University of Hertfordshire • Hatfield
A large, established computing school 25 minutes from London’s tech market — with September and January starts and commuter-belt costs.
Our take
Hertfordshire runs one of the larger computing schools in the university sector, and its Computer Science MSc applies the campus’s standing formula to tech careers: London’s hiring market 25 minutes away, Hatfield rents underneath, and a band of £17,950–£22,450. The course suits graduates deepening an existing computing background as well as strong adjacent-field converts, with September and January starts. For the job hunt, the commuter-belt position does real work — London’s meetups, hackathons and interviews are attendable all year, and the Graduate-visa season starts with you already inside the M25 orbit. The tech sector’s heavy Skilled Worker sponsorship completes the case.
| Duration | 1 year full-time |
| Intake | September & January |
| Accreditation | University of Hertfordshire — School of Physics, Engineering and Computer Science |
| Tuition | Within Hertfordshire’s 2026/27 international postgraduate band of £17,950–£22,450; exact fee confirmed in your offer. The £5,000 deposit is deducted from tuition. |
Where this leads: A master’s-level technology qualification — no professional registration involved. Software occupations are among the UK’s most Skilled-Worker-sponsored.
Both intakes run for the computing portfolio.
Why Herts
A large computing faculty means module choice, lab infrastructure and a big peer network — advantages small departments cannot offer.
Meetups, interviews and the eventual job all sit 25 minutes away — while your rent stays Hatfield-sized.
September and January intakes absorb test and funding delays.
Software roles sponsor heavily, and starting the hunt inside the London orbit raises the conversion rate.
What you study
Entry requirements
English language
Herts can consider Medium of Instruction (MOI) evidence for some courses — though clinical and regulated programmes usually still require a formal test. Herts does consider Medium of Instruction evidence, but selectively. Its on-campus pathway college (HIC) formally accepts MOI letters from a list of recognised Indian universities for Pre-Master's entry, and the university currently considers English-medium degrees from recognised institutions for many direct-entry masters — mainly for Indian applicants, with some regions excluded. Nigerian applicants are typically assessed on WAEC/NECO English (usually C6 or better) instead. Pakistani applicants should normally plan for IELTS or an accepted alternative. We confirm the current MOI position for your profile before you apply.
Also accepted: PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, LanguageCert Academic, India Standard XII English (typically 65–75% depending on level), WAEC/NECO English, typically C6 or better (Nigeria). Pre-sessional English is available if you fall short.
Careers
Your country
For undergraduate entry, HSSC with typically 60%+ is expected for direct year-1 entry on most courses (some ask more, and a foundation year via HIC covers lower profiles). For masters, a recognised bachelor's degree with around 55% or CGPA 2.5/4.0 is the usual benchmark; two-year degrees generally need a further qualification. Herts has a regional office presence in Pakistan and works with approved counsellors, so offers tend to move quickly. Plan for IELTS UKVI or an accepted alternative — MOI letters from Pakistani universities are not usually sufficient on their own.
Full guide for PakistanStandard XII at around 60–70% is the typical undergraduate benchmark depending on the course. Three-year bachelor's degrees are accepted for masters entry, usually at 55–65%. English is more flexible than at many universities: a strong Standard XII English score (typically 65–75%) can satisfy the requirement, and MOI from recognised English-medium universities is currently considered for many masters, with some regional exclusions. HIC also formally accepts MOI from a published list of Indian universities for Pre-Master's entry.
Full guide for IndiaWAEC/NECO with good credits supports foundation or undergraduate entry, and a bachelor's degree at second-class level is the usual masters benchmark. WAEC/NECO English at typically C6 or better is usually accepted in place of IELTS, which keeps costs down. Hertfordshire has a large, well-established Nigerian community, and the Master of Public Health is consistently one of the most popular choices — worth applying early, as September places fill fast.
Full guide for NigeriaApplicants from UAE schools are assessed on their curriculum: A-levels, IB, Indian Standard XII and Pakistani HSSC are all accepted for direct entry at the usual grades, while Tawjihiyya holders (typically 70%+) usually join via a foundation year. Degrees from recognised UAE universities are accepted for masters entry. The university has local representatives in the UAE, and September and January intakes both work well for Gulf-based applicants.
Full guide for the UAECompare
FAQ
No — it expects programming competence at entry, deepening an existing computing background. Career-switchers from unrelated fields should look at conversion-designed MScs like BCU’s, and we route each applicant to the honest fit.
Fees sit in the £17,950–£22,450 band for 2026/27, confirmed in your offer, with the £5,000 deposit deducted. Hatfield rents keep the year’s total far below London equivalents.
Attendance. Tech hiring runs on meetups, referrals and multi-stage interviews that reward physical presence — 25 minutes from King’s Cross means you attend all of it while paying commuter-town rent.
Heavily — software occupations sit permanently among the most Skilled-Worker-sponsored. The standard sequence is a junior role on the Graduate visa converting to sponsorship within the first 18 months.
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; Herts runs other intakes for other programmes — see the full Herts profile.
Free consultation
Tell us your qualifications and target intake. A Global Pathways advisor will confirm your eligibility, check the current fee and manage your application and Student visa — free.
Email us directly
info@globalpathways.co.ukResponse time
Within 1 working day