Neuroscience MSci
Prepare for a career in neuroscience with our four-year integrated master’s degree, taught in the heart of the largest neuroscience research community in Europe. You’ll study the nervous system at all levels, from the molecular and cellular mechanisms underpinning the function of neurons, to human cognition and behaviour. This research-focused course will equip you to address the most profound and impactful questions in neuroscience.
Key information
Entry requirements
- Grades
- AAA
- Subjects
- Chemistry required plus one from Biology, Life and Health Sciences, Mathematics or Physics.
- GCSEs
- English Language and Mathematics at grade B or 6
Contextual offer
- Grades
- AAB
- Subjects
- AA must be in Chemistry and other science (Biology, Life and Health Sciences, Mathematics or Physics).
- GCSEs
- English Language and Mathematics at grade B or 6
At least two A level subjects should be taken from UCL's list of preferred A level subjects.
- Points
- 38
- Subjects
- A total of 18 points in three higher level subjects including Chemistry and one subject from Biology, Mathematics or Physics, with no higher level score below 5. For Mathematics, the course will accept either ‘Analysis and Approaches’ or ‘Applications and Interpretation’ at higher level.
Contextual offer
- Points
- 36
- Subjects
- A total of 17 points in three higher level subjects including Chemistry and one subject from Biology, Mathematics or Physics (both at grade 6), with no score below 5. For Mathematics, the course will accept either ‘Analysis and Approaches’ or ‘Applications and Interpretation’ at higher level.
The English language level for this programme is: Level 4
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.
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
As an undergraduate neuroscientist at UCL, you will join one of the largest neuroscience research communities in the world – a community responsible for multiple Nobel Prize-winning discoveries that have shaped our understanding of the brain.
You will delve into the molecular and cellular mechanisms which allow neurons to compute information and communicate. You will explore how neurons form connections and circuits that give rise to complex behaviour and cognition. You will develop a multifaceted tool kit and build a cross-disciplinary understanding of the brain and nervous system.
You will benefit from practical lab experience and research-oriented teaching, interacting with leading researchers in the department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology and in our world-renowned partner institutions, such as the Francis Crick Institute, the Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit and Sainsbury Wellcome Centre.
In Year 1, you will cover the foundations of molecular, cellular and system neuroscience, learn key scientific, analytical and computational techniques and study core subjects spanning the biosciences, from molecules to populations.
In Year 2, you will develop your understanding of neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, pharmacology and molecular biology and conduct extensive lab experiments using cultured cells and tissue samples, while extending the range and depth of your computational and analytical skills. At the end of Year 2, you will choose whether to complete the four-year integrated MSci course, or transfer to the three-year BSc.
In Year 3, you will complete an Advanced Library Project. Alongside this, you will get to choose from a wide range of optional modules allowing you to strengthen and augment your expertise across specialisms that complement our world-leading research.
In Year 4, you will undertake an Extended Research Project. You will spend most of the academic year embedded within a research lab of your choosing (subject to availability) within UCL or one of UCL’s partner institutes. During this time you will attempt to address a novel research question formulated in collaboration with your supervisor. The Extended Research Project will give you the opportunity to apply all that you have learnt throughout your degree to advance neuroscience. In addition to your research project you will choose two advanced, master’s-level modules to study.
Over the course of your studies you will explore how memories are formed, how brain cell activity shapes behaviour, how your senses perceive the world, how the brain controls movement, speech and language, as well as causes of and novel treatments for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia.
The Neuroscience degree courses at UCL are taught by academics with the research background, specialist expertise and academic excellence to provide you with the high-class training you require to become a great scientist in your own right.
We’re looking for students who are intelligent, hardworking and have a deep interest in neuroscience. Most of our applicants attain excellent grades; we select students who have a clear understanding of what neuroscience is and demonstrate a passion to learn more.
Course structure
In Year 1, you will take compulsory modules across a range of interrelated scientific disciplines including 30 credits of specific neuroscience modules.
In Year 2, you will take 90 credits of compulsory modules, and 30 credits of optional modules.
In Year 3, you will complete a compulsory literature-based research project module, and 90 credits of optional modules.
In Year 4, your final year, you will join an existing research team in one of UCL’s departments or partner institutes to conduct a novel research project. You will also complete 30 credits of optional modules.
MSci students also have the opportunity to transfer to the BSc course at the end of Year 2, completing the degree with a lower qualification in three years instead of four.
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
- Foundations of Life (BIOS0066)
- Organisms, Evolution and Ecology (BIOS0067)
- Year 1: Fundamental Scientific Skills and Grand Challenges (BIOS0068)
- Year 1: Foundations of Programming and Data Handling (BIOS0069)
- Molecular Cell Biology (BIOS0074)
- Cells to Organisms (BIOS0075)
- Foundations in Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology (NEUR0025)
- Foundations in System Neuroscience (NEUR0026)
Compulsory modules
- Advanced Dissertation in Biosciences (BIOS0080)
Optional modules
- Molecular Basis of Neuropsychiatric Disorders (ANAT0012)
- Molecular Basis of Neuropsychiatric Disorders (ANAT0012)
- Pain (ANAT0013)
- Investigative Methods in Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology (BIOS0024)
- Neurobiology of Decision-making in Animal Model Systems (BIOS0058)
- Metabolic Neuroscience (NEUR0009)
- Neurobiology of Brain Injury and Disease Extended (NEUR0010)
- Neurobiology of Brain Injury and Disease I (NEUR0011)
- Neurobiology of Brain Injury and Disease II (NEUR0012)
- Neural Basis of Motivation and Learning (NEUR0014)
You will build your neuroscience knowledge and skills through lectures, tutorials, workshops, practical classes and self-guided study.
Practical lab experience is a vital part of studying science at UCL. You will spend a substantial amount of time working in the lab throughout your studies, which will help to prepare you for a final year research project.
Your progress and achievements will typically be assessed through a combination of examinations and coursework. Assessment methods used may vary, depending on the optional and elective modules you select.
Final-year projects are assessed on a written dissertation and an oral presentation.
Contact hours with teaching staff for the Neuroscience degree courses typically exceed 20 hours per week. In your first year of study, these hours will consist of lectures (typically around 15 hours per week), practical sessions, tutorials and workshops (typically around 5 hours per week). The exact number of contact hours and composition varies throughout the degree course and will depend on the module choices you make. In addition to the timetabled sessions, students are expected to undertake approximately 15–20 hours of independent study per week.
Final year BSc students can expect to spend approximately one to two days per week working on research projects, while final year MSci students can expect to spend two to three days per week on their research projects, in addition to research team meetings and taught modules.
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
| 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
Laboratory coat (approximate cost £10-20).
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?
- Study at UCL, one of the top 10 universities in the world (QS World University Rankings 2026), ranked 1st in the UK for research power in psychology, psychiatry and neuroscience according to the most recent Research Excellence Framework analysis (REF 2021).
- Gain first-hand insight into globally significant research underway in areas such as systems neuroscience, computational neuroscience and neuropharmacology.
- Shape your studies to explore the aspects of neuroscience that most interest you, choosing from a wide array of optional modules in years 3 and 4 including: The Neural Basis of Motivation and Learning; The Neurobiology of Brain Injury and Disease; Psychopharmacology; and Integrative Systems Neuroscience.
- Take advantage of opportunities to work with prestigious research groups and gain hands-on experience in top laboratories in the faculties of Life Sciences and Brain Sciences, and with our partner institutes including at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre, the Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit, the Francis Crick Institute, the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI), the Institute of Ophthalmology, and the Institute of Child Health.
- Leave well equipped to pursue a PhD, or to take any number of highly skilled roles in the healthcare, biotech or pharmaceutical industries. Graduates from the Neuroscience BSc/MSci frequently gain places in top PhD courses world-wide.
Discover Uni
To see official information about this course and others visit Discover Uni.
What this course will give you
By systematically embedding employability, UCL ensures equality of access for all students, helps you acquire transferable skills, and supports you in articulating your value to employers. Through the training embedded across the years in the Neuroscience MSci, we align academic learning with real-world needs, positioning our UCL Neuroscience graduates to succeed across diverse career paths. These outcomes reflect UCL’s dedication to producing graduates who are not only scientifically rigorous, but also skilled communicators, adept collaborators, and reflective professionals ready for diverse careers in science, research, healthcare, policy, or industry. The Neuroscience MSci course aligns with the UCL Careers employability framework.
Employers of our graduates include Cap Gemini UK plc, Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, L’Oréal, University of Edinburgh, University of Oxford, Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, and the Wellcome Trust.*
*Graduate Outcomes survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of graduates in the 2019–2023 cohorts.
- Scientific research, development and analysis
- Manufacturing
- Human resources and recruitment
- IT, technology and telecommunications
- PR, advertising and marketing
- Academic research and HE
- Hospitality, leisure and tourism
- Teaching and other educational activities
- Consultancy
- Retail and wholesale activities
- Other professional, scientific and technical activities
- Health and social care
- Construction, built environment and property
- Publishing, journalism and translation
Open days
Find out more about our in-person Open Days, online events and courses and subjects that interest you.
Register nowRegister your interest
Register your interest in undergraduate study and become part of the UCL community.
Register nowHow 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.
If we have made you an offer, you will be invited to attend an offer-holder event. This may include talks from staff about the course and the department. It could also include a research presentation, tours of UCL and the department, and a visit to a laboratory facility.
If you apply by the main UCAS deadline and meet, or are predicted to meet, all of our academic and individual requirements including being able to demonstrate a good understanding of what this specialised subject entails, you will receive an offer of a place either conditional or unconditional.
Selection
For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.
Apply for this course
You are applying for the Neuroscience MSci course. For application guidance please visit Application guidelines.Course starts: September 2027
UCAS applications open for 2027 entry on 12 May 2026.
Got questions? Get in touch
We are here to help. Get in touch with us for more information about our courses.
Division of Biosciences
Click to email. biosciences-admissions@ucl.ac.ukUCL is regulated by the Office for Students.
