De Montfort University • Leicester
Graduate-entry international business in Leicester — England’s trading-diaspora city — with January and September starts and Midlands living costs.
Our take
DMU’s International Business and Management MSc shares its strongest asset with the MBA (Global) above it: Leicester, where international trade is the local economy rather than a case study. For fresh graduates — especially those returning to family import/export or diaspora enterprises — the city supplies working examples of every module. Entry is any-discipline from a 2:2-equivalent, intakes run September and January, and Leicester’s costs stay comfortably below the southern average. One number to pin down early: DMU’s postgraduate band is the widest on our list (£16,100–£25,700), so the programme-specific fee in your offer letter — not the band — is the figure to compare against alternatives.
| Duration | 1 year full-time |
| Intake | September & January |
| Accreditation | Leicester Castle Business School (DMU) |
| Tuition | Within DMU’s 2026/27 international postgraduate band of £16,100–£25,700 — the widest on our list, so confirm the programme-specific fee in your offer before comparing. Deposits from around £4,000 by country. |
Where this leads: A master’s-level business qualification — no professional registration involved. Pairs with the Graduate visa for post-study work in the UK.
Both intakes run for the business portfolio.
Why DMU
Leicester’s South Asian and East African business communities run genuine international enterprises — the networks and examples surround the classroom.
Familiar food, faith facilities and established communities make DMU our most-recommended first UK city for family-minded applicants.
No experience gate here; DMU’s MBA (Global) waits above for later in your career.
Leicester rents undercut Birmingham and the South — and the band’s lower reaches start at £16,100.
What you study
Entry requirements
English language
DMU can consider Medium of Instruction (MOI) evidence for some courses — though clinical and regulated programmes usually still require a formal test. DMU's published English pages list approved tests rather than a blanket MOI policy, but its own 2026/27 fees page confirms MOI is considered for Indian applicants from states other than Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat — with a higher minimum pre-CAS deposit of £10,000 when you rely on one. Counsellor guidance indicates English-medium study is also weighed case by case for other markets, typically where your degree was recently taught and assessed wholly in English and the letter is issued on university letterhead. Treat MOI as a possibility to confirm for your profile, not a guarantee — we pre-check it with DMU before you apply.
Also accepted: PTE Academic (61 with 59 in each part at IELTS 6.5 equivalence), LanguageCert Academic 70 / Duolingo English Test 120 / TOEFL iBT 79, GCSE, IGCSE or Cambridge O Level English at grade C or above. Pre-sessional English is available if you fall short.
Careers
Your country
DMU publishes Pakistan-specific equivalencies: undergraduate entry typically needs HSC with 70% or above plus one year (new scheme) or two years (old scheme) of BCom/BSc/BA at 60%, while master's applicants with a four-year bachelor's degree usually need around 55% for 2:2-level courses or 65% where a 2:1 is required. Pakistan is not on the UKVI differential evidence list, so the pre-CAS deposit is typically a minimum of 50% of the first-year net fee, and — in common with many UK universities — applicants may be asked to complete a credibility interview before a CAS is issued. Leicester's long-established Pakistani community and low living costs make it one of the easier UK cities to settle into.
Full guide for PakistanUndergraduate applicants typically need a minimum 65% average in their best four Standard XII subjects (excluding Hindi); master's applicants usually need a recognised bachelor's degree at around 55-60% depending on the course. The deposit depends on your state and English evidence: applicants from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat currently pay the full first-year fee before a CAS, while those from other states pay a minimum £10,000 if relying on an MOI letter or 50% of the first-year fee with an approved English test. Leicester is arguably Britain's most Indian-friendly city — the Golden Mile, major Diwali celebrations and a large existing student community mean most Indian students feel at home quickly.
Full guide for IndiaFor master's entry DMU asks for a bachelor's degree with a GPA of 2.5/4.0 or 55% and above; undergraduate applicants usually route through A Levels, IB or a foundation year such as the DMU International College pathway. The most important practical point: Nigerian applicants are currently required to pay the full first-year tuition fee (minus any DMU scholarship) before a CAS is issued, which is a significantly higher upfront commitment than the £4,000 bands some other universities offer Nigerian students. Budget for this early, and speak to us about universities with lower deposit requirements if it is a constraint.
Full guide for NigeriaStudents from UAE schools are assessed on their qualification: A Levels, IB or strong CBSE/FBISE grades are considered for direct undergraduate entry, an American High School Diploma typically needs a 3.0+ GPA plus Advanced Placement subjects, and the UAE secondary school certificate usually routes through a foundation year. Master's applicants need a recognised bachelor's degree at around 2:2 equivalent. UAE nationals fall under the UKVI differential evidence requirement, so the pre-CAS deposit is currently a minimum £4,000 — expatriate applicants are assessed on their own nationality — and the February mid-year intake suits Gulf-based professionals who cannot wait for September.
Full guide for the UAECompare
FAQ
DMU’s band is the widest we list — £16,100–£25,700 for 2026/27 — so treat the programme-specific fee in your offer letter as the real number. We confirm it and your country’s deposit before you compare DMU against alternatives.
Because the city practises what the course teaches. Its diaspora trading businesses — textiles, food, logistics, retail — are live international enterprises, and the contacts you make locally map directly onto careers that bridge the UK and South Asian or African markets.
No — any-discipline entry from a 2:2-equivalent, with management foundations built into the course. Experienced managers should read our DMU MBA (Global) guide instead.
Both run. January suits applicants regrouping after autumn; the visa timeline compresses, and our January-intake guide maps the sequence week by week.
Fees, entry requirements, English-language policies and intake dates are correct to the best of our knowledge at the date shown, but universities review them every cycle and immigration rules change. Always treat figures as a guide — we confirm the exact, current requirements with the university before you apply. Facts on this page last checked July 2026.
Intakes shown are for this course specifically; DMU runs other intakes for other programmes — see the full DMU profile.
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