Fees and costs

Learn about the fees and costs for postgraduate research.

There are three different fees and costs you need to be aware of when applying for postgraduate research:

You'll need to account for these costs whether your postgraduate research is fully funded , funded by a sponsor or self-funded .

On this page:

Related pages:

• tuition fees;
• research costs;
• living costs.
• Tuition fees
• Costs
• Funding and fees
• Understanding funding
• Funded programmes
• Other funding support

Covering the cost of study

Tuition fees for your PhD/ MPhil (Master of Philosophy) cover the cost of your study at the University, as well as charges for registration, tuition, supervision, examinations and graduation. They also entitle you to membership of the Library and Students' Union.

Fees for our PhD, MPhil and Doctor of Medicine (MD) programmes fall into one of our standard fee bands depending on whether you’re a UK or international postgraduate researcher. Your primary supervisor will determine which is appropriate according to the nature and complexity of your research project and associated activities (such as conference attendance).

The fee band is displayed within the project description on self-funded project adverts, or will be confirmed during the interview/offer stage.

Tuition fees are generally not quoted in adverts where they are covered by a funded studentship . Postgraduate researchers on funded programmes, studentships or scholarships have their tuition fees paid internally.

Some of our programmes attract a non-standard fee and these are displayed on the specific programme pages, for example in dentistry/clinical dentistry.

For general fee information, including paying your fees if you are self-funded or externally sponsored, visit the University's postgraduate research fees pages .

Fees for UK students

UK postgraduate research fees are:

For the academic year 2026/27 (September 2026, January 2027 and April 2027 start dates):

For the academic year 2027/28 (September 2027, January 2028 and April 2028 start dates):

• Standard - £5,238 per year
• Low cost research project - £12,000 per year
• Medium cost research project - £17,500 per year
• High cost research project - £24,000 per year
• Standard - to be confirmed by UKRI
• Low cost research project - £12,500 per year
• Medium cost research project - £18,000 per year
• High cost research project - £24,500 per year

Fees for international students

International postgraduate research fees are:

For the academic year 2026/27 (September 2026, January 2027 and April 2027 start dates):

For the academic year 2027/28 (September 2027, January 2028 and April 2028 start dates):

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• Standard - £27,000 per year
• Low cost research project - £30,000 per year
• Medium cost research project - £35,500 per year
• High cost research project - £42,000 per year
• Standard - £27,000 per year
• Low cost research project - £30,500 per year
• Medium cost research project - £36,000 per year
• High cost research project - £42,500 per year

Confirmation of costs

The annual cost of your programme will be confirmed in your offer letter.

For UK applicants the annual tuition fee will increase slightly each year. For international applicants, tuition fees remain fixed for the duration of your study.

Living costs

If you are a self-funded applicant, you will need to ensure you have enough funding to cover your living expenses for the duration of your programme. You will be required to present evidence of this money if you need to apply for a student visa.

Should you be awarded a fully funded studentship or scholarship , you’ll receive a tax-free stipend at the UKRI rate paid to you each month during your postgraduate research to cover living costs.

However, all postgraduate researchers must be able to personally meet the costs required to relocate to Manchester (such as visa costs, health surcharge, relocation and flights), as these are not provided by any studentships or scholarships.

Cost of living in Manchester

Whether you’re fully funded or self-funded , you'll need to consider the cost of living in Manchester.

To help you understand what these costs may be the University has broken down the spending for the average postgraduate student and has produced a guide for weekly and yearly costs:

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• Find out more about the cost of living in Manchester

Research areas