🛩️Cranfield University

Cranfield, Bedfordshire, UK

A postgraduate-only specialist built around aerospace, defence and applied management.

About Cranfield

Cranfield is unlike almost every other UK university on this list: it offers essentially no traditional undergraduate degrees and focuses entirely on master's, MBA and doctoral study, on a campus built around a former RAF airfield with genuine wind tunnels and aerospace laboratories. It carries real weight in aerospace engineering, defence and security, logistics and supply chain, manufacturing, and management, with direct industry partnerships including Airbus, Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems. Tuition reflects that specialist positioning, typically £20,000-£40,000+ depending on programme, and is best understood as a career-investment decision for students who already hold a bachelor's degree. It is the wrong choice for an 18-year-old school-leaver seeking a first degree.

Why students choose it

  • World-class aerospace and defence facilities with direct employer partnerships (Airbus, Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems)
  • A genuinely strong global reputation in logistics, supply chain and applied management
  • Concentrated, one-year master's programmes that accelerate a career after a first degree

🎓 Free application support for Cranfield

Submit a free enquiry and Tutopiya's admissions team will guide you through your application to Cranfield — 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

AAB (A Level)  ·  IB 34

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

Tuition (international, per year)

£28,000–£38,000/yr

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

Language of instruction

English

Campus

campus campus, Cranfield, Bedfordshire

🏆 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 Cranfield'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

Aerospace Engineering

⏱️ Typical duration: Often 4 years rather than the country's standard Bachelor's length, especially where the programme includes an integrated Master's (e.g. UK MEng) or an industry placement year

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Typical entry: Requires Mathematics + Physics

MBA & Management

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

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

Manufacturing & Materials

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

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Logistics & Supply Chain

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

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

Defence & Security

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

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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 Cranfield for international IGCSE / A Level / IB students.

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See where Cranfield ranks on your personal shortlist

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

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Cranfield FAQ

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

What grades do I need to get into Cranfield?

As a typical benchmark for international entry, Cranfield expects around AAB at A Level or 34 points on the IB Diploma. This is indicative for Cranfield'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 Cranfield's own admissions page before applying.

How much does Cranfield cost for international students?

International tuition at Cranfield typically falls in the £28,000–£38,000/yr range (high tier for UK). This is a typical range for the university's tuition tier, not Cranfield'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 Cranfield?

Cranfield 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 Cranfield's own admissions page, since deadlines can shift year to year.

What IELTS score do I need for Cranfield?

UK universities, including Cranfield, 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 Cranfield known for?

A postgraduate-only specialist built around aerospace, defence and applied management. Cranfield is unlike almost every other UK university on this list: it offers essentially no traditional undergraduate degrees and focuses entirely on master's, MBA and doctoral study, on a campus built around a former RAF airfield with genuine wind tunnels and aerospace laboratories. It carries real weight in aerospace engineering, defence and security, logistics and supply chain, manufacturing, and management, with direct industry partnerships including Airbus, Rolls-Royce and BAE Systems. Tuition reflects that specialist positioning, typically £20,000-£40,000+ depending on programme, and is best understood as a career-investment decision for students who already hold a bachelor's degree. It is the wrong choice for an 18-year-old school-leaver seeking a first degree.

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

Yes — Cranfield 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 Cranfield and every other UK university we track, tagging each as reach, target or safety.

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