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Clinical Neuroscience: Stroke MSc

London, Bloomsbury

The programme provides a comprehensive education and research training for the next generation of researchers and clinical providers of expert stroke care. You will benefit from studying in an internationally renowned and research-intensive environment at the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2026/27)
£16,800
£8,400
Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)
£42,700
£21,350
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2026
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 27 Mar 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 an upper second-class UK Bachelor's degree in an appropriate subject (neuroscience or related biological science e.g. physiology, psychology, pharmacology, biochemistry; or a medical degree from a UK university), Bachelor's degree in a profession allied to medicine (e.g. nursing, physiotherapy, occupational health) or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard is required.

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 on this programme will undertake modules related to stroke, along with learning generic skills such as statistics and critical appraisal of research papers. They also acquire substantial research skills and techniques whilst undertaking a project with leading researchers in the field.

Who this course is for

The programme is suitable for candidates with a background in medicine, nursing, psychology, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, biology, biomedical sciences, or related backgrounds. Applicants with a degree in another discipline but with relevant work experience will be considered on an individual basis.

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

What this course will give you

UCL has a world-class reputation (REF 2021) in stroke research and treatment and hosts the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) North Thames Stroke Research Network. Our service treats over 2,500 suspected strokes every year in our Hyperacute Stroke Unit (HASU). Areas of excellence include carotid disease, stroke recovery and neurorehabilitation, neuroimaging cerebral haemorrhage and small vessel disease.

We are a major endovascular centre at the forefront of stroke treatment with a highly developed multidisciplinary neuro-critical care pathway.

Whatever your anticipated career goals, this MSc will provide opportunities to carry out research with global experts in the field of stroke and network with world-renowned clinicians (Clarivate’s annual ‘Highly Cited Researchers List’ 2024.

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

The foundation of your career

Many of our graduates have undertaken further study at PhD level, or have successfully applied to medical school. Some clinicians who took time out to obtain a higher qualification have returned to training, and scientists have progressed to become post-doctoral researchers. 100% of our students were in highly skilled work within 15 months of graduating with an average salary of £69,000 (Most recent Graduate Outcomes Survey 2022–23 data). 

Employability

This programme will enable you to advance your career to a higher specialised level or help become more established in your career through our research-embedded clinical teaching. As well as gaining knowledge in the specialised field of stroke research and care, the extended research project will enable you to gain many transferable skills in conducting research in the clinical and medical science area.

Networking

The Queen Square Institute of Neurology is home to some of the world's most influential academics (Clarivate’s annual ‘Highly Cited Researchers List’ 2024). By studying with us, students will have the opportunity to be part of the next generation of experts in neuroscience. Through our influential researchers, we offer a wealth of scientific and clinical expertise, from laboratory benches through to patient care.

Many of our lecturers are also NHS consultants working at The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery which is a leading centre for the diagnosis, treatment and care of patients with a wide range of neurological conditions.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures and workshops. Lectures are supported by audio-visual aids and supplementary materials including handouts, reading lists and references to original papers. The research project can be carried out on campus with data collection or done remotely with literature review. All assessments are returned with written feedback. 

Taught modules are assessed by exams and essays. The research project requires a written dissertation of 10,000 words.

For full-time students, typical contact hours are around 12 hours per week. Outside of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials, full-time students will also display a level of independent study (25-30 hours per week), for example, by engaging with key topics and required readings in preparation for the discussions promoted in the programme.


Modules

The programme consists of six compulsory modules including the 60 credit research project (135 credits) and three optional modules (45 credits).

The programme is delivered through basic science and clinical lectures.

Teaching is organised in sequence for the compulsory modules; optional modules may result in some overlap in teaching/assessment and students are advised to review modules at the beginning of the Academic Year.

The programme consists of six compulsory modules including the 60 credit research project (135 credits) and three optional modules (45 credits).

Modules are completed over two years. Compulsory modules are completed in the first year of study and the Research Project in the second year. Students can choose to complete optional modules in Year 1 or Year 2.

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.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Clinical Neuroscience: Stroke.

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.

Visit us

All open days and events

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Introduction to Clinical Neuroscience, Neuroimaging and Dementia

Welcome to the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and our suite of Masters programmes. During both sessions you'll get to hear from the programme Directorship about the Institute as well as a showcase of our flagship programmes. We'll discuss the course structure and modules for each and the career outcomes and life as a student in the department, UCL and London more widely.

Watch on demand event

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Introduction to Clinical Neuroscience, Neuroimaging and Dementia

Welcome to the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology and our suite of Masters programmes. During both sessions you'll get to hear from the programme Directorship about the Institute as well as a showcase of our flagship programmes. We'll discuss the course structure and modules for each and the career outcomes and life as a student in the department, UCL and London more widely.

Watch on demand event

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2026/27) £16,800 £8,400
Tuition fees (2026/27) £42,700 £21,350

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.

International students will bear any costs incurred in acquiring certification equivalent to DBS (Police check) in their home country. These checks are necessary for any student who undertakes a clinical project based at University College London Hospitals.

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

The UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology offers a number of scholarships for postgraduate taught students. For further information and to apply visit our scholarship page.

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

Next steps

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 Clinical Neuroscience: Stroke at UCL
  • What particularly attracts you to the programme
  • How you think your previous academic and/or research experience might help you meet the demands of the programme
  • How the degree might fit into your future career plans.

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.

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

UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology
UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology

m.khanom@ucl.ac.uk

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