Quick answer
For January/spring 2027, 15 QS Top 500 UK universities run on-campus taught master’s intakes — 274 programmes in total. Most start in January; the University of Liverpool’s cohort starts 1 February 2027. The largest catalogues are Dundee (82), Strathclyde (51), Aston (29), Birkbeck (26) and Liverpool (24). Every entry requirement varies by programme — always verify on the official course page. UNILINK advisers help you shortlist against your own background.
The 15 universities at a glance
Dundee (82, Scotland), Strathclyde (51, Glasgow), Aston (29, Birmingham), Birkbeck – University of London (26, central London), Liverpool (24, February start), Loughborough (17, London campus), Kent (14, Canterbury), Essex (10, Colchester), Exeter (10, South West), Cardiff (4, Wales), Leicester (2), Sussex (2, Brighton), Queen Mary (1, AI), Bath (1, Finance) and Birmingham (1, Computer Science).
How to shortlist
- By field: business & finance dominate (Dundee, Aston, Strathclyde, Exeter); engineering concentrates at Strathclyde; law LLMs at Dundee; AI/CS spread across Queen Mary, Birmingham, Dundee, Strathclyde.
- By location: London (Birkbeck, Loughborough London, Queen Mary), Scotland (Dundee, Strathclyde), the Midlands (Aston, Birmingham), the South (Kent, Essex, Exeter, Sussex).
- By fit: check each university’s China-recognition list, GPA line and English requirement before you apply — these differ per programme.
Data basis and sources
- Programme list drawn from each university’s official January/spring taught catalogue under a QS Top 500 filter, as of 2026-07-21. Fees, IELTS and academic thresholds vary by programme and are not standardised here — the official course page prevails.
FAQ
Q: Are these online? No — all are on-campus, eligible for a student visa.
Q: Is everything a January start? 13 universities start in January, Cardiff on 18/25 January, Liverpool on 1 February.
Q: What IELTS do I need? No single figure; commonly 6.0–6.5, set per programme — check the course page.
Next step
To turn this list into a shortlist matched to your degree, GPA and target field, talk to a UNILINK adviser for a personalised assessment.
Sources
- Official January/spring taught catalogues of 15 QS500 UK universities, as of 2026-07-21
- QS World University Rankings (Top 500)