The University of Leeds is one of the UK’s largest universities and a member of the Russell Group, with a big campus close to the centre of a lively, affordable city in the north of England. It offers a very wide range of courses, from business and law to engineering, the sciences and the arts, and it has a large international community.
For most Leeds courses starting in September 2027, the UCAS deadline is 13 January 2027. Here are 10 things you can do to give yourself the best chance, based on Leeds’s own guidance. If you’re applying for a master’s or PhD instead, see the section near the end.
1. Choose your course
Leeds offers hundreds of courses, many with a year abroad or a work placement. Read your course page carefully: it gives the typical offer, any GCSE requirements, other tests and the fees for the year you’ll start.
2. Meet the typical offer
For example, for 2027 entry, Economics BSc asks for AAA at A level, plus GCSE Mathematics at grade A or 7, or 35 points in the IB with 17 at Higher Level. Leeds also accepts many international qualifications. If you don’t meet the academic requirements, the University of Leeds International Foundation Year can lead to many Leeds degrees. Leeds Economics BSc.
3. Check for extra requirements
Most Leeds courses don’t have an admissions test, but some courses, such as medicine, dentistry and some creative or professional courses, have interviews, tests or portfolios. If you’re hoping to study medicine or dentistry, note that the UCAS deadline for 2027 entry was 15 October 2026, and you’d also have needed to sit the UCAT, so you’d now be planning for 2028 entry.
4. Write a strong personal statement
Your UCAS personal statement now has three questions: why you want to study the course, how your studies have prepared you, and what else you’ve done to prepare outside education. You have 4,000 characters in total, with at least 350 for each answer. Leeds wants to see that you understand what the course involves, so mention particular topics or modules that interest you. Write about what you’ve read, explored or made, and what you think about it, rather than listing achievements. See our 50 sample SOPs for ideas on structure, but keep your own voice.
5. Show your skills and experience
Leeds courses often include placements, projects and teamwork. Show that you’ve developed useful skills through part-time work, volunteering, school projects, competitions or responsibilities at home. Link these experiences to the course.
6. Get a strong reference
Your UCAS application includes a reference from your school, which explains your predicted grades and describes you as a student. Ask your teachers early, give them a short summary of your interests and achievements, and tell them about any circumstances that affected your studies so they can mention them.
7. Apply in good time
The UCAS deadline for most Leeds courses starting in September 2027 is 6pm UK time on 13 January 2027. Every application received by then gets equal consideration, so there’s no advantage in rushing: use the time to make your application as strong as possible. Some Leeds courses accept international applications later: for example, Leeds University Business School’s deadline for international students is 30 June. But popular courses can fill up, and you’ll need time for your visa, so apply early.
8. Meet the English requirement
Many Leeds courses, including Economics BSc, ask for IELTS 6.5 overall with no less than 6.0 in any part. Check your course page for its exact requirement. Practise with our free IELTS, TOEFL and PTE practice tests.
9. Plan your budget
For 2027 entry, Leeds’s Economics BSc costs £29,000 a year for international students, and the fee stays the same for each year of full-time study. Economics and Mathematics BSc costs £30,400 a year. Leeds is one of the more affordable big student cities in the UK. Check Leeds’s international scholarships too.
10. Get ready for your Student visa
Most international students need a UK Student visa. Once you’ve accepted Leeds as your firm choice and met your offer conditions, Leeds will issue your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS), which you need to apply for the visa. You’ll also need to show that you can pay your fees and living costs. After graduating, you can usually stay in the UK to work under the Graduate Route, which is due to be shortened from two years to 18 months for applications made from 1 January 2027. Check GOV.UK for the latest rules.
Applying for a master’s or PhD at Leeds?
Leeds offers a wide range of one-year master’s degrees and PhDs, including programmes at Leeds University Business School and in engineering, computing and data science. You apply directly to the university, not through UCAS. Most programmes ask for a good first degree (often a UK upper second-class degree or the equivalent), a personal statement, references and, for international applicants, an English test. See our 50 sample SOPs, free GRE and GMAT practice tests, and our guide to the best AI master’s degrees in the UK.
Be ambitious, but apply to a balanced list
Leeds turns down many strong applicants every year, because there are more excellent students than places. Use your five UCAS choices wisely: apply to Leeds if it’s right for you, and include universities where your chances are good. Read our guides to other Russell Group universities, including Manchester, Sheffield, York and Newcastle. Our guide to studying in the UK explains how UK universities work, and our free study abroad assessment can help you build a shortlist.
Information was taken from the University of Leeds’s official course pages, and checked in October 2026. Entry requirements, deadlines, tests, fees and visa rules can change, so always confirm the details on Leeds’s undergraduate website before you apply. StudyAbroadMarket is not affiliated with the University of Leeds.