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Cognitive Neuroscience MRes

London, Bloomsbury

There is increasing international demand for high-quality research training on mental processes in the healthy and diseased human brain. This MRes brings together some of the world's leading researchers in cognitive neuroscience and cognitive neuropsychology, offering students an ideal environment to prepare for independent research careers in this fast-developing field.

UK students International students
Study mode
Full-time
UK tuition fees (2026/27)
£16,800
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 – 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

Normally a minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

The English language level for this course is: Level 2

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 learn about the relationship between the mind and the brain in patients and healthy individuals, alongside the ideas, methodology, and current state of knowledge in cognitive neuroscience. In addition to specialised, research-oriented training, the programme develops key transferable skills. These include project management, logical thinking, oral and written communication, and independent learning. The MRes has a greater emphasis on the research project than the Cognitive Neuroscience MSc. 

Who this course is for

The programme is suitable for students with a relevant scientific background (e.g. psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, or biomedical science). Candidates should have previous research experience and demonstrate that they can conduct a large research project. The programme is not designed to teach students how to conduct research.

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

What this course will give you

The UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience (ICN) is among the principal research centres in the world in this area and offers an ideal environment to study the subject. We are ranked first for research power in Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience by the UK’s most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), with more than two thirds of our research in these areas rated as world-leading (4*).

Our work attracts staff and students from around the world. Together they create an outstanding and vibrant environment, taking advantage of cutting-edge resources such as a behavioural neuroscience laboratory, a centre for brain imaging, and extensive laboratories for research in speech and language, perception, and cognition.

Opportunities for graduate students to work with world-renowned researchers exist in all areas of investigation. The Division of Psychology and Language Sciences offers a supportive environment including numerous specialist seminars, workshops, and guest lectures.

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

The foundation of your career

You will have the opportunity to study and conduct cutting-edge research alongside some of the leading researchers in the field of cognitive neuroscience. You will also be immersed in this research environment and will learn directly from experts in the field in a lab setting rather than just in the classroom.

Students on our programmes go on to a variety of careers/further study. Many of our students choose to go on to a PhD or research positions in universities. Others go into industry, education and medical careers. 91% of our graduates have gone onto work or further study within 15 months of completing their studies (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2017–2023).

Employability

The MRes is a very selective programme that develops key research skills such as critical thinking and data analysis in the field of cognitive neuroscience and serves as a basis for PhD study in an academic setting or a research career in industry or business. The MRes also promotes key skills that prepare students for more general careers in clinical psychology, marketing, teaching, and consultancy such as time and project management, problem solving and clear communication.

Networking

There will be opportunities to network within the dedicated programme seminars, via extracurricular talks such as departmental seminars, during the ICN induction, by liaising with guest lecturers, and via the academic, social, and public engagement events that are part of the programme.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, laboratory classes and seminars. Depending on the chosen optional modules, it includes the analysis of neuroimaging data, critical analyses of published scientific papers, and discussion seminars. You are expected to augment these with your own thinking, self study and literature review.

Assessments take various forms, including critical analyses, scientific essays, exams, a scientific poster, and public engagement video. This depends on which modules you choose. A key part of the programme is a research project, which is assessed via a dissertation and oral examination. 

Typical contact hours are around 12 hours per week, depending on the nature of your research project. 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. On average students spend 70% of their time on the research project and 30% in class.

Modules

The MRes takes one year of full-time study. You will spend one-third of your time on taught modules and two-thirds on an empirical research project in the area of cognitive neuroscience, supervised by a suitable member of UCL staff. Two of the taught modules are compulsory, focusing on statistics (either the Intermediate or Advanced level module) and communication skills in cognitive neuroscience. You choose the other two taught modules. One of these must focus on the methods of cognitive neuroscience and the other on current issues in the field.

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 MRes in Cognitive Neuroscience.

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.

Where you'll study

A person inside a scanning machine

Part of the Faculty of Brain Sciences, the UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience undertakes world-leading research in the human mind and brain. Our programmes bring together some of the world's leading cognitive neuroscience and neuropsychology researchers.

Find out more

Visit us

All open days and events

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Cognitive Neuroscience MSc/MRes

The MSc and MRes in Cognitive Neuroscience focuses on the relationship between the mind and the brain in healthy and brain-damaged individuals. The Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience is among the principal research centres in the world in this area and offers an ideal environment to study cognitive neuroscience. During the session you'll get to hear from the programme Director and current students about the course structure, modules, career outcomes and UCL student life.

Watch on demand event

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time
Tuition fees (2026/27) £16,800
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

There are no additional course-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

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

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.

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 cover the following in your personal statement: 

  • why you want to study Cognitive Neuroscience at graduate level
  • why you want to study Cognitive Neuroscience at UCL
  • which module(s) on the Cognitive Neuroscience programme interest you most and why
  • if you have a particular research project in mind
  • your knowledge and interest in the subject demonstrated by briefly discussing a specific book or article that you have read that aroused your interest in the topic of cognitive neuroscience
  • how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this rigorous programme
  • how completion of the Cognitive Neuroscience MRes will help you obtain your short- and long-term career goals.

The application process is competitive. Applications will be evaluated on the basis of the quality of the applicant's degree and degree institution, the quality of the references, the relevant skills and experience, the quality of the personal statement, and the suitability of the applicant's career plans.

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

Division of Psychology and Language Sciences
Division of Psychology and Language Sciences

icneducation@ucl.ac.uk

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