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Cognitive Neuroscience MSc

London, Bloomsbury

The Cognitive Neuroscience MSc at UCL is a research-led, state-of-the-art degree programme on mental processes in the human brain. The programme brings together some of the world's leading researchers in cognitive neuroscience and cognitive neuropsychology.

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 academic 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

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

You will 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. Students learn in the classroom and laboratory via a combination of lectures, discussions and practical work. Alongside discipline-specific knowledge and skills, the programme develops key transferable skills.

Who this course is for

The programme is suitable for students with a relevant scientific background (e.g. psychology, neuroscience, linguistics, or biomedical science). 

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

What this course will give you

UCL is among the principal research centres in the world in this area and offers an ideal environment to study cognitive neuroscience. 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. 

The UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience (ICN) is an interdisciplinary and vibrant body of postdoctoral and postgraduate researchers, plus clinical fellows, with common interests in the human mind and brain.

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 learn directly from experts in the field. 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. 94% of all graduates were in full-time work or further study within 15 months of completing their studies (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2017–2023).

UCL is such a hub of science and with one of the best research centres in the world. In my degree, I learnt how people think and make decisions and within life this has been incredibly useful. Within my job I am always looking at innovation and scientific breakthroughs and so the research side from UCL and being able to create an academic thesis on an emerging area has been invaluable.

Leonora Ross Skinner

Cognitive Neuroscience MSc

Read more

Employability

The MSc programme develops research skills 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 MSc also promotes key transferable skills that prepare students for more general careers in clinical psychology, marketing, teaching and consultancy.

Networking

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

Teaching and learning

Teaching is mainly delivered via lectures and a research project, supplemented by practical activities, demonstrations of methods, data analyses, seminars, and discussions. You are expected to augment these with your own thinking, self study and literature review.

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, laboratory classes and seminars. The programme includes analysis of neuroimaging data, critical analyses of published scientific papers and discussion seminars. Assessment is through examinations, essays, reports, a popular science article, video and a narrated scientific poster. The research project is assessed via a dissertation and presentation.

For a full-time student, 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. On average, students spend 30% of their time on the research project and 70% in class. The number of contact hours in the project depends on the nature of the research that is undertaken.

Modules

The MSc takes one year of full-time study. You will spend two-thirds of your time on compulsory taught modules and one-third on an empirical research project in the area of cognitive neuroscience, supervised by a suitable member of UCL staff. Half of the taught modules focus on the methods of cognitive neuroscience, including statistics (one of either Intermediate or Advanced level), brain anatomy, and different ways to measure brain structure and brain function in humans. The other half of the taught modules focus on current issues in cognitive neuroscience. These inform you about current knowledge and controversies in the field. 

The programme can also be taken part-time over two years. The modules are the same as in the full-time programme. In the first year, you would complete 5 taught modules, and in the second year you would complete 3 taught modules and your Research project.

Compulsory 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 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

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The Division of Psychology and Language Sciences is a diverse community of academics, clinicians, and students dedicated to advancing understanding of the mind, behaviour and language. Our courses span the breadth of psychology and language sciences—including behavioural and cognitive neuroscience, language and cognition, learning and memory, and therapeutic interventions. During the sessions, you'll hear from Course Directors about course structures, modules, career outcomes and student life.

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 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.

There are no additional costs for this programme.

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.

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

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 MSc 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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