibility.
View scholarships for Ulster University →Full-time undergraduate applications are made through UCAS (institution code U20). Part-time undergraduate courses are applied for directly through the university's online application system from the course page. Each course page sets out its entry requirements, and an Equivalency Checker shows whether non-A-level qualifications are acceptable. For 2026 entry, the UCAS deadlines were 15 October 2025 for most medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses, 14 January 2026 as the equal-consideration deadline for most courses, and 30 June 2026 as the final date for guaranteed consideration before Clearing. Under the Talented Athlete Scheme, offers to applicants who make Ulster their firm choice are reduced by two grades or 16 UCAS tariff points, to a minimum of CCC or 96 tariff points.
International qualifications are assessed individually against guidance such as the British Council and UK ENIC. The minimum for undergraduate entry is the equivalent of three A-levels at CCC, with higher grades or particular subjects required for some programmes. Competence in written and spoken English is a General Entrance Requirement. Applicants may need to verify their qualifications through Qualification Check. The integrated International Foundation Year leads to an Ulster degree and is offered with more than 25 bachelor's programmes. International applicants may apply directly or through UCAS. The MSAT-Ulster test is used in selecting international applicants for BSc Hons Nursing (Adult/Mental Health).
Most courses require IELTS Academic 6.0 with no band below 5.5 (IELTS Academic Online and One Skill Retake are accepted), or Trinity ISE Level III with a pass in each component. Some courses require higher scores. Other accepted tests include TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Duolingo, LanguageCert, Cambridge, Oxford Test of English, OIDI ELLT and Skills for English, and these must normally have been taken within the last two years. Applicants with an IELTS of 5.5 (with only one band at 5.0) can take the 7-week pre-sessional course, which runs from 15 July to 4 September and costs £1,390. The application closing date was 22 May 2026.
Applicants apply directly from the online course page by completing an enquiry form, then follow the emailed link to the application form. They need contact details, qualifications and award dates, evidence of English language if English is not their first language, and funding details. For most programmes, applications should be made at least two weeks before the semester starts. Some courses, such as the PGCE, have their own deadlines. Applicants receive an unconditional or conditional offer or a decline.
PhD applications, funded and self-funded, are handled through the Doctoral College.
For applicants from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Ghana and Nepal, the deadlines are: apply by 13 November 2026, meet offer conditions by 18 November, pay the deposit by 24 November and complete the CAS request by 1 December 2026. For the rest of the world, they are 4 December, 7 December, 11 December and 14 December 2026. International students (excluding UK and RoI) pay a minimum tuition deposit after receiving an unconditional offer. Paying the deposit does not guarantee a Certificate of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). Places are confirmed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Every campus has a library, computer suites and free wifi. The SafeZone app connects students to university security 24/7.
Study programmes offered at Ulster University.
Experiences shared by students of Ulster University.
Studied here? Share your experience to help other applicants.
Book a free consultation with our expert counsellors and take the first step towards your dream university.
Copyrights © 2026 StudyMapped. All rights reserved.
Enter your credentials to continue.
Join us and start your study abroad journey.
