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:
- tuition fees;
- research costs;
- living costs.
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:
Tuition fees
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
For the academic year 2025/26 (September 2025, January 2026 and April 2026 start dates), UK postgraduate research fees are:
- Standard – to be confirmed (set by UKRI)
- Low cost research project - £11,500 per year
- Medium cost research project - £17,500 per year
- High cost research project - £23,500 per year
Fees for international students
For the academic year 2025/26 (September 2025, January 2026 and April 2026 start dates), international postgraduate research fees are:
- Standard - £27,000
- Low cost research project - £29,500 per year
- Medium cost research project - £35,000 per year
- High cost research project - £41,500 per year
Costs
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: