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Chemical Research MSc

London, Bloomsbury

The principal component (50%) of this degree is an intensive novel research project providing 'hands-on' training in methods and techniques at the cutting edge of scientific research. The programme also contains advanced taught courses which can be selected to cover the branches of chemistry of interest, a review of aspects of the scientific literature relevant to the research project and training in transferable skills for scientists.

UK students International students
Study mode
Full-time
UK tuition fees (2026/27)
£16,000
Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)
£42,700
Duration
1 calendar year
Programme starts
September 2026
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 26 Jun 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 28 Aug 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of a second-class Bachelor's degree in a science or engineering discipline from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

The English language level for this course is: Level 1

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

Students develop a systematic approach to devising experiments and/or computations and gain familiarity with a broad range of synthetic, analytical and spectroscopic techniques, acquiring skills for the critical analysis of their experimental and computational observations. They also broaden their knowledge of chemistry through a selection of taught courses and are able to tailor the programme to meet their personal interests.

The programme is particularly suitable for those wishing to embark on a research career and is accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).

Who this course is for

The programme is suitable for students wishing to progress to a research degree in chemistry or those seeking to acquire research skills which are valued in a commercial environment.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

UCL Chemistry is among the top departments in the UK for this subject area and is currently 5th in the UK in the QS World University Rankings for Chemistry 2025.

With departmental research interests and activities spanning the whole spectrum of chemistry, including development of new organic molecules, fundamental theoretical investigations and prediction and synthesis of new materials, students are able to undertake a project that aligns with their existing interests.

Students develop crucial first-hand experience in scientific methods, techniques for reporting science and using leading-edge research tools, as well as further essential skills for a research career.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

Graduates from this MSc pursue careers across a wide range of sectors, with the majority entering either highly skilled roles (42%) or continuing into postgraduate study, such as PhD programmes (40%). Key employment areas include manufacturing; scientific research, development and analysis; accountancy and financial services; IT, technology and telecommunications; teaching and other educational activities; as well as consultancy consultancy.

Source: Graduate Outcomes Survey (HESA) aggregated over five years from 2017-18 to 2022-23.

Employability

This MSc is designed to provide students with first-hand experience of cutting-edge research in chemistry, making it particularly well-suited for those aiming to pursue doctoral studies or an academic career. At the same time, the advanced research and critical thinking skills developed throughout the programme—such as analytical thinking, problem solving, data analysis, and effective communication—are highly transferable and valued across commercial sectors. Students gain in-depth knowledge of contemporary chemical science while building a skill set that prepares them for a wide range of professional opportunities.

Networking

Master's students will have opportunities to visit the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Royal Society both situated in central London, to attend public lectures and meetings given by eminent national and international scientists. The student run ‘Chemical Physical society’ which is the oldest student run chemical society also holds weekly social events and scientific discussions and seminars on a variety of topical chemical and physical aspects. In addition there are many scientific events offering networking opportunities organised by several societies across the college ranging from Life Science to Data science.

Accreditation

This degree is accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry. Accreditation of degree programmes by the Royal Society of Chemistry is a mark of assurance that teaching and learning meet the standards expected from a university. Furthermore, accredited programmes ensure the needs of employers and students are fulfilled.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of online and face-to-face lectures, seminars and workshops, tutorials, laboratory classes and research supervision.

Assessment is through unseen written examination and coursework. The literature project is assessed by written dissertation. The research project is assessed by a written report, supervisor appraisal, an interim oral presentation with viva voce and poster presentation.

All students will be expected to attend research seminars relevant to their broad research interest.

On average it is expected that a student spends 150 hours studying for each 15-credit module. This includes teaching time, private study and coursework. Modules are usually taught in weekly sessions (approx. two hours per week) over 10 weeks each term.

In Terms 1 and 2, full-time students can typically expect 12 contact hours per teaching week through a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials. Students typically study the equivalent of a full-time job, using their remaining time for self-directed study and completing coursework assignments.

In Term 3 and during the Summer period, students will be embedded in a research group completing their Master's research project, spending an average of 36.5 hours per week working on their project.

Modules

Students choose optional modules to the value of 45 credits. This includes several specialised modules and a topics module where students choose from an extensive list of topic subjects in consultation with the programme director/research supervisor. These topics are aligned with programme aims and those of the individual research project and include topics from fundamental to applied chemistry. 

Topic areas include organic synthesis: asymmetric and biomimetic processes and the interface of chemistry with biology; inorganic/ materials chemistry: preparation and characterisation of catalysts and green chemistry; physical chemistry: fundamentals of gas and condensed phase processes and their applications such as atmospheric and surface chemistry and computational chemistry: ranging from data acquisition and analysis to fundamental quantum chemical calculations.  Other topics focus on advanced experimental skills.

Compulsory modules





Optional modules







Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

You will undertake Chemistry modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Chemical Research.

Accessibility

The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you're unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time
Tuition fees (2026/27) £16,000
Tuition fees (2026/27) £42,700

Postgraduate Taught students benefit from a cohort guarantee, meaning that their tuition fees will not increase during the course of the programme, but UCL reserves the right to increase tuition fees to reflect any sums (including levies, taxes, or similar financial charges) that UCL is required to pay any governmental authority in connection with tuition fees.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Where the course is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of UK, a fee deposit will be charged at 2.5% of the first year fee.

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

There are no programme-specific costs.

For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £119.90. This price was published by TfL in 2025. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

Students can be self-funded or find sponsorship from funding agencies such as research councils, the UCL scholarships and funding pages, the European Union, industry or charities.

There are a number of Graduate School Scholarships available.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Bseisu-UCL Scholarship

Deadline: 7 May 2026
Value: Fees plus stipend (1 year)
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

UCL East London Scholarship

Deadline: 25 June 2026
Value: Tuition fees plus £17,096 stipend ()
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: UK

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this course of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Chemical Research at graduate level. Please tell us what has led you to research. What were the enjoyable or difficult aspects of your undergraduate projects? Do you have much experience in laboratory work or computing? What are the skills you most need to acquire?
  • why you want to study an MSc in Chemical Research at UCL. UCL's Chemical Research degree is heavily research oriented (50% in terms of credits). Tell us how you will make the most of this opportunity.
  • how your academic background meets the demands of a challenging programme: Most applicants for this programme have a first degree in Chemistry. How well did it prepare you for research? What skills do you want to acquire that will help you in a research career?
  • how you anticipate that your future career might proceed.

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

Applicants can select the research projects in Computational, Inorganic, Organic or Physical Chemistry. In the application cover letter students are asked to indicate which area(s) of chemistry they are interested in studying, clearly indicating why they chose this particular area, and indicating (at least) three academic members of staff they are interested in working with.

Note: for applicants holding a UCL Chemistry Bachelor's degree, the choice of a Master's programme must not include one which requires modules previously studied at UCL - contact the Programme Director before applying.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate courses (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2026-2027

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Chemistry
Chemistry

masters.chem@ucl.ac.uk

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