About the university
Cranfield University is a specialist postgraduate university in Bedfordshire, England. It grew out of the College of Aeronautics, set up in 1946 at an RAF station, and received its Royal Charter in 1969. Its School of Management was founded in 1967.
Cranfield is known for aerospace, automotive and motorsport engineering, energy, AI and robotics, and for its School of Management. Cranfield highlights its large-scale facilities and industry partnerships, and most courses are built around group projects and individual research projects with industry.
Cranfield says it has educated Indian students for over 74 years. Fees are higher than at many UK universities: most one-year MScs on this page cost £28,500 to £35,000 for 2027/28, and the full-time MBA costs £51,200. The School of Management offers £10,000 scholarships to international MSc offer holders.
The main campus is at Cranfield in Bedfordshire. The university describes it as feeling like a small village, with halls, lecture spaces, labs, shops, cafes and sports facilities within walking distance.
- Founded
- 1946 as the College of Aeronautics; Royal Charter as Cranfield Institute of Technology in 1969
- Type
- Specialist postgraduate-only public university
- Staff to students
- 8 to 1, as stated on Cranfield's India page
- Campuses
- Cranfield campus in Bedfordshire, and Cranfield University at Shrivenham
- Intakes
- Most MScs start in September or October; a few (for example Aerospace Vehicle Design, Thermal Power and Propulsion, Finance) also start in January or March
- Alumni
- Over 80,000 alumni in more than 170 countries
Rankings
Popular courses with Indian students
- Postgraduate
Applied Artificial Intelligence MSc
- Fee / year
- £30,500
- Duration
- 1 year (full time)
- Intakes
- October
- English
- IELTS 6.5 (5.5 in each skill); PTE 65 (59 in each)
- Postgraduate
- Fee / year
- £31,000
- Duration
- 1 year (full time)
- Intakes
- September
- English
- IELTS 6.5 (5.5 in each skill); PTE 65 (59 in each)
- Postgraduate
- Fee / year
- £37,200
- Duration
- 12 months (full time)
- Intakes
- September
- English
- IELTS 6.5 (5.5 in each skill); PTE 65 (59 in each)
- Postgraduate
Logistics and Supply Chain Management MSc
- Fee / year
- £33,500
- Duration
- 1 year (full time)
- Intakes
- September
- English
- IELTS 6.5 (5.5 in each skill); PTE 65 (59 in each)
- Postgraduate
Advanced Mechanical Engineering MSc
- Fee / year
- £30,800
- Duration
- 1 year (full time)
- Intakes
- October
- English
- IELTS 6.5 (5.5 in each skill); PTE 65 (59 in each)
- Postgraduate
- Fee / year
- £32,900
- Duration
- 1 year (full time)
- Intakes
- September; March (Structural Design option September only)
- English
- IELTS 6.5 (5.5 in each skill); PTE 65 (59 in each)
- Postgraduate
- Fee / year
- £30,500
- Duration
- 1 year (full time)
- Intakes
- October
- English
- IELTS 6.5 (5.5 in each skill); PTE 65 (59 in each)
- Postgraduate
- Fee / year
- £31,000
- Duration
- 1 year (full time)
- Intakes
- September; January
- English
- IELTS 6.5 (5.5 in each skill); PTE 65 (59 in each)
Fees for international students
| Course | Duration | Fee / year (GBP) | Approx. in rupees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied Artificial Intelligence MSc | 1 year (full time) | £30,500 | ≈ ₹37.2 lakh |
| Business Data Analytics MSc | 1 year (full time) | £31,000 | ≈ ₹37.8 lakh |
| Management MSc | 12 months (full time) | £37,200 | ≈ ₹45.4 lakh |
| Logistics and Supply Chain Management MSc | 1 year (full time) | £33,500 | ≈ ₹40.9 lakh |
| Advanced Mechanical Engineering MSc | 1 year (full time) | £30,800 | ≈ ₹37.6 lakh |
| Aerospace Vehicle Design MSc | 1 year (full time) | £32,900 | ≈ ₹40.1 lakh |
| Automotive Engineering MSc | 1 year (full time) | £30,500 | ≈ ₹37.2 lakh |
| Finance MSc | 1 year (full time) | £31,000 | ≈ ₹37.8 lakh |
Fees are for international students for the entry year shown on each course page and can rise each year. Approximate exchange rates (based on ECB reference rates, March 2026). Actual rates on your payment date will differ.
Want a course shortlist with fees?Our counsellor will compare courses at Cranfield University with similar universities in the UK.
Scholarships
- Full-time School of Management MSc, 2026/27
Cranfield Excellence International Scholarship (School of Management)
Value: £10,000
Eligibility: Offer holders from any country for a full-time School of Management MSc are invited to apply.
Official page (opens in a new tab) - Full-time School of Management MSc
Cranfield School of Management India Scholarship
Value: £10,000 (listed for 2025/2026 offer holders)
Eligibility: Offer holders from India for a full-time School of Management MSc are invited to apply. Check the page for the current year.
Official page (opens in a new tab) - Full-time master's courses
Merit scholarship for international master's applicants
Value: Up to 15% of the course tuition fee
Eligibility: Cranfield's India page says successful international applicants for full-time master's courses are automatically offered this, based on academic achievement.
Official page (opens in a new tab) - Logistics and Supply Chain Management MSc or Procurement and Supply Chain Management MSc
Supply chain scholarship (GCSG)
Value: £5,000 plus a paid trip to the GCSG European Knowledge Forum
Eligibility: One outstanding candidate on either full-time course.
Official page (opens in a new tab) - School of Management programmes
Alumni discount
Value: 20% off
Eligibility: Cranfield University alumni returning to study.
Official page (opens in a new tab)
Admission requirements
Undergraduate
- Cranfield is postgraduate-only, so it does not offer bachelor's degrees.
Postgraduate
- Most courses need a UK lower second-class (2:2) honours degree or an international equivalent; some ask for an upper second (2:1). Check each course page.
- School of Management MScs ask for a first or second-class honours degree or equivalent. The full-time MBA also needs at least three years' work experience after your degree.
- Self-funded students pay a non-refundable deposit (usually £2,000 for 2027-28) before a CAS is issued; it is taken off the tuition fee.
Documents
- Valid passport
- Degree certificates and transcripts, or an interim transcript if still studying
- English test result taken within two years of the course start date
- CV and personal statement where the course asks for them
- References
Check if you are eligibleShare your marks and test scores and our counsellor will tell you which courses you can apply for.
English language requirements
| Test or route | Typical requirement |
|---|---|
| IELTS Academic / UKVI | 6.5 overall and 5.5 in each skill for most courses. Some courses ask for more, for example 7.0 for Advanced Motorsport Engineering and Air Transport Management. |
| PTE Academic | 65 overall and 59 in each skill for most courses (68 for the courses that ask for IELTS 7.0). |
| TOEFL iBT | For tests from 21 January 2026: 4.5 overall and 4 in each skill on most courses. Older tests: 92 total with minimum section scores. |
| Cambridge English | C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency or Linguaskill: 180 overall and 160 in each skill on most courses. |
Accommodation and living costs
Cranfield has halls of residence, shared houses, apartments for couples and family homes on campus. All university accommodation includes utility bills, wi-fi, 24/7 security and free parking. Prices below are 2027-28 rates.
| Item | In GBP | Approx. in rupees |
|---|---|---|
| Shared house room (very small to large)Charged per day, £18.69 to £24.72 | £131–173per week | ≈ ₹15,964 – ₹21,111 |
| Lanchester Hall premier en suite roomSelf-catered | £180per week | ≈ ₹22,012 |
| Baroness Young Hall premier single en suiteSelf-catered; executive en suite £242.85 | £209per week | ≈ ₹25,533 |
| Baroness Young Hall studio apartmentStandard and executive studios | £285–331per week | ≈ ₹34,814 – ₹40,427 |
Campus and location
The main Cranfield campus in Bedfordshire has lecture rooms, labs, shops, cafes and sports facilities within walking distance of the halls. The university also has a second site, Cranfield University at Shrivenham.
- Postgraduate-only community with a staff-to-student ratio of 8 to 1.
- Most MScs combine taught modules with group projects and an individual research project.
- Strong links with aerospace, automotive and motorsport industries.
- Partnerships in India include IIT Kharagpur, VIT, Manipal Institute of Technology, NMIMS and SRM University.
Careers and graduate outcomes
Cranfield has a dedicated Careers and Employability Service and close industry links. For post-study work rights, see our UK country guide.
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| International students in professional-level work or further study (2020/21 leavers) | 90% | Cranfield India page, citing HESA Graduate Outcomes |
Studying in the UK
Visa rules, work rights and living costs apply to every university in the UK. Our country guide covers them in detail:
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FAQs
Does Cranfield offer bachelor's degrees?
No. Cranfield is a postgraduate-only university, so Indian students apply after their bachelor's degree.
How much does a master's at Cranfield cost?
Most one-year MScs on this page cost £28,500 to £35,000 for 2027-28, and the Management MSc is £37,200. The full-time MBA is £51,200.
Are there scholarships for Indian students?
Yes. The School of Management offers £10,000 scholarships to international and Indian MSc offer holders, and Cranfield's India page mentions a merit scholarship of up to 15% for international master's applicants.
When do courses start?
Most engineering MScs start in October and School of Management MScs in September. Finance MSc also has a January start, and Aerospace Vehicle Design and Thermal Power and Propulsion have March starts.
What IELTS score do I need?
Usually 6.5 overall with 5.5 in each skill. Some courses, such as Advanced Motorsport Engineering and Air Transport Management, need 7.0.
Sources
- Cranfield: taught course tuition fees 2027-2028 (opens in a new tab)
- Cranfield: information for students from India (opens in a new tab)
- Cranfield: School of Management full-time master's courses (opens in a new tab)
- Cranfield: Applied Artificial Intelligence MSc (opens in a new tab)
- Cranfield: Management MSc (opens in a new tab)
- Cranfield: School of Management MSc funding opportunities (opens in a new tab)
- Cranfield: accommodation (opens in a new tab)
- Cranfield: shared houses (opens in a new tab)
- Cranfield: Baroness Young Hall (opens in a new tab)
- Cranfield: history and heritage (opens in a new tab)
Official website: www.cranfield.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)
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