UK Master's Requirements: Admission & Student Visa Guide

First distinguish the two hurdles: university admission and visa issuance are two separate standards

Many people treat 'UK master's application requirements' as one thing, but in fact they are two independent matters. The first hurdle is the university side: set by each department of each university, including undergraduate grades (expressed in the UK as degree classifications such as 2:1/2:2), language scores, relevant background or portfolio. The thresholds may even differ between departments of the same university — there is no national standard and no single official page where you can check everything at once. The second hurdle is the visa side: the UK government's Student visa, which is uniform across the country and its conditions are set out on GOV.UK, including holding a CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) issued by a school with licensed student sponsor status, sufficient funds to cover tuition and living expenses, and English proficiency. The reasons for failing the two hurdles are different: failure at the university side means your qualifications are insufficient; failure at the visa side is usually a matter of form in your documents and financial evidence.

Official data source: GOV.UK — Student visa

Hard figures on the visa side: living expenses, deposit duration, and fees

These are the uniform standards published by the UK government, directly verifiable: Proof of living costs — £1,529 per month for courses in London, £1,171 per month outside London, a maximum of 9 months is counted (the approximate maximums are £13,761 in London and £10,539 outside London); this money must be evidenced in addition to tuition fees. Funds holding period — the funds must be held in the account for 28 consecutive days, and the end date of that 28-day period must fall within 31 days of the visa application submission date. Visa application fee £558 (same fee whether applying from outside or inside the UK), plus the Immigration Health Surcharge: students and accompanying dependants both pay £776 per year, with the total calculated according to the period covered by the visa; visas of 6 months or less applied for from outside the UK do not require this payment. If the applicant has held a valid UK visa and resided in the UK for 12 months before submitting the application, the proof of living costs requirements may differ.

Official data source: GOV.UK — Student visa: money you need

What level of English do I need? The visa standard is CEFR B2, and the school's requirement is separate.

English language thresholds on the visa side are set uniformly by the UK government: degree-level courses (including master's) require CEFR B2, while courses below degree level require B1. There are two ways to prove this: first, by passing a SELT (Secure English Language Test) approved by the UK Home Office; second, when studying a degree course at a higher education institution, the school can self-assess your English ability, but the assessment result must still be equivalent to B2. Applicants from designated countries such as Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United States, or those who have already proven English ability in a previous visa application, may be exempt from providing evidence—Taiwan is not among the officially listed exempt countries. Note that this is only the minimum visa threshold; individual departments set their own language score requirements (e.g., IELTS overall and component scores), and these are often higher than the visa threshold, so the target department's entry requirements for the relevant year should prevail (checked on GOV.UK 2026-09-12).

Official data source: GOV.UK — Student visa: knowledge of English

The two most common mistakes in financial proof are both related to 'time'

From the above rules, we can derive the two most error-prone points in practice. First, '28 days' is continuous, not cumulative: if the account balance drops below the amount to be proven for even one day during the period, the 28 days must restart. Second, after the 28 days end, there is only a 31-day validity window: if you prepare the funds too early but do not submit your application for a long time, the proof will expire and you will have to prepare it again. Together, these mean — financial proof is not 'the earlier you prepare, the better'; it must be aligned with your submission date. It is recommended to determine your intended submission date first, then work backward to the interval during which the funds need to be in place in your account.

Official data source: GOV.UK — Student visa: money you need

Why you can't find a uniform answer for 'university-side requirements' (this is not a lack of information)

The UK does not have a central admission standard similar to Taiwan's joint college entrance. Master's admission is independent admission by each university: for the same subject, different universities may require undergraduate degree classifications ranging from 2:2 to First; language test thresholds and sub-score requirements are also set by each department, and may even differ among groups within the same university. Therefore, any single number claiming 'a UK master's requires X score' should be questioned — the correct approach is to directly check the entry requirements page of the target department for the current year, rather than relying on general rules. This site does not list university-specific thresholds because such figures are adjusted annually and vary by department; any compilation would quickly become outdated and mislead.

How to plan the timeline backward: work back from the start date

Most UK master's programs start in September or January. On the visa side, there are two clear time points to anchor: overseas applications can be submitted as early as 6 months before the course start date, and overseas applications usually get a result within 3 weeks (for in-country applications, it is 8 weeks). Working backward, you must first receive an unconditional offer from the university and have the school issue a CAS; the CAS is usually issued only after you confirm your place (including paying a deposit). Further back, the funds must have been held continuously for 28 days. So the practical sequence is: apply to universities → receive an offer and confirm your place → school issues CAS → funds are in place for 28 days → submit the visa application. Any delay in one step will compress the time for the following steps, and the 28-day funds requirement is the only one that cannot be solved by expediting.

Official data source: GOV.UK — Student visa