Course starts: September 2027 Location: London, Bloomsbury

Earth Sciences with Study Abroad MSci

This four-year course allows students to follow any of the MSci courses offered by UCL Earth Sciences, with the additional opportunity to spend year three studying at an approved university in Australia, New Zealand, continental Europe, China, Japan or North America.

Key information

Full-time

4 academic years full time

UK: £9,790 per year
International: £42,700 per year

13 January 2027. Applications close at 6pm UK time.
Applications may stay open after this UCAS Equal Consideration deadline, please check UCAS for details.

Entry requirements

Grades: AAB
Subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Geography, Mathematics, Further Mathematics or Physics preferred.
GCSEs: English Language and Mathematics at grade C or 4

Contextual offer

Grades: BBB
Subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Geology/Geography, Mathematics, Further Mathematics or Physics preferred.
GCSEs: English Language and Mathematics at grade C or 4

At least two A level subjects should be taken from UCL's list of preferred A level subjects.

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JavaScript is required to view international equivalencies. Visit UCL International for more information.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 1

Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.

A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages and International Education.

UCL is committed to widening access to higher education. Access UCL is our contextual offer scheme for applicants from groups that are underrepresented at UCL. We assess your eligibility for Access UCL based on the information contained within your UCAS application. We review and update our Access UCL eligibility criteria and datasets every year, so please check the requirements for the year you plan to apply.

The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) prepare international students for a UCL undergraduate degree who do not have the qualifications to enter directly. These intensive one-year foundation courses are taught on our central London campus.

Typical UPC students will be high achievers in a 12-year school system which does not meet the standard required for direct entry to UCL.

For more information see: ucl.ac.uk/upc.

About this course

You will initially follow the first two years of one of the degree programmes on offer in UCL Earth Sciences Environmental Geoscience, Geology, Geophysics, or either of the two pathways in the Earth Sciences programme but with an additional option of a foreign language elective.

Your third year is spent abroad at an approved university in Australia, New Zealand, continental Europe, North America, China or Japan. You will return to UCL for your final year.

The number of places available for direct entry onto this course is limited and, therefore, competitive. Eligibility to continue will be assessed in both the first and second years of study. Students failing to maintain the required standard will be transferred to the corresponding UK-based MSci or BSc programme.

Course structure

This course is intended to provide a complete education and training that will qualify students for a wide range of high-level professional employment or postgraduate education and research within and outside the subject area. The structure is similar to the other degrees we offer Geology, Geophysics, Environmental Geoscience, and Earth Sciences but with the addition of a study year abroad at an approved university in Australia, New Zealand, continental Europe or North America.

In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules usually 8 per year , normally valued at 15 credits. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from year-to-year.

In Year 1, you will develop a fundamental knowledge base in both practical, theoretical and field-based skills. A Mathematics module is taken appropriate to A level background.

In Year 2, you will develop specific skills used in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and take modules which build on the first year course.

In Year 3, you will go abroad to universities with strong Earth Sciences course. There are numerous approved options in North America, Australia, New Zealand and English courses in Japan. You can take advantage of the year abroad by exploring modules not usually taught at UCL, while maintaining the proper course balance. To qualify for the year abroad you must maintain an average of 65% over years 1 and 2, otherwise you can register on one of the cognate courses on year 3, subject to meeting any additional requirements on those courses.

In Year 4, you will gain specific training in research skills in preparation for postgraduate education or a professional career in Earth sciences. You will further develop your interests by choosing from a range of Masters-level optional modules, usually aligned with your chosen research project.

A major independent research project provides a focal point for the year and you are involved in project choice and design, perform the work within major research teams, and produce outputs that frequently lead to professional presentations and publications. The year closes with an Undergraduate Research Conference attended by students, staff and alumni.

Modules

In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).

Please note that the list of compulsory modules given here is indicative. Up to 10 optional modules per year are displayed for this course: this may not be the full range of optional modules available for selection. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is 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. For more detail regarding module availability, please contact the department.

Compulsory modules

Optional modules

We use a mixture of lectures, practical classes, field courses, directed reading, problem-orientated learning, private study and tutorials to enable you to gain the theoretical knowledge and practical skills demanded by the course, as well as to develop key transferable skills such as critical analysis, report writing, team working and organisational skills.

Fieldwork is important part of the Earth sciences but as this course is flexible it allows students to choose from a wide range of aspects from within the subject, both practical and theoretical. There is a compulsory Year 1 field trip as part of GEOL0015 but modules that include field work in Year 2 are taken depending on which course pathway is chosen. Fieldwork is delivered through stand-alone modules or as a component of modules that also have campus-based lectures. Teaching and learning come through outcrop-based talks, demonstrations and discussions, followed by independent observation and data collection. Assessment is via independent and team-based real-world exercises, often enquiry-based, with outputs that include written notes, maps, section logs, data analyses, scientific sketches and presentations. On return to UCL these field observations may form the basis for reports, fair-copy maps, oral presentations, posters, logs and cross sections. Our field-based modules currently take place in Dorset (UK), Scotland, the Pyrenees (Spain), the Betics (Spain) and Germany.

You will be assessed by a combination of written examinations, practical examinations, coursework, independent project reports and sometimes an oral examination.

Typical weekly contact hours in the first three years will be 8 hours of lectures and 8 hours of practicals. Lecturers are also available for help outside these formal hours, as well regular tutorial sessions. During field trips, student will have constant contact with several members of staff except for the independent mapping . Students are also expected to do an additional 15 to 20 hours per week independent study.

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 are 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

Fee comparison by study mode and student status.
Study mode	UK fee (2026/27)	Overseas fee (2026/27)
Full time	£9,790	£42,700

UK undergraduate fees for 2026/27 are subject to parliamentary approval and are for the first year only. Fees for subsequent years may be subject to increase: Student Terms and Conditions. UK fees are in line with the Government announcement on fee cap increases. Fees for 2027/28 entry will be published in August 2026.

International undergraduate students benefit from a cohort guarantee unless indicated below, 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.

International fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2026/27 entrants.

Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.

Additional costs

The only extra costs above and beyond what is normally expected (i.e. computer, pens, papers and books) is for fieldwork and the year abroad costs. There may be extra costs for travel and living expenses for the year abroad, depending on where the student chooses to go. Studying abroad may cost between £200â€“£1,000 per month depending on where you choose to study. The cost of studying abroad can be difficult to predict as it will depend on your priorities and choices. There is more information available on the UCL Study Abroad website. For fieldwork, the Department makes a substantial contribution towards these costs covering all accommodation and in-field transportation. Depending on which degree course pathway the student follows, the number of compulsory fieldtrip modules will vary from two to four, and so students needs to budget accordingly. The Earth Sciences, Geophysics and Environmental Geosciences (with study abroad) courses have two compulsory field trips in Year 1 and MSci Year. For the Year 1 trip, lunch and evening meals will need to be covered by students (5 nights, ~£125). For the MSci Year trip, travel (flight/train/bus) to the field location (Ries, Germany) and lunch and evening meals will need to be covered by the students (5 nights, ~£325). The Geology (with study abroad) course has an additional two field trips on top of this, where students are expected to cover their transportation (flight/train/bus) to and from the beginning of the field locations at an estimated cost of ~£400, depending on the exact location, and food costs of ~£300. Students are expected to provide appropriate field clothing (boots and waterproofs). Students are expected to provide their own appropriate field clothing, such as walking boots and waterproofs. For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in London Underground 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 (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. If you are concerned by potential additional costs, please get in touch with the relevant departmental admissions contact (j.brodholt@ucl.ac.uk).

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 2026. 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. If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc., please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).

Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household income falls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayable bursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and funding pages for more details.

Why study this course at UCL?

Our department delivers world-leading research embracing the origins and history of life, Earth’s composition and structure, earthquake and volcanic hazards, and past and present climate change, and these are fully integrated within our taught course.

Our department delivers world-leading teaching ranked 5th in the UK in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025: Earth and Marine Sciences embracing the origins and history of life, Earth’s composition and structure, earthquake and volcanic hazards, and past and present climate change, and these are fully integrated within our taught course.

We are located in the Kathleen Lonsdale Building, providing you with access to world-class facilities including bespoke teaching laboratories, microscope facilities and student study areas, all in the heart of the department, next to staff offices and research laboratories.

Students carry out a major 4th year research project within one of our research groups, with research often leading to student-led publications and conference presentations.

Discover Uni

To see official information about this course and others visit Discover Uni.

What this course will give you

As UCL Earth Sciences graduates, students will have developed both discipline-based and highly sought after analytical skills, for example in logical thought and numeracy. This course provides a complete education and training in Earth Sciences and transferable skills that will qualify our graduates for a wide range of professional employment within and outside the subject area. The course integrates field and laboratory skills with theoretical studies. Fieldwork based modules provide a unique opportunity to develop independent and team skills, problem-solving abilities and specific skills such as environmental monitoring, geological and geophysical site surveying, rock identification, structural interpretations, map-making and the interpretation of complex three-dimensional structures. The MSci independent research project provides additional research methods training and opportunities for cutting edge research work. All our students are encouraged and helped towards making informed career choices.

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Content for this section is not yet available for this course.

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How to apply

Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.

We normally reach a decision on making an offer on the basis of the application alone. If you have an offer and would like to visit the department in person, please email the Admissions Tutor to arrange this.

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Selection

For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.

Apply for this course

You are applying for the Earth Sciences with Study Abroad MSci course. For application guidance please visit Application guidelines.

Course starts: September 2027

UCAS applications open for 2027 entry on 12 May 2026.

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Earth Sciences

earthsci@ucl.ac.uk

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Earth Sciences with Study Abroad MSci

Key information