University of Portsmouth for International Students: Fees, Entry and Intakes
TL;DR: The University of Portsmouth for international students offers September and January starts, a Gold rating for teaching and international fees of about £17,750 to £20,950 a year for 2027/28 entry. Undergraduates need IELTS 6.0 with no band below 5.5, and most master's courses ask for 6.5 with no band below 6.0. Prosper can apply to the University of Portsmouth for you.
Portsmouth runs a real January intake, with about 50 taught master's and top-up degrees starting in January at its main campus, so missing September does not have to cost you a year. The catch is that January deadlines arrive in November. Check your eligibility with Prosper before you lose the window.
Is the University of Portsmouth good for international students?
Yes, for most students who want a solid UK degree at a mid-range fee. The University of Portsmouth sits on the south coast of England and teaches across five faculties: Business and Law, Creative and Cultural Industries, Humanities and Social Sciences, Science and Health, and Technology.
The independent measures are strong for its price band:
- Teaching: Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023, the highest rating.
- UK league tables: 36th in the Guardian University Guide 2027 and 50th of 130 in the Complete University Guide 2027.
- World rankings: joint 635th in the QS World University Rankings 2026 and in the 401 to 450 band of the THE World University Rankings 2027.
- Subjects: the Guardian places Biomedical Science 1st in the UK, with Economics, Journalism and Pharmacy in the top 11.
Portsmouth also has a London campus in Walthamstow, which teaches undergraduate degrees in accounting and finance, business, business computing, computer science and marketing, plus a smaller set of January master's courses.
University of Portsmouth entry requirements
Entry depends on the course, so always check the course page before you apply.
- Undergraduate: a typical offer for BSc Computing is 104 to 120 UCAS points (BBB to BCC at A level) or IB 24.
- Postgraduate: most taught master's ask for a second-class honours degree or its international equivalent. MSc Digital Business Management is one example.
- Foundation and pre-master's: if your grades fall short, the International College Portsmouth, run by Navitas on the university's campus, offers foundation, first-year and pre-master's routes into Portsmouth degrees. Prosper can apply to the International College Portsmouth for you as well.
English language requirements at Portsmouth
| Test | Undergraduate | Postgraduate |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic | 6.0 overall, no band below 5.5 | 6.5 to 7.0 overall, no band below 6.0 |
| TOEFL iBT | 79 | 91 |
| PTE Academic | 62 overall, 59 in each skill | 65 overall, 62 in each skill |
| LanguageCert Academic | 65 | 70 |
| Duolingo English Test | Accepted, score set per course | Accepted, score set per course |
Two points catch students out. Portsmouth does not accept IELTS Academic Online, and its PTE figures are labelled for an earlier entry year, so confirm the score on your course page. If English is your weak point, compare the tests in our guide to PTE vs IELTS.
University of Portsmouth tuition fees
International fees sit between £17,900 and £20,000 a year for 2026/27 and between £17,750 and £20,950 for 2027/28. The university says fees may rise by up to 5% a year during a course.
| Course | Start | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| BSc (Hons) Computing | September 2027 | £20,950 a year |
| MSc Digital Business Management | January 2027 | £18,600 |
| MSc Digital Business Management | September 2027 | £19,500 |
To get your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), you pay a deposit of 50% of first-year tuition, less any scholarship, and meet all offer conditions. Portsmouth issues a CAS no earlier than six months before your course starts. Our guide to UK university deposits explains how deposits and refunds usually work.
Budget for the visa too. From outside the UK, the Student visa fee is £558 and the Immigration Health Surcharge is £776 a year. Portsmouth is outside London, so you must show £1,171 a month for living costs, up to nine months (£10,539), held for 28 days in a row. The full picture is in our UK tuition fees guide.
Scholarships at the University of Portsmouth
- Chancellor's Global Academic Merit Scholarship: £5,000 off first-year fees, through a separate application judged by a panel. The round for January starters closed on 2 November 2026.
- Vice Chancellor's Global Development Scholarship: £2,500 off first-year fees for listed nationalities on courses costing £16,200 or more, for January and May starts.
The two awards cannot be combined with each other or with other Portsmouth awards. Check the scholarships page for the nationality list before you count on the £2,500.
The January intake at Portsmouth
January teaching starts on 18 January 2027. At the main campus, January courses are top-up degrees and taught master's or MRes programmes. The London campus runs about 22 January courses, including MSc Business Analytics, MSc Marketing and the MBA Strategic Leadership, and the International College Portsmouth offers 17 January programmes.
Deadlines are set by country and by campus, and late registration is not allowed. Apply early, pay the deposit on time and send your documents before the conditions deadline. Our UK student visa guide walks through the steps after your CAS arrives.
Applying from Sri Lanka
- January deadlines (Portsmouth campus): apply by 16 November 2026, pay the deposit by 30 November 2026 and meet all conditions by 7 December 2026. The London campus deadline for applicants from Sri Lanka was 2 November 2026, so January at London has closed.
- A/L results: Portsmouth's Sri Lanka page says Sri Lankan A/Ls may be accepted and asks applicants to contact the university, so there is no fixed grade. With O/Ls only, you would usually start with a foundation year at the International College Portsmouth.
- HND and diplomas: HND or Higher Diploma holders can apply for advanced entry.
- Master's entry: a four-year bachelor's degree is usually expected. Portsmouth's guide treats 70% or above as a UK First, 60 to 70% as a 2:1 and 55 to 60% as a Second.
- Checks: offer holders from Sri Lanka complete a credibility interview and pre-CAS checks. You will also need a TB test at the IOM clinic in Colombo and biometrics at VFS Global in Colombo.
Frequently asked questions
What IELTS score does the University of Portsmouth need?
The University of Portsmouth asks for IELTS Academic 6.0 with no band below 5.5 for undergraduate degrees, and 6.5 to 7.0 with no band below 6.0 for master's degrees. IELTS Academic Online is not accepted.
Does the University of Portsmouth accept the Duolingo English Test?
Yes. The University of Portsmouth accepts the Duolingo English Test, with the score set by each course. An interview may also update your offer conditions.
How much deposit does the University of Portsmouth ask for?
The University of Portsmouth asks international students for a deposit of 50% of first-year tuition, less any scholarship, before it issues a CAS.
When does the January intake start at the University of Portsmouth?
January teaching at the University of Portsmouth starts on 18 January 2027. Most January courses at the main campus are taught master's and top-up degrees.
Is the University of Portsmouth a good university?
The University of Portsmouth holds a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework 2023 and is 36th in the Guardian University Guide 2027, which puts it in the upper half of UK universities.
PS: If January is your target, the Portsmouth campus deadline is days away, and the right course depends on your grades and English score. Check your eligibility with Prosper and we will tell you which Portsmouth course and scholarship fit your profile.
References
- Our academic structure, University of Portsmouth, https://www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/organisational-structure/our-academic-structure (accessed 05/11/2026)
- University of Portsmouth maintains position as a top 40 UK university, University of Portsmouth, https://www.port.ac.uk/news-events-and-blogs/news/university-of-portsmouth-maintains-position-as-a-top-40-uk-university (accessed 05/11/2026)
- Gold rating in national assessment of teaching excellence, University of Portsmouth, https://www.port.ac.uk/news-events-and-blogs/news/university-achieves-gold-rating-in-national-assessment-of-teaching-excellence (accessed 05/11/2026)
- University of Portsmouth, QS Top Universities, https://www.topuniversities.com/universities/university-portsmouth (accessed 05/11/2026)
- Ranked in the top 450 universities worldwide, University of Portsmouth, https://www.port.ac.uk/news-events-and-blogs/news/university-of-portsmouth-ranked-in-the-top-450-universities-worldwide (accessed 05/11/2026)
- University of Portsmouth, Complete University Guide, https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/universities/university-of-portsmouth (accessed 05/11/2026)
- Undergraduate study at the London campus, University of Portsmouth, https://london.port.ac.uk/london-study/undergraduate (accessed 05/11/2026)
- Courses starting in January and February, University of Portsmouth, https://www.port.ac.uk/study/international-students/courses/courses-starting-in-january-and-february (accessed 05/11/2026)
- BSc (Hons) Computing, University of Portsmouth, https://www.port.ac.uk/study/courses/undergraduate/bsc-hons-computing (accessed 05/11/2026)
- MSc Digital Business Management, University of Portsmouth, https://www.port.ac.uk/study/courses/postgraduate-taught/msc-digital-business-management (accessed 05/11/2026)
- English language requirements, University of Portsmouth, https://www.port.ac.uk/study/international-students/english-language-requirements (accessed 05/11/2026)
- International tuition fees, University of Portsmouth, https://www.port.ac.uk/study/international-students/tuition-fees (accessed 05/11/2026)
- International scholarships, University of Portsmouth, https://www.port.ac.uk/study/international-students/funding/scholarships (accessed 05/11/2026)
- Application deadlines, University of Portsmouth, https://www.port.ac.uk/study/international-students/how-to-apply/application-deadlines (accessed 05/11/2026)
- Students from Sri Lanka, University of Portsmouth, https://www.port.ac.uk/study/international-students/your-country/sri-lanka (accessed 05/11/2026)
- International College Portsmouth, Navitas, https://icp.navitas.com/ (accessed 05/11/2026)
- Student visa, GOV.UK, https://www.gov.uk/student-visa (accessed 05/11/2026)
- Student visa: money, GOV.UK, https://www.gov.uk/student-visa/money (accessed 05/11/2026)
- Immigration Health Surcharge, GOV.UK, https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application/how-much-pay (accessed 05/11/2026)
