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Mathematics MSc

London, Bloomsbury

The Mathematics MSc offers specialised modules in modern pure and applied mathematics that prepares you for a highly skilled mathematical profession or to continue your studies at PhD level.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2026/27)
£14,200
£7,100
Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)
£35,400
£17,700
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 closed

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

An upper second-class bachelor’s degree in mathematics, applied mathematics or theoretical physics 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

The programme introduces you to cutting-edge ideas in the areas of Number Theory, Algebra, Formalisation of Mathematics in Lean, Geometry and Topology, Pure and Applied Analysis, Combinatorics, Fluid Mechanics, Mathematical Physics, Mathematical Modelling in Industry and Society, Mathematical Biology, Numerical Analysis and Scientific Computing and Applied Probability.

Who this course is for

The Mathematics MSc is aimed at students with a strong background in mathematics who wish to continue their studies at postgraduate level. Applications from students looking to pursue our Mathematical Physics stream whose qualifications are in physics will also be welcomed and considered on individual merit.

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

What this course will give you

UCL Mathematics is among the top departments in the UK for this subject area and is currently 6th in the UK according to the QS World University Rankings 2025 for Mathematics. More information about our research groups is available on the departmental web page.

The UCL Mathematics department has been joined by the Clinical Operational Research Unit, which applies mathematics to a wide range of medically oriented research topics, and participates in UCL's Centre for Computation, Mathematics and Physics in the Life Sciences and Experimental Biology. Our academic staff are also members of the UCL's Advanced Research Computing Centre.

UCL Mathematics is part of the London Taught Course Center in Mathematical Sciences and is a founding member of the London School of Geometry and Number Theory, Francis Crick Institute and the Alan Turing Institute.

The UCL Mathematics MSc is an opportunity to become an integral part of a world renowned, research-intensive institution and to apply yourself in a wide range of exciting modules and a research dissertation in an area of your choice. Adopting a flexible course pedagogy, the curriculum nurtures a creative environment, with varied opportunities for individual and collaborative project work throughout the academic year.

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

The foundation of your career

The skills acquired from this programme are highly transferable to careers spanning a wide range of sectors including Business, Finance, Information Technology, Engineering, Media, Policy and Government. UCL Mathematics students move on to graduate-level work in exciting institutions like Twentyfour Asset Management, Centrus Financial Advisors, Swissbank, Bank of America-Merrill Lynch, Deloitte, KPMG, IBM, the Office for National Statistics, the Building Research Establishment and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather-Forecasting.(Graduate Outcomes Survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of UK and EU graduates in the 2017 - 2022 cohorts.)

Many of our graduates continue their studies at PhD level at UCL or prestigious universities like Princeton, Stanford, NYU, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, UCLA, Cambridge, Oxford, Warwick, Imperial, Edinburgh, ETH and EPFL.

Employability

The Mathematics MSc fosters advanced analytical, abstract and critical thinking, complex problem solving, mathematical modelling, technical and scientific written and oral presentations, which are skills that put you in a strong position to start a career in a mathematical profession or pursue a PhD in Mathematical Sciences. 

Graduate Attributes:

  • creative, innovative problem solver and researcher
  • independent and critical thinker
  • effective communicator and collaborator
  • adaptability
  • resilience
  • ethical and professional awareness 
  • global citizen
  • disagreeing well

Networking

The intake in the Mathematics MSc is selective, ensuring you can build a network of successful peers. The department offers several networking opportunities throughout the year, including a wealth of weekly research seminars and study groups that will enable you to integrate into our research community and to interact on a regular basis with academics, postdoctoral fellows and PhD students working in your area of interest.

The department works closely with UCL Careers to ensure that you are offered tailored induction talks and careers fairs and have access to a wide range of opportunities to perfect your personal statement and improve your interview skills. 

Teaching and learning

The Mathematics MSc consists of 7 taught modules, a compulsory Research Essay module and a research dissertation. There are no compulsory taught modules - you are free to design the degree that suits your interests best. A distinctive feature of this programme is the offer of a Research Essay module in term one- an early opportunity to embark on a research activity and to build a relationship with academics working in the field you might be considering applying for a PhD in. 

The taught component of the programme is delivered through lectures, practical classes, drop-in hours and coursework for independent study.

The Research Essay module involves independent study and literature review as well as group meetings with an academic supervisor. Workshops in research methods, mathematical writing and oral presentation skills will be provided during the first half of the first term. The Research Essay module is assessed by a written report and a viva.  

The dissertation component involves independent research in an area of your choice under the guidance of an academic member of staff.

The taught modules on the programme are assessed through a mixture of coursework and a closed book final examination, with the balance between coursework and examination varying between individual modules. Coursework elements include problem sheets, online quizzes, and programming assessments. Some modules will feature mid-term tests, oral presentations or mini projects in addition to the final written examination. Final examinations for all modules are sat in Term 3 (April-May).

In Terms 1 and 2, a full-time student can typically expect between 12 and 16 contact hours per teaching week. About 20-25 hours a week are recommended for self-directed study and completing coursework assignments.

During the summer period following the final examinations, you will be working full time on your research project, keeping regular contact with your supervisor.

Modules

You will undertake modules totalling 180 UK credits (the equivalent of 90 ECTS). The programme consists of 7 taught modules (105 UK credits), a Research Essay module (15 UK credits) and a research dissertation (60 UK credits). 

With a large, reputable department, we can offer a broad selection of taught modules at a high level of expertise matched only by a few others in the UK. The curriculum is clearly streamlined to enable you to shape your degree according to your own interests and strengths and to acquire a thorough understanding of an area at the forefront of research over a period of one year. You have the flexibility to choose a combination of modules split across the following general streams: Algebra, Number Theory and Combinatorics, Analysis (Pure and Applied) and Geometry, Applied and Computational Mathematics and Mathematical Physics. Below, you will find a selection of modules on offer. The full list of over 50 modules, along with module syllabi, is available on the departmental web page.

The part-time programme is split between two academic years and consists of the same components as the full-time programme. Students spread the 7 taught modules and the Research Essay module over two years and complete their research dissertation in the summer of the second year.

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.

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 Part-time
Tuition fees (2026/27) £14,200 £7,100
Tuition fees (2026/27) £35,400 £17,700

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

UCL200 MSc Mathematics Scholarships

Value: £13000

Criteria: Based on merit and financial need

Eligibility: UK, Overseas

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

Naughton & Clift-Matthews Mathematics Scholarship

Deadline: 25 June 2026
Value: £20,000 (One year)
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: UK

UCL 200 MSc Mathematics

Deadline: 15 March 2026
Value: £13,000 towards tuition fees (1yr)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: UK, EU, Overseas

Next steps

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Mathematics at graduate level;
  • why you want to study Mathematics at UCL;
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme;
  • how your academic background meets the demands of a challenging programme;
  • 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 programme match what the programme will deliver. Please also indicate the stream you are mostly likely to pursue: Algebra, Number Theory and Combinatorics, Analysis (Pure and Applied) and Geometry, Applied and Computational Mathematics or Mathematical Physics.

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

Mathematics
Mathematics

maths.mscteaching@ucl.ac.uk

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