🏅Cardiff Metropolitan University

Cardiff, UK

A capital-city Welsh university built around genuinely elite sport-science facilities.

About Cardiff Met

Cardiff Metropolitan University (Cardiff Met) teaches across two campuses — Llandaff for art, design, business and health, and Cyncoed for sport and exercise science — giving Cardiff Bay access at one of the more affordable capital-city international fee levels in the UK. Its clearest strength is sport, exercise science and coaching, with Cyncoed's training facilities used directly by elite Welsh athletes, alongside a well-regarded Cardiff School of Art and Design and a practical, employability-focused Business School. Cardiff itself is compact, walkable and safe, with London around two hours away by train. It suits students genuinely drawn to sport, coaching or a studio-based creative education, not those chasing research-university prestige.

Why students choose it

  • Genuinely elite sport-science facilities used by professional Welsh athletes
  • A capital-city Cardiff base at one of the UK's lower international fee levels for a capital
  • A well-established, studio-based Cardiff School of Art and Design

🎓 Free application support for Cardiff Met

Submit a free enquiry and Tutopiya's admissions team will guide you through your application to Cardiff Met — personal statement, interview prep and deadlines — at no cost, no obligation. Application fees are typically waived through our university partnerships.

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Typical entry grades

BBB (A Level)  ·  IB 28

Solid tier · indicative for the flagship courses below — always verify per-course requirements directly with the university.

Tuition (international, per year)

<£20,000/yr

low tier for UK — figures are typical ranges, not this specific university's published fee.

Language of instruction

English

Campus

campus campus, Cardiff

🏆 Scholarships to look into

Informational only — scholarship amounts, deadlines and even which schemes are running change often (sometimes per intake), so treat this as a starting point, not a guarantee. Always confirm current details directly with the scholarship provider or Cardiff Met's financial aid office.

Beyond government-level awards, most UK universities offer their own merit-based international scholarships — commonly a partial tuition reduction for strong A-Level/IB/IGCSE results, sometimes auto-considered from your application and sometimes requiring a short separate form.

  • Chevening Scholarships: UK government-funded, fully-funded, for one-year Master's study — highly competitive, open to students from eligible countries with leadership potential.
  • Commonwealth Scholarships: For citizens of Commonwealth countries, mainly postgraduate, funded by the UK government.
  • University international merit scholarships: Widely offered across Russell Group and other universities — typically a tuition-fee reduction for high entry grades, often renewable each year of study.

Chevening and Commonwealth are postgraduate-only. For undergraduate applicants, the university-specific merit scholarships are usually the more relevant route.

Want help figuring out which of these you'd actually qualify for? Talk to a free Tutopiya counsellor.

Popular courses

Sport & Exercise Science

⏱️ Typical duration: 3 years (4 years in Scotland)

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Art & Design

⏱️ Typical duration: Often longer than a standard Bachelor's — commonly a 3-year Bachelor's plus a further 2-year Master's for full professional accreditation

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Typical entry: Portfolio

Business Management

⏱️ Typical duration: 3 years (4 years in Scotland)

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Typical entry: Mathematics helps but usually isn't required recommended

Podiatry

⏱️ Typical duration: 3 years (4 years in Scotland)

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Food Science & Nutrition

⏱️ Typical duration: 3 years (4 years in Scotland)

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Typical entry: Requires two of Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Maths

Durations are typical for UK — always confirm the exact length (including any placement or integrated Master's year) on the course's own page before applying.

Not sure which course fits your grades and interests? Run the full shortlist builder →

How to apply

Main intake(s)
September
Typical deadline
Late January (equal consideration deadline)
Note
Oxford, Cambridge and most Medicine / Dentistry / Veterinary Science courses close earlier — 15 October the year before entry.

English language requirements

IELTS: 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0)

Most universities waive this requirement if you've completed 2+ years of English-medium schooling (e.g. IGCSE / A Level / IB) — always confirm the specific university's waiver policy before booking a test.

Read the full Tutopiya guide

A deeper walkthrough of applying to Cardiff Met for international IGCSE / A Level / IB students.

Read the guide →

See where Cardiff Met ranks on your personal shortlist

Enter your grades and budget in the free UK University Shortlist Builder to see whether Cardiff Met is a reach, target or safety for you — alongside every other UK university that matches.

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Cardiff Met FAQ

Quick answers about grades, tuition, deadlines and applying to Cardiff Met as an international IGCSE / A Level / IB student.

What grades do I need to get into Cardiff Met?

As a typical benchmark for international entry, Cardiff Met expects around BBB at A Level or 28 points on the IB Diploma. This is indicative for Cardiff Met's flagship courses — competitive subjects like Medicine and Law usually sit above this baseline, and the exact requirement varies by course, so always confirm the specific figure on Cardiff Met's own admissions page before applying.

How much does Cardiff Met cost for international students?

International tuition at Cardiff Met typically falls in the <£20,000/yr range (low tier for UK). This is a typical range for the university's tuition tier, not Cardiff Met's specific published fee for every course — confirm the exact figure for your intended programme directly with the university.

When is the application deadline for Cardiff Met?

Cardiff Met follows UK's typical intake calendar: September, with applications generally due late january (equal consideration deadline). Oxford, Cambridge and most Medicine / Dentistry / Veterinary Science courses close earlier — 15 October the year before entry. Always verify the exact date on Cardiff Met's own admissions page, since deadlines can shift year to year.

What IELTS score do I need for Cardiff Met?

UK universities, including Cardiff Met, typically ask international applicants for 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0). Most universities waive this requirement if you've completed 2+ years of English-medium schooling (e.g. IGCSE / A Level / IB) — always confirm the specific university's waiver policy before booking a test.

What is Cardiff Met known for?

A capital-city Welsh university built around genuinely elite sport-science facilities. Cardiff Metropolitan University (Cardiff Met) teaches across two campuses — Llandaff for art, design, business and health, and Cyncoed for sport and exercise science — giving Cardiff Bay access at one of the more affordable capital-city international fee levels in the UK. Its clearest strength is sport, exercise science and coaching, with Cyncoed's training facilities used directly by elite Welsh athletes, alongside a well-regarded Cardiff School of Art and Design and a practical, employability-focused Business School. Cardiff itself is compact, walkable and safe, with London around two hours away by train. It suits students genuinely drawn to sport, coaching or a studio-based creative education, not those chasing research-university prestige.

Can I apply to Cardiff Met with IGCSE, A Level or IB qualifications?

Yes — Cardiff Met accepts applicants from IGCSE-to-A-Level, IGCSE-to-IB-Diploma, and directly from the IB Diploma. Tutopiya's free UK University Shortlist Builder matches your predicted or actual grades against Cardiff Met and every other UK university we track, tagging each as reach, target or safety.

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