Cardiff Metropolitan University

About Cardiff Met

Cardiff Metropolitan University (Cardiff Met) is a modern, practice-focused public university based in Cardiff, Wales. It has two main campuses (Llandaff and Cyncoed) plus a residential site for students, and a strong emphasis on employability, professional partnerships and applied research. Cardiff Met promotes a supportive, multicultural environment for students from 100+ countries.

Why choose Cardiff Met?

• Practice-led, career-focused courses with strong links to employers (good for building a CV/portfolio).

• Very strong employability performance — Cardiff Met reports high graduate outcomes, repeatedly topping employability rankings in Wales. (Graduate Outcomes: high % in work or further study).

• Lower cost of living (Cardiff is cheaper than UK south-east/London) while still offering city life and good transport. Campus locations are green and compact (easy to get around).

• International student support (Global Lounge, visa/advice, careers for internationals) and automatic consideration for many international scholarships.

University ranking (snapshot)

• Times Higher Education (THE): Cardiff Met appears in subject bands in the THE World University Rankings (example: Business & Economics and Medical & Health subject bands in THE). Use subject rankings to assess your particular degree.

• Cardiff Met is regularly placed in UK league tables and publishes subject-level strengths — check the Complete University Guide / Good University Guide pages for subject specifics.

Campus locations & travel

• Main campuses: Llandaff Campus and Cyncoed Campus (both in Cardiff and a short bus ride apart). There is also a residential campus (Plas Gwyn) and on-campus sports facilities (Met Sport) at Cyncoed. Travel pages list bus routes and how to reach the campuses.

Types of courses (study levels)

Cardiff Met runs a broad portfolio across taught and research levels:

• Undergraduate: BA / BSc / BEng (full-time, part-time, some sandwich/placement routes).

• Postgraduate taught: MSc / MA / MBA / PgCert / PgDip (many offered on campus and some online).

• Research degrees: MPhil / PhD.

• Other: degree apprenticeship, short CPD courses, summer schools and modules taught in Welsh. See the course finder for subject lists.

Mode of learning (onsite / e-learning / blended)

• Most programmes are delivered on-campus (face-to-face), particularly practical and lab-based subjects.

• The university also offers online and blended delivery for selected postgraduate modules and CPD (e.g., some MSc pathways and professional programmes). Always check the individual course page to confirm the delivery mode for your intake.

Number of programmes offered

Cardiff Met’s course pages list a wide portfolio across undergraduate, postgraduate, research, apprenticeships and CPD. In other words: hundreds of programme options across subjects (use the university course finder to filter by level, campus and mode).

Highlights & strengths

• Employability: Cardiff Met reports very strong graduate outcomes and was ranked top in Wales for employability in recent surveys. That means a high proportion of graduates are working or in further study within 15 months.

• Sport & performance facilities: Cyncoed campus includes Met Sport and National Indoor Athletics Centre (strong for sports sciences and performance students).

• Student support for internationals: Global Lounge, careers guidance tailored to international students, visa & welfare support.

• Practice-led teaching: big focus on applied learning, placements and professional accreditation for many programmes.

Practical checklist for international applicants

1. Pick the right course & campus — confirm whether the course is at Llandaff or Cyncoed (some specialties are campus-specific)

2. Check entry requirements & English tests — each course page lists academic and IELTS/TOEFL or equivalent requirements.

3. Scholarships — you are automatically considered for many international scholarships, but check for any that require a separate application and note closing dates

4. Visa & immigration — use Cardiff Met’s international pages and Global Lounge for official guidance; apply for the Student Route visa in good time.

5. Accommodation — book early (Cyncoed and Llandaff halls are popular); check on-campus options and private halls.

6. Budget realistically — tuition + living (Cardiff cheaper than London); include course-specific costs (materials, placements, lab fees).

7. Attend an open day or virtual tour — to see facilities and ask subject tutors questions.

Scholarship

Undergraduate & Postgraduate scholarships

• For full-time international fee-paying undergraduate students, Cardiff Met provides an “Undergraduate Scholarship” of £2,500 for the 2025/26 intake.

• For international students enrolling in the MBA programme, there is an “MBA Scholarship” worth up to £4,000 (based on academic/professional experience) for the same intake.

• For certain MA/MSc postgraduate taught programmes, there is a “Vice-Chancellor Scholarship” worth up to £3,500 for international students.

• A “Full Fee Discount” is available: up to £1,000 discount for full-time undergraduate, postgraduate taught or MBA students who pay the total course fee by the deposit deadline.

• An “Alumni Scholarship” is available: 20% reduction in fees for students who previously completed an undergraduate degree at Cardiff Met (or its partner institutions) and now enroll on a taught postgraduate programme.

• The “Sanctuary Award” supports asylum seekers / those with humanitarian migration status: includes a full tuition fee waiver plus additional support (travel, laptop, meals) for selected undergrad or postgraduate students.

Research / PhD scholarships

• The Research Degree Scholarships page mentions that studentships (for home & international students) are available, and that international students “will not be charged the fee difference between the UK and international rate” for certain WGSSS-funded studentships.

What you need to know (eligibility & requirements)

Here are the key details you as an international student should pay attention to:

Eligibility criteria

• The scholarships listed apply only to full fee-paying international students (i.e., students whose fee status is defined as “International / overseas”).

• The scholarships apply to full-time, on-campus programmes. Distance learning is not eligible.

• For the Undergraduate, MBA, Vice-Chancellor, Alumni scholarships: Students are entitled to one scholarship only — you cannot stack multiple Cardiff Met scholarships.

• For the Full Fee Discount: You must pay the full course fees (after any scholarships) by the deposit deadline for your intake in order to qualify.

• For the Sanctuary Award: Must meet specific status (asylum seeker, refugee, humanitarian protection etc.), have an offer to start the programme, be in the UK, etc. This award has a separate application form.

• For research studentships: International students are eligible but check each project’s terms (some may have conditions, UKRI eligibility etc)

Financial information / tuition fees

• For 2025/26, the fees for international students at Cardiff Met are listed as:

  • Undergraduate degree (3-4 years): £16,000 per year.

  • Top-up degree (1 year): £16,000.

  • Postgraduate Master’s degree: £17,600.

  • MBA (1 year): £19,500.

Application & process

• For the main scholarships (Undergraduate Scholarship, MBA Scholarship, Vice-Chancellor Scholarship, Full Fee Discount) no separate scholarship application form is required — “All International applicants will be automatically considered” when you apply for the course.

• The scholarship award is confirmed at point of offer. You will see it in your offer letter.

• You must accept your offer and pay the deposit by the specified deadline for the intake to ensure your scholarship/discount is maintained. If you defer, your eligibility may change.

• If your fee-status changes (e.g., becomes home/UK), you will no longer be eligible for the international scholarships.

My recommendation for you (if you’re an international applicant)

• Choose your course and intake (for example September 2026) and apply early.

• Ensure you are classified as International fee-payer, full-time, on-campus.

• After you receive your offer, check the offer letter to see which scholarship/discount is included and what your actual fee will be.

• Pay the deposit by the stated deadline to lock in any Full Fee Discount.

• Budget proactively: tuition after discount + living + visa + travel + contingency.

• If you are interested in research/PhD: look for funded studentship adverts (search “Research Degree Scholarships Cardiff Met”) and contact the school/department for opportunities.

• Consider additional funding from your country (home scholarships, loans) to supplement the university discount.