May Intake Universities in UK 2027: List, Fees & Deadlines

Yes, there are May intake universities in UK for 2027, but the choice is much smaller than in September or January. For international students, most May entry is course-specific and postgraduate-led, especially in business, computing, data, cyber security, management and professional programmes. A smaller number of bachelor, top-up and pathway routes also start in May.

The short answer is: Coventry has multiple courses with a confirmed May 2027 start, UEL has announced its May 2027 intake, and London Met and Wolverhampton publish confirmed May 2027 pathway starts. Northumbria University London and Ulster branch campuses also show substantial May-start provision for the 2026/27 cycle.

Here’s the thing: a university can offer a May intake without offering your course in May. Check the course, campus, start date and fee before you pay a deposit.

Last checked: 18 August 2026. Some universities are still releasing final course details for this intake.

Quick Answer: May Intake in UK 2027

Question	Answer
Is May intake available in UK universities?	Yes, at selected universities and courses.
Strongest study level	Postgraduate, particularly MSc and business-related courses.
Are undergraduate options available?	Yes, but they are limited and often include top-up or pathway routes.
When should you apply?	Start preparing in autumn 2026 and apply as soon as your course opens.
Typical fee examples in this guide	Roughly £12,500 to £21,500, depending on programme and level.
Main risk	Choosing a university name without checking the exact May-start course.

If you are still comparing destinations and study routes, start with your wider UK study plan before narrowing the shortlist.

May Intake Universities in UK 2027: Confirmed and Current Options

For international students comparing options, the May intake universities in UK below are grouped by what the official source currently supports. Confirmed means the page explicitly shows May 2027. Announced means the university has confirmed the intake but has not yet released the full 2027 course list.

University or campus	2027 status	May-start examples	Published fee example
Coventry University	Confirmed May 2027	Advanced Software Engineering, Computer Science, Business Analytics, AI and other MSc routes	£19,500 for Advanced Software Engineering MSc
University of East London	May 2027 announced	Recent May provision includes AI, cloud computing, engineering, business and health	Course-specific
London Metropolitan University Study Centre	Confirmed May 2027	One-term Pre-Master's	£12,500, with scholarships up to £2,500
University of Wolverhampton International Study Centre	Confirmed May 2027	International Foundation Programme	£17,600, with scholarships up to £5,000
Northumbria University London	May shown across 2026/27 courses	AI, big data, cyber security, digital marketing, business and project management	Many MSc routes £21,500
Ulster University branch campuses	May routes published	Global Business, Computing Systems, International Business, Marketing and Public Health	Course-specific
Teesside University London	May 2027 academic start confirmed	One-year and two-year May study patterns, subject to course availability	Course-specific

The status labels above deliberately distinguish confirmed May 2027 course or pathway information from recurring May provision. Northumbria currently lists May across many 2026/27 courses, Ulster's branch-campus finder shows 32 courses with May as a filter, and Teesside University London confirms a 17 May 2027 postgraduate start date.

Coventry provides the clearest course-level evidence. Its Advanced Software Engineering MSc lists May 2027 and an international tuition fee of £19,500.

UEL is different. It says its May 2027 intake will open later in 2026 and currently shows May 2026 courses as an indication. Its academic calendar already places Welcome Week on 24 to 28 May 2027, with teaching from 1 June 2027.

That distinction matters. A verified shortlist beats a long list built from old intake pages.

Which UK Universities With May Intake Can International Students Consider?

For international students, May is strongest when a course already runs several intakes a year. Coventry and Northumbria London are good examples in computing and business. Ulster branch campuses show May entry across undergraduate, pre-master's and postgraduate routes, while UEL has a broad recent May portfolio.

A practical example helps. A graduate looking for MSc Cyber Security can currently see May among the Northumbria London start dates. A student looking for a conventional three-year bachelor course will find far fewer choices.

That is one of the mildly surprising features of May intake in UK universities: the postgraduate market can look healthy while undergraduate choice remains quite narrow.

If you need broader help with documents, admission steps or course selection, use the support available for overseas applicants without creating a separate May-intake article for every nationality.

May Intake UK 2027 Deadline and Application Timeline

There is no single national deadline for May intake in UK, so international students need to work from the exact university timetable. Each institution sets its own application, deposit and CAS timetable, and some deadlines are not published yet.

Use this as a safe planning sequence:

Period	What to do
August to October 2026	Shortlist courses and check official course pages
October to December 2026	Prepare transcripts, references and English evidence
December 2026 to January 2027	Apply where the May application window is open
February to March 2027	Meet offer conditions, pay the required deposit and prepare funds
March to April 2027	Complete CAS and Student visa steps
May 2027	Travel and enrol according to the university calendar

Do not treat January as a universal closing date. The safer rule is simpler: apply when your chosen course opens, not when a generic intake article says the deadline should be.

If May becomes too tight, compare January entry with the main autumn admission cycle.

Best Courses in UK With May Intake

The strongest May course cluster is postgraduate. Current official pages repeatedly show computing, business, management and technology subjects.

Common options include MSc Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Data Science, Big Data, Cyber Security, International Business and Business Analytics. Digital Marketing, International Project Management, Marketing and Public Health also appear across current May course portfolios.

Northumbria University London lists May among the start dates for multiple 2026/27 MSc programmes, with many international fees at £21,500. Ulster branch campuses also show May starts across Computer Science and Technology, International Business, Marketing and Health Promotion and Public Health.

May Intake in UK for Masters

For students targeting May intake in UK for Masters, postgraduate programmes offer the widest choice within this admission window.

Coventry is particularly useful because its current 2026/27 pages show May 2027 across several postgraduate areas, while Northumbria London and Ulster publish substantial recurring May provision.

If management is your target, compare those options with wider UK MBA routes. Choose the course first, then the intake.

Undergraduate May Intake Options in UK

Undergraduate May intake options in UK are more limited for international students, but they do exist.

Ulster branch campuses currently show May for BSc (Hons) Global Business and BSc (Hons) Computing Systems.

Northumbria University London also publishes selected May-start undergraduate and top-up provision. Pathways create another route: Wolverhampton's International Foundation Programme has an explicit May 2027 start and costs £17,600.

A top-up, foundation programme and standard Year 1 bachelor entry are not the same route. Check progression rules before you compare fees.

May Intake Universities in London

Students searching for May intake universities in London have several practical options.

Northumbria University London shows May starts across a large cluster of postgraduate business and technology courses. London Met has a confirmed May 2027 Pre-Master's. Ulster branch campuses list selected May courses in London, while Coventry also publishes May 2027 postgraduate options through its London provision.

London gives you more choice, but it also raises the Student visa maintenance requirement.

That can change the budget more than a small tuition discount.

May Intake UK Fees and Scholarships

For international students, May intake UK fees do not follow a separate national price. Tuition depends on the course, institution and study level.

Verified example	Published international tuition
London Met one-term Pre-Master's, May 2027	£12,500
Wolverhampton International Foundation Programme, May 2027	£17,600
Coventry Advanced Software Engineering MSc	£19,500
Many Northumbria London May-start MSc routes	£21,500

These examples put a realistic planning range around £12,500 to £21,500 for the routes shown here. They do not represent every May course in the UK.

If price is your main filter, compare lower-cost postgraduate routes instead of assuming May is cheaper.

Scholarships can reduce the figure. Wolverhampton advertises awards of up to £5,000 for its May 2027 International Foundation Programme. London Met's one-term Pre-Master's advertises scholarships up to £2,500, followed by a £5,000 Bright Futures Scholarship for eligible students who successfully progress to a postgraduate degree.

Check wider UK funding opportunities, but build your essential budget before assuming any award.

Entry Requirements and English Tests

Entry standards remain course-specific. Universities commonly ask for academic qualifications, transcripts, a passport and English-language evidence. Some postgraduate programmes also ask for references, a CV or personal statement.

Coventry's Advanced Software Engineering MSc, for example, lists IELTS 6.5 overall with no component below 5.5. Wolverhampton's May foundation route lists IELTS 5.5 overall with no component below 5.5.

That is why checking an exact course page beats relying on a generic university requirements table.

Can You Get May Entry Without IELTS?

Students often search for May intake without IELTS, but there is no blanket IELTS exemption.

A university may accept another approved test or other evidence depending on the course and applicant. Check alternative ways to meet English requirements, current PTE acceptance and whether previous English-medium study may be considered.

The exact course requirement remains the final check.

How to Apply for May Intake in UK

To apply for May intake in UK, start with the course page, not a general university list.

1. Confirm the course and campus.
2. Check the May start date and tuition.
3. Read the academic and English requirements.
4. Prepare your documents and submit the application.
5. Meet any offer conditions and pay the required deposit.
6. Complete pre-CAS checks, receive the CAS and apply for the Student visa.

One delayed document can push every later step back.

I have seen this pattern repeatedly in real application planning: the student with a ready transcript, English result and funds is often in a stronger May-intake position than the student carrying a much longer university shortlist.

So do the slow tasks early.

Student Visa Money, CAS and Cost

For the Student visa, the current financial requirement is the unpaid tuition shown on your CAS plus living funds of £1,529 per month in London or £1,171 per month outside London, for up to nine months. That means up to £13,761 in London or £10,539 outside London, before adding unpaid tuition.

For example, if your course costs £19,500 and you have already paid £5,000, the remaining tuition is £14,500. A London applicant who must show the full maintenance amount may therefore need to plan around £28,261 for the outstanding tuition plus maintenance requirement.

Prepare your visa financial evidence early. The required funds normally need to satisfy a 28-day holding period.

The Student visa application fee is currently £558. Applicants also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge, with the final amount depending on visa length.

Does May Intake Affect the Graduate Route?

No. The May intake itself does not shorten the Graduate Route.

Under the current rules, eligible non-doctoral graduates who apply on or after 1 January 2027 receive 18 months. PhD and other doctoral graduates receive three years.

A May 2027 starter should therefore plan around the 18-month rule rather than older two-year wording.

May vs January vs September Intake

Intake	Course choice	Best fit
September	Widest	Students who want maximum university, course and scholarship choice
January	Moderate	Students who need more time after September
May	Limited and postgraduate-led	Students with a verified May course and ready documents

May is useful because it can prevent an unnecessary wait. It is not automatically easier, cheaper or better.

Think about it this way: starting four months earlier has little value if you choose a weaker course just to make the intake.

FAQs About May Intake in UK 2027

Which universities offer May intake in UK for 2027?

Current confirmed or announced examples include Coventry University, UEL, London Metropolitan University Study Centre and Wolverhampton International Study Centre. Northumbria University London and Ulster branch campuses also publish substantial May-start provision, while Teesside University London confirms a May 2027 academic start.

Is May intake available in UK universities in 2027?

Yes. Selected universities and courses already show May 2027 dates, while some institutions are still releasing their final course lists.

What is the deadline for May intake UK 2027?

There is no single UK-wide deadline. Start preparing in autumn 2026 and apply as soon as the exact course opens, leaving enough time for offer conditions, deposit, CAS and visa processing.

How much does May intake in UK cost?

Verified examples in this guide range from £12,500 for London Met's one-term Pre-Master's to £21,500 for many current Northumbria London MSc routes.

Are there affordable UK universities with May intake?

Affordability depends on tuition and location. A lower tuition fee in London can still come with a higher visa maintenance requirement, so compare the total budget rather than tuition alone.

Are bachelor courses available in the May intake?

Yes, but options are limited. Current examples include selected Ulster undergraduate courses and May 2027 foundation or pathway provision at institutions such as Wolverhampton.

Are May and June Intake UK Universities the Same?

Not always. An intake may carry a May label even when teaching starts in June. UEL, for example, has May 2027 Welcome Week from 24 to 28 May, followed by teaching from 1 June.

Is May Intake Good for International Students?

It can be. May works best when your exact course is confirmed, your documents are ready and your budget leaves enough time for CAS and visa steps.

Final Check Before You Apply

Do not choose a May course simply because a university appears on a list.

Check this sequence instead:

course → campus → May 2027 start → tuition → scholarship → deadline → entry requirements → CAS

Then shortlist two or three realistic options.

If you want a final sense-check before paying a deposit, you can check your shortlist with an adviser.