A student in a navy rain jacket reads a letter in a folder on a stone harbour wall in Plymouth, planning his application to the University of Plymouth.

University of Plymouth for International Students: Fees, Entry and How to Apply

UK
October 31, 2026•5 min read

TL;DR: The University of Plymouth takes international students into bachelor's and master's degrees, with a January start on selected master's courses. Master's courses ask for IELTS 6.5 with 5.5 in each part, fees on the courses checked here run from £19,500 to £21,650 a year, and a £3,500 deposit comes before your CAS. A £4,000 first-year scholarship is applied automatically to eligible students.

This guide covers Plymouth fees, entry, intakes and scholarships, then the offer, deposit and CAS steps in order. Check your eligibility with Prosper before you choose a course.

What does the University of Plymouth offer international students?

The University of Plymouth, in a coastal city in South West England, has about 2,000 international students from more than 100 countries, according to its international students page. Its compact centre keeps accommodation, shops and entertainment within walking distance.

There are three ways in: a bachelor's degree, a master's degree, or the University of Plymouth International College, which prepares students for Plymouth degrees. Prosper can apply to both the university and its International College for you.

University of Plymouth fees for international students

Course pages list the full-time international fee by academic year, and the university notes that a government levy on international fees may raise them.

Course Entry 2026-27 fee 2027-28 fee
MSc International Business 2:2 honours degree £19,500 £20,100
MSc Data Science and Business Analytics 2:2 in any subject £21,000 £21,650
MSc Robotics 2:2 in a technical subject £21,000 £21,650
BSc (Hons) Mathematics 112 UCAS points Not listed £19,800

Fees are per year at the time of writing; your offer letter confirms the fee year. Our guide to UK tuition fees for international students compares other universities.

Check your eligibility ›

University of Plymouth entry requirements

Undergraduate. Course pages set entry in UCAS tariff points, such as 112 for BSc (Hons) Mathematics. Students who do not meet direct entry can take a foundation year.

Postgraduate. The master's degrees checked here ask for a 2:2 honours degree or equivalent, some in a related subject.

English. IELTS 6.0 overall for undergraduate and 6.5 for postgraduate study, with at least 5.5 in each part. PTE Academic, LanguageCert Academic, Duolingo and other tests are also accepted, and a pre-sessional English course is available if you fall short.

University of Plymouth January intake

January is a postgraduate intake. The university's January page lists courses including the MBA, MSc Finance, MSc International Business, MSc Cyber Security and MSc Data Science and Business Analytics.

No single January deadline is published. A decision normally comes within four weeks of a complete application, and the university says visa processing takes around three weeks, so apply early.

University of Plymouth scholarships

Both awards below are automatic for eligible students paying international fees, with no separate application:

  • International Postgraduate Welcome to Plymouth Scholarship: £4,000 off first-year tuition on in-person taught master's degrees.
  • International Undergraduate Welcome to Plymouth Scholarship: for 2026/2027 starters, £4,000 off year one, then £1,000 in each later year, up to £6,000.

Peninsula Medical School and Peninsula Dental School courses, online courses and sponsored students are excluded.

University of Plymouth International College: the pathway route

The University of Plymouth International College, run by Navitas in Plymouth, prepares students for University of Plymouth degrees, with January, May and September starts.

  • Foundation: IELTS 5.5 with no band below 5.5.
  • First year: IELTS 6.0 with no band below 5.5.
  • Pre-Masters: for a qualification at HND level or above. IELTS 6.0 with no band below 5.5, or 5.5 for the MBA route.

How to apply: offer, deposit and CAS

  1. Apply with transcripts, certificates, passport page, any previous UK visa, an English test result and a personal statement.
  2. Track your offer in the Applicant Portal. See conditional vs unconditional offers in the UK.
  3. Meet your conditions and show your funds, then pay the £3,500 UK university deposit.
  4. Request your CAS in the portal. It is issued once documents are checked, conditions met and any credibility checks complete. Know what to check in your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS).
  5. Apply for your Student visa with the CAS, using our guide on how to apply for a UK student visa.

The university warns that anyone on social media offering to secure a CAS or visa may be running a scam.

Applying from Sri Lanka

Undergraduate. The university's Sri Lanka page asks for three GCE Advanced Level passes; other qualifications lead to a foundation year. The International College accepts five O/L passes for its foundation, and three A/L passes at C or four at S for its first year.

Postgraduate. The Sri Lanka page accepts a professional degree or a four-year bachelor special degree, treating 55 percent or a GPA of 3.00 as a 2:2 and 60 percent or 3.30 as a 2:1. With a three-year degree, ask about the Pre-Masters first.

What to prepare at each step for a January start:

  • Before you apply: A/L or degree certificates and transcripts, passport and an IELTS result. See IELTS in Sri Lanka.
  • After the offer: bank evidence of your tuition balance and living costs, which the university asks for before the deposit. Check the 28-day rule before moving savings.
  • After the CAS: a TB test at the IOM clinic in Colombo, then biometrics and documents at VFS Global Colombo. A UKVI credibility interview, if called, is online by video.

From signing with Prosper to a visa decision usually takes two to three months, so aim for January only if your documents are ready now.

Frequently asked questions

What IELTS score does the University of Plymouth need? The University of Plymouth asks for IELTS 6.0 for undergraduate and 6.5 for postgraduate degrees, with at least 5.5 in each part. Some health and English courses set different scores.

Does the University of Plymouth have a January intake? Yes. The University of Plymouth starts selected master's degrees in January, including MSc International Business and the MBA. Its International College also starts in January.

How much is the University of Plymouth deposit? The University of Plymouth asks international postgraduate students for a £3,500 deposit once conditions are met and funds are shown. You then request your CAS.

Can I get into the University of Plymouth without A/L? Yes. The University of Plymouth International College foundation accepts five O/L passes and prepares students for a University of Plymouth degree.

PS: If a Plymouth master's or foundation route fits your plans, we can check your grades and English against the course first. Check your eligibility with Prosper.

Check your eligibility ›

References

  1. International students: study with us, University of Plymouth, https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/international (checked 31/10/2026)
  2. Apply from Sri Lanka, University of Plymouth, https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/international/study/international-students-country-guides/sri-lanka (checked 31/10/2026)
  3. IELTS: English language requirements, University of Plymouth, https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/international/how-to-apply/english-language-requirements/ielts (checked 31/10/2026)
  4. International students entry requirements, University of Plymouth, https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/international/how-to-apply/international-students-entry-requirements (checked 31/10/2026)
  5. Starting your course in January, University of Plymouth, https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/study/january (checked 31/10/2026)
  6. International students: apply for a postgraduate taught programme, University of Plymouth, https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/international/apply/postgraduate-taught (checked 31/10/2026)
  7. MSc International Business, University of Plymouth, https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/msc-international-business (checked 31/10/2026)
  8. MSc Data Science and Business Analytics, University of Plymouth, https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/msc-data-science-and-business-analytics (checked 31/10/2026)
  9. MSc Robotics, University of Plymouth, https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/msc-robotics (checked 31/10/2026)
  10. BSc (Hons) Mathematics, University of Plymouth, https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/bsc-mathematics (checked 31/10/2026)
  11. Postgraduate scholarships for international students, University of Plymouth, https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/study/funding/international/postgraduate (checked 31/10/2026)
  12. International Undergraduate Welcome to Plymouth Scholarship, University of Plymouth, https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/study/funding/scholarships/international-welcome-to-plymouth-scholarship (checked 31/10/2026)
  13. Academic requirements, University of Plymouth International College, https://upic.navitas.com/admission/academic-requirements/ (checked 31/10/2026)
  14. English requirements, University of Plymouth International College, https://upic.navitas.com/admission/english-requirements/ (checked 31/10/2026)
  15. Foundation, University of Plymouth International College, https://upic.navitas.com/study/foundation/ (checked 31/10/2026)
Sandeepani Wickramasinghe
Sandeepani Wickramasinghe|Director|LinkedIn logo icon
Sandeepani Wickramasinghe is the co-founder of Prosper Global Education. She studied at Curtin University in Australia, completing a Bachelor of Information Technology, and built a decade-long operational career in Sri Lanka — first as a Project Manager at the Ministry of Defence, one of the country's most process-disciplined institutions, and then as a Production Manager at MAS Holdings, recognised globally for engineering-grade operations standards. In 2023 she co-founded Prosper Global Education with Lasantha Jayawardena to help ambitious Sri Lankan students and working professionals study abroad with precision rather than volume — applying to two or three carefully matched universities instead of ten or twenty. Sandeepani leads admissions and the daily review that decides which applications go out. She writes from the operations side of the journey: the side that turns a student's profile into an offer letter. Based in Colombo.
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