University of Salford • Salford
Manchester’s value MBA — ten minutes from the UK’s second-largest job market, with September and January starts and a band that opens at £16,000.
Our take
The Salford MBA’s pitch is Manchester without Manchester pricing: the campus sits ten minutes from the centre of the UK’s second-largest commercial job market, with a fee band opening at £16,000 — several thousand below the city-centre business schools across the river. Salford’s own economy adds an angle: MediaCityUK, home to major broadcasters and a growing digital cluster, borders the university, and the MBA’s projects lean into that media-and-digital business environment. September and January starts give two windows a year. The framing we give applicants: if Manchester is your target market for the Graduate-visa year, Salford buys you the same geography as its pricier neighbours and lets the £4,000–£8,000 difference fund your job hunt.
| Duration | 1 year full-time |
| Intake | September & January |
| Accreditation | Salford Business School |
| Tuition | Within Salford’s 2026/27 international postgraduate band of £16,000–£22,140; exact MBA fee confirmed in your offer. The £5,500 deposit is deducted from tuition. |
Where this leads: A master’s-level business qualification — no professional registration involved. Pairs with the Graduate visa for post-study work in Greater Manchester.
Two intakes a year; January is well established across Salford’s business portfolio.
Why Salford
Ten minutes from the UK’s second job market, at fees that undercut city-centre rivals — the difference funds months of your post-study runway.
Broadcast, digital and creative-sector employers border the campus — a distinctive project and networking environment for an MBA.
September and January intakes keep a missed cycle from costing twelve months.
Salford’s scale across health, engineering and business gives the MBA cohort cross-disciplinary reach.
What you study
Entry requirements
English language
Salford expects a formal English test from most international applicants. Salford's published exemptions are narrow: qualifications from majority English-speaking countries and a short list of named institutions (for example, certain Malaysian colleges, with a letter confirming teaching and assessment in English). For Pakistani, Indian and UAE qualifications an approved test is normally required. Nigerian applicants are the useful exception — WAEC or NECO English at grade C6 or above usually removes the need for a separate test at bachelor's and master's level.
Also accepted: PTE Academic 59 overall (minimum 59 in each skill), Oxford ELLT 6 (for courses asking IELTS 6.0), LanguageCert Academic SELT, WAEC/NECO English C6+ (Nigerian applicants, degree-level courses). Pre-sessional English is available if you fall short.
Careers
Your country
Salford publishes clear Pakistan requirements and has a recruitment advisor based in-country. Undergraduate entry typically needs HSSC at 75% or above (FA Humanities is not accepted); students below that can route through the International Foundation Year with HSSC or DAE at around 50-60%. For master's entry, a 4-year bachelor at 2.5/4.0 CGPA or 55% is the usual benchmark, a 3-year honours degree needs around 3.0/4.0 or 75%, and a 2-year bachelor plus 2-year master combination needs around 60%. Plan for IELTS 6.0 (5.5 per band) or PTE — an MOI letter will not normally replace a test.
Full guide for PakistanSalford sets Standard XII requirements by board: typically 70% for CBSE and CISCE, 60% for West Bengal, and 75% for other state boards (roughly BBC-ABB equivalent). For taught master's courses the benchmark is a three- or four-year bachelor degree at around 55% (or 5.8 CGPA); applicants slightly below may still be considered with relevant work experience. The university has regional representatives based in Mumbai, and strong grades qualify automatically for the Gold or Silver Excellence Scholarships.
Full guide for IndiaNigeria is one of Salford's better-served markets. WAEC or NECO English at grade C6 or above usually means no separate English test for bachelor's or master's study — a genuine cost saver. Master's entry typically needs a 4-year bachelor degree at second class lower (2:2) or above from a recognised Nigerian university; undergraduate applicants are considered with an OND, HND, recognised foundation or year one of a Nigerian degree. Salford has an in-country advisor and, given naira volatility, suggests the super priority visa service once your CAS is issued.
Full guide for NigeriaSalford does not publish a dedicated UAE requirements page, so treat this as a guide: students with A Levels, IB or strong CBSE grades from UAE schools are typically considered for direct undergraduate entry, while those with the UAE secondary school certificate usually route through the International Foundation Year first. For master's courses a recognised bachelor degree at a good standard (typically a 2:2 equivalent or above) is usually required. The January intake in business, engineering and construction suits Gulf-based professionals who miss September — ask us to pre-check your documents at /contact/.
Full guide for the UAECompare
FAQ
Fees sit in Salford’s 2026/27 postgraduate band of £16,000–£22,140, with the exact MBA figure in your offer letter. The £5,500 deposit is deducted from tuition, and Salford rents run below central Manchester’s.
Central Manchester is about ten minutes away by tram or train, and MediaCityUK borders the campus. For part-time work during study and the Graduate-visa year after it, you are operating inside the UK’s second-largest commercial market from day one.
The MBA expects managerial or substantial professional experience. Early-career applicants are usually better matched to Salford’s MSc portfolio — we place you honestly before any application fee is spent.
Price and the MediaCityUK angle. You trade the city-centre schools’ brand premium for a lower fee and a digital-and-media business environment few campuses can match. For self-funded applicants targeting Manchester employment, that trade usually favours Salford.
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; Salford runs other intakes for other programmes — see the full Salford profile.
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