How to apply

You can apply online through the University of Leeds applicant portal. 

The School of Sociology and Social Policy operates a staged admissions process for MA Society, Culture and Media and MA Social and Public Policy with selection deadlines throughout the year (see The staged admissions process section below for more information).

Applications to other Masters in the School of Sociology and Social Policy will be processed and a decision will typically be given within six weeks of receipt of a completed application.

The application deadlines for other Masters are:

• International: Thursday 29 June 2023
• UK: Friday 18 August 2023

The staged admissions process

The School of Sociology and Social Policy operates a staged admissions process for MA Society, Culture and Media and MA Social and Public Policy, with selection deadlines throughout the year. 

If you apply before the application deadline for a particular stage (as shown in the table below), you will normally receive a response on or before the decision date for that stage. If you require an earlier decision in order to meet a scholarship deadline, please notify us through the My Enquiries section of the application portal once you have applied. 

We receive a high volume of applications for this programme so we may need more time to assess your application. If you do not receive an offer in a particular stage, you will be notified that your application has been either unsuccessful or carried forward to be considered in the next stage. Applications will only be carried forward once.  

Deadlines for courses starting in September 2023 are shown in the table below:

•    All deadlines are 11.59pm UK time 
•    Applications for each stage open immediately after the deadline for the previous stage.

What do I need to include in my application? 

Please check that your qualifications match the entry requirements for the course you are applying for, as listed in our course finder. If you have studied outside the UK, see our international entry requirements. 

When reviewing applications, particular attention will be paid to academic performance and the personal statement. Given the competition for places, preference will be given to applicants who have exceeded or who are projected to exceed our minimum requirements. 

Your application must include the following: 

• Original copy of your degree certificate and transcript, or a partial transcript if you are still studying, plus a formal translation into English, if applicable
• A personal statement (please read the guidance below) 
• An up-to-date CV, if your chosen course requires work experience 
• An approved English language test* (if applicable) 
• A letter of financial sponsorship (if applicable) 
• Any previous UK CAS, visa and BRP documents, if you are an international student who has previously studied in the UK on a Tier 4/Student visa.

As part of your online application you will be able to upload scanned documents. 

* Applicants who have not yet completed  an approved English language test may apply for a Masters course prior to taking a test. 

Important guidance for personal statements

In the statement, we are looking for evidence of the qualities that you will bring to the programme and student community. We also want to understand how studying a programme with the Faculty of Social Sciences will help you meet your career aspirations.

Please ensure that you address the following in your personal statement: 

• What skills, qualities and experiences would you bring to the programme and how will they help you succeed? 
• How will the opportunity to study at the Faculty of Social Sciences help you in your academic, personal and professional development? 
• What are your career aspirations and how will successful completion of this programme help you achieve them? 

 Your personal statement should be written in English and be your own work. 

Conditional offers 

You do not need to have fulfilled all entry requirements before applying. Provided that your application satisfies all other entry requirements, a conditional offer may be made on the basis of a predicted result – for example, the final mark of your first degree or an English language test. You must provide your final results before an unconditional offer can be made.

If you require a student visa please ensure that you allow time for your offer to be confirmed as unconditional, and to pay the tuition fee deposit or provide the sponsor evidence that is required for us to issue a CAS in support of the visa application.  

Admissions policy 

The University of Leeds admissions policy can be found here.