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Health Informatics MSc

London, Bloomsbury

How can information and technology be used to transform the organisation and delivery of healthcare? Join us to find out on this course run jointly by UCL and the University of Manchester. You will gain specialist expertise in a field that is having a tangible impact on improving healthcare in the UK and internationally.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2026/27)
£16,800
£8,400
University of Manchester Dual Award

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)
£39,200
£19,600
University of Manchester Dual Award

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 academic year
2 academic years
5 academic years
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 an upper second-class Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. A relevant Master’s degree from an appropriately accredited institution is desirable.

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


If you want to play your part in improving healthcare by supporting organisations to make better use of information and technology, this course is an excellent option.

This course is jointly run by the two largest teams in health informatics in the UK – UCL and the University of Manchester. Through this course, you will gain insights into the design and implementation of the digital systems used to deliver healthcare today.

Get to grips with the technical detail behind approaches to software engineering, and learn how to implement different systems, as well as supporting change. You will also acquire skills in analysing and presenting data.

The course is supported by the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme and other employers. You will join a cohort from diverse educational and technical backgrounds. This multidisciplinary learning environment is one of the key strengths of this course.

The course is delivered through a mix of face-to-face teaching and online learning, designed to fit around your working life. 

Who this course is for

We accept applications from people with a wide range of qualifications, and we consider professional experience if students do not have a relevant first degree. Students who wish to study full-time can take the course in one year but should be aware that they will be taking modules that are largely delivered online. 

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

What this course will give you

  • Study at a university ranked 9th in the world (QS World University Rankings 2026), 3rd in the world for public health (ShanghaiRankings 2024) and rated number one for research power and impact in medicine, health and life sciences (REF 2021).
  • You will study at two leading research institutes dedicated to health informatics, giving you access to extensive specialist expertise.
  • The teaching is research-led, reflects the latest thinking in the field and addresses topics such as how AI and machine learning are transforming healthcare.
  • We have close links with partners including the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme and other NHS organisations.
  • You will study with students from a diverse mix of educational and technical backgrounds.
  • The course is delivered through a blend of face-to-face teaching and online learning.
Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

The skills you gain in health informatics are highly sought after in technical and management roles involved in leading the digital transformation of healthcare.

Having knowledge of this subject area is also highly relevant for leadership positions in the NHS or other healthcare organisations in the UK and overseas.

Graduates have moved into careers in pharmaceutical companies or consulting organisations, gone onto further study, taking on PhDs or fellowships, or launched their own businesses.

They have gone onto work at organisations such as IQVIA, Synlab, the NHS and universities in the UK and abroad.*

*Graduate Outcomes survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of UK and EU graduates in the 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 cohorts.

Due to the nature of the course being split between Manchester and London, you get to experience both cities and there is just so much flexibility. You can take the course full-time or part-time. You can take it almost entirely at UCL or almost entirely at Manchester.

Lucy is pictured smiling and standing in front of a poster board at a conference. Lucy is wearing a grey jumper and has a green lanyard around her neck.

Lucy

Health Informatics MSc

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Employability

The course encourages intellectual curiosity and critical thinking, teaches transferable skills and cultivates reflective practice. Armed with these skills, you will rapidly have an impact in your workplace. You will be learning from academics who are helping to shape health informatics globally, and benefit from our close links with healthcare organisations and other employers.

Networking

This course works closely with NHS organisations in Manchester and London, and with companies that are active in digital health. These well-established relationships provide opportunities for students to build their professional network as well as undertake projects with these organisations. These opportunities are subject to availability.

Teaching and learning

The course is delivered via blended learning. Each taught module is delivered largely online over eight or nine weeks with a short block of intensive face-to-face teaching either at UCL or The University of Manchester. 

The online element includes video lectures, podcasts, written material as well as exercises and discussions. The face-to-face teaching includes lectures, seminars and experiential learning. 

Students will typically be required to spend three days per module on campus. The rest of the learning will be delivered online. For half the modules, the face-to-face teaching will be at UCL, for the other half it will be at The University of Manchester. Students will also be asked to attend a separate induction day based at UCL at the start of the year. 

The types of assessment on this course may include coursework, examination, presentations and a research project. Assessments may require attendance on campus.

Full-time students will have the equivalent of 12 to 13 contact hours per week in Terms 1 and 2. Outside of module delivery full-time students will be expected to spend 22 to 23 hours in self-directed study - preparing for assignments and working through course materials. Part-time and flexible students study at a pro-rata rate.

The attendance requirements of the dissertation module will vary depending on the project. We organise face-to-face teaching for dissertation students which takes place at The University of Manchester and UCL.

A Postgraduate Diploma, four compulsory modules (60 credits), four optional modules (60 credits), full-time one year, part-time two years or flexible study up to five years, is offered. A Postgraduate Certificate, four compulsory modules (60 credits), full-time one year, part-time two years or flexible study up to five years, is offered.

Modules

Full-time students take four compulsory modules and four optional modules chosen from a list of options offered in the department. Students registered for the MSc will also complete a dissertation. 

The choice of modules for part-time students is the same as for full-time students, but taken over two years. We recommend that the dissertation is taken in the second year. 

The choice of modules for part-time students is the same as for full-time students but taken over two to five years. Most modular/flexible students take the course over three years, completing the compulsory modules in year one, the optional in year two and the dissertation in year three. 

Compulsory modules




University of Manchester: Health Information Systems and Technologies

University of Manchester: Modern Information Engineering


Optional modules




University of Manchester: Standards and Interoperability

University of Manchester: Decision Support Systems



University of Manchester: Applied Health Data Analytics


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 Health Informatics. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a PG Dip in Health Informatics. Upon successful completion of 60 credits, you will be awarded a PG Cert in Health Informatics.

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: Health Informatics MSc

Studying at the Institute of Health Informatics opens doors to impactful careers across healthcare, research, and the rapidly evolving field of digital health. Join our virtual open events to explore our Master’s degree in Health Informatics, meet Programme Directors, and learn how to make your application stand out.

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) £39,200 £19,600

University of Manchester Dual Award

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

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.

For modular/flexible offer holders with a fee status classification of UK, a £350 deposit will be charged.

For modular/flexible offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a £500 deposit will be charged.

There is no fee deposit required for PG Dip and PG Cert applicants.

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

The cost of travel to and from Manchester or London (depending on the module location). 

Students are expected to attend a three-day block of face-to-face teaching for each of the taught modules. Half of these take place in Manchester and half in London. Part-time students based in London will therefore typically have to travel to Manchester twice in their first year and twice in the second year to attend these teaching blocks and will typically need two nights accommodation in Manchester for each. 

Students based in Manchester will, similarly, be expected to travel to London and stay in London for the teaching based in London. There may be some additional travel required for induction, an exam or for dissertation training, but these typically do not require an overnight stay. For an indication of travel costs please visit the National Rail website.

Accommodation in London and Manchester may be anywhere between £100 - £300 for two nights. A return ticket from London to Manchester or Manchester to London can be purchased in advance or on the day from £50.00 - £200.00. The cost of your train ticket will depend on the time and day you are travelling, whether you have a railcard, and whether you book in advance. Face-to-face teaching is split evenly between London and Manchester. This will include:

Three days teaching on campus per core module (six days at each campus):

  • London: Principles of Health Data Analytics and Essentials of Informatics for Healthcare Systems.
  • Manchester: Health Information Systems and Technologies and Modern Information Engineering.

Three days teaching on campus per optional module (12 days on campus in total, how these are split between the campuses will vary according to individual module choices):

  • London: Learning Health Systems; Personal Health Informatics; Machine Learning in Healthcare; or Appraisal and Evaluation in Healthcare.
  • Manchester: Standards and Interoperability; Applied Health Data Analytics; Digital Transformation Project; or Decision Support Systems.

Seven or eight single days on campus for the dissertation module (three or four days at each campus).

In total, a full-time student could expect the following on campus teaching requirements:

  • London: Minimum 9 days, maximum 22 days on campus teaching.
  • Manchester: Minimum 9 days, maximum 22 days on campus teaching.

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

Institute of Health Informatics PGT Home Fees Studentship 2025

Deadline: 31 July 2025
Value: Full Home tuition fees (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and 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 Health Informatics at graduate level.
  • Why you want to study Health Informatics at UCL and University of Manchester.
  • What particularly attracts you to the chosen course.
  • How your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging course.
  • Where you would like to go professionally with your degree.

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

Institute of Health Informatics
Institute of Health Informatics

ihi.education@ucl.ac.uk

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.