Kingston upon Thames, Greater London • United Kingdom
A genuine London university in a calm riverside borough — strong for pharmacy, nursing, business and design, with September and January intakes.
Our take
Kingston University is the option we suggest when a student wants a genuine London degree without central-London chaos. Its campuses sit in Kingston upon Thames, a safe riverside borough in southwest London around 30 minutes from Waterloo — so you get London internships and part-time work on your CV, with a calmer and slightly cheaper place to actually live. Academically it is strongest where our students tend to apply: a GPhC-accredited MPharm delivered jointly with City St George's, pre-registration nursing master's rated top in London by the Complete University Guide 2026, an AMBA-accredited MBA and a large business school. Fees are mid-range for London — most 2026/27 courses cost around £19,200 to £20,500 a year — and the £5,000 postgraduate deposit stays refundable until your CAS is issued. One caution: Kingston no longer runs OSPAP, so overseas pharmacists seeking GPhC registration should look at Aston, Brighton, Hertfordshire or Sunderland instead.
Founded 1899 (university status 1992).
Guardian University Guide 2026
Complete University Guide 2026
Fees & funding
| Undergraduate tuition | £19,200 – £19,900 / year |
| Postgraduate tuition | £19,300 – £25,000 / year |
| Deposit to secure your CAS | £5,000 |
Typical 2026/27 international fees — classroom-based degrees start around £19,200, with lab-based courses such as the MPharm at £19,900 in year one. Fees rise slightly for each later year of study, published in advance. Most taught master's currently cost around £19,300–£20,500 a year for international students; the AMBA-accredited Kingston MBA is around £25,000. Always confirm the exact fee on your course page. Applies to postgraduate taught applicants who need a Student visa, and counts towards your first fee instalment. It is refundable until your CAS is issued. Undergraduate offer holders and government-sponsored students are currently exempt.
Fees last checked July 2026.
International fee-paying offer holders on undergraduate and taught master's courses. Competitive — you apply per intake with a 300-word statement and a one-minute video, and the award is deducted from first-year tuition fees.
International students starting an eligible course; postgraduate students receive the award against first-year tuition fees. Eligibility rules are set per intake, so we check the current criteria before you apply.
Run with the British Council for students from selected countries, announced each year. Typically worth £10,000 towards one year of taught master's tuition fees — check the current country list before applying.
Self-funded candidates holding an offer for the AMBA-accredited Kingston MBA. Awards of £5,000 are advertised for September 2026 starters, with combined scholarship support of up to £10,000 available to the strongest applicants.
English language
Kingston can consider a Medium of Instruction (MOI) letter in place of IELTS for some applicants. Kingston will consider a Medium of Instruction (MOI) letter or degree transcript confirming your entire qualification was taught in English, where the awarding institution meets its recognition standards. MOI evidence is usually valid for five years, and degrees delivered through franchise or affiliated campuses are not accepted for a waiver — so approval is case by case and we verify your documents against the current policy first.
Also accepted: PTE Academic 59 (most taught master's), IELTS 6.0 with 5.5 in each band for most undergraduate courses. Pre-sessional English courses are available if you fall short.
Intakes
September is the main intake with the full course range; a good selection of taught master's (and a small number of undergraduate courses) also start in January, plus a handful of March start dates. CAS request and deposit deadlines fall several weeks before each start date — for recent cycles the postgraduate deposit deadline was mid-July for September entry and early February for January entry — so apply early.
Courses
Entry requirements
Kingston typically considers HSSC/Intermediate results of around 65% and above for undergraduate entry, though some courses expect a foundation year first. For taught master's, a bachelor's degree from an HEC-recognised university at a strong second-class-equivalent level is usually expected — four-year degrees are the most straightforward. IELTS 6.5 (5.5 per band) is the standard postgraduate requirement; an MOI letter can be considered for fully English-taught degrees, and we check yours against the current policy before you apply.
Full guide for PakistanFor undergraduate entry Kingston typically asks for around 70% in CBSE/CISCE Class XII, or around 80% from some state boards; strong two- or three-year bachelor's results can also be considered for advanced entry. For taught master's, a bachelor's degree with around 60% or CGPA 6.0/10 is the usual benchmark. PTE Academic 59 is accepted alongside IELTS 6.5, and MOI letters from fully English-taught degrees are considered case by case.
Full guide for IndiaKingston publishes Nigeria-specific entry requirements: WAEC/NECO SSCE with good credit passes (typically five subjects including English and Maths) supports undergraduate entry, often via a foundation year for competitive courses. For taught master's, a bachelor's degree at second-class level from a recognised university is usually expected. English evidence is assessed individually — IELTS 6.5 is the standard postgraduate route, and we confirm whether your degree qualifies for an MOI-based waiver before you commit to a test.
Full guide for NigeriaStudents applying from UAE schools with A Levels, IB or Indian/Pakistani board qualifications are considered against those curricula; holders of the UAE secondary school certificate (Tawjihiyya) typically need a foundation year first. For master's, a recognised bachelor's degree at second-class-equivalent level is the usual expectation. The September and January intakes both work well from the UAE, and many of our Dubai- and Abu Dhabi-based applicants choose Kingston for its London location and business school accreditation.
Full guide for the UAEHealthcare professionals
A pharmacy MSc alone does not license you to practise in the UK. Overseas pharmacists register with the GPhC through the OSPAP programme.
OSPAP guideIf you already hold a nursing qualification, NMC registration (CBT + OSCE) may be faster and cheaper than a second degree — and leads straight to UK employment.
NMC route for nursesWe prepare healthcare applicants for OET as an alternative to IELTS — accepted by the NMC, GMC and GPhC, and often the easier test for clinical professionals.
OET preparationFAQ
Kingston is ranked 55th in the Guardian University Guide 2026 (up five places) and 88th in the Complete University Guide 2026, with QS placing it in the 601–650 band worldwide. It is also rated top in London for Nursing and Midwifery by the Complete University Guide 2026, which matters more than the headline rank if you are applying for a healthcare course.
Most 2026/27 undergraduate degrees cost around £19,200–£19,900 a year for international students, with fees rising slightly in later years of study. Taught master's typically cost around £19,300–£20,500, and the AMBA-accredited MBA is around £25,000. Always confirm the exact figure on your course page, as fees vary by subject.
Yes, in defined cases. Kingston will consider an MOI letter or transcript confirming your entire degree was taught in English at an institution that meets its recognition standards, usually valid for five years — but franchise or affiliated-campus degrees are excluded. Approval is case by case, so it is worth having your documents checked before booking a test.
Postgraduate taught applicants who need a Student visa currently pay a £5,000 deposit before requesting a CAS; it counts towards your first tuition instalment and is refundable until the CAS is issued. Undergraduate offer holders and students sponsored by a government or approved loan scheme are exempt.
No — Kingston is not on the current GPhC-accredited OSPAP provider list, although out-of-date Kingston OSPAP pages still appear in search results. The accredited providers are Aston, Brighton, Hertfordshire and Sunderland. Kingston remains a strong choice for the MPharm and pharmaceutical science master's, which follow a different route.
Yes. September is the main intake, but a good range of taught master's courses (and a small number of undergraduate courses) start in January, with a few March start dates too. CAS and deposit deadlines fall several weeks before the start date, so January applicants should ideally apply by late autumn.
The main awards are the International Merit-Based Scholarship (£5,000 off first-year fees, applied for with a short statement and video), the International Success Support Scholarship (£2,500) and GREAT Scholarships of £10,000 for selected nationalities. MBA applicants can access separate awards of up to £10,000. Scholarship rounds open and close per intake, so timing matters.
Kingston upon Thames is a safe, riverside town in southwest London, about 30 minutes by train from Waterloo. You get access to London jobs, placements and city life while living somewhere quieter and usually cheaper than central London — though budget for London-level living costs overall, typically around £1,300–£1,400 a month.
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.
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