What Students Say
Likes
- The secluded campus but well connected at the same time,
- Diversity of people from different parts of the world,
- Opportunities to learn and develop skills,
Dislikes
- The food is definitely something that takes getting used to.
- The weather is really something that hits very different as it's cold gloomy and rainy
- There is not a lot of social things to do around campus with CSA just being the only
Course Curriculum
8
- The curriculum is very demanding but manageable, with a good mix of theory and practical work.
- Positives include applied learning and diversity; the main challenge is workload intensity. Typically, 4-5 classes run daily between 8 am and 6 pm.
- Class size is 40-60 students(41 this year from 17 countries overall), with around 20–25 Indian students, which is the majority
Admission Experience
-
I applied to the following universities:
- Manchester(almost got done, but did not go ahead)
- Glasgow(did not like the program),
- Cranfield (accepted and admitted) - wanted to be part of a university that only has PG programmes
- Edinburgh (got rejected) - really a very competitive program
- Cradiff (declined the offer) - a good university, but had UG as well
- Warwick (did not want to give the Warwick test)
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Factors why I chose Cranfield
- A PG and above only crowd
- Need sa ecluded campus to focus on studies
- Wanted to learn how to use expertise from different courses
- Admission Process
- Application
- Interview
- (This depended on different applications)
- Eligibility Criteria
- GMAT (650+)
- IELTS (7 for MBA)
- Overall Process
- An extremely smooth process with proper support from the Cranfield Team
- I got in for the September Intake
- Wanted to get done with my MBA in a year, hence applied for the September Intake. Was getting done with 4.9 years of my work when i wanted to get into the MBA program, so just everything added up, plus the university only has a September intake, so there was no other time applicable
- The admission process took roughly 2-3 months
Faculty
8
- As a Cranfield MBA student who joined in 2025, I’ve found the faculty highly accessible due to a strong faculty-to-student ratio of 1:5.
- Teaching is practical and very hectic for sure as well, the classes run from 8 in the morning to 6:30 in the evening with each lecture being 1h 45 mins to 2 hrs
- Faculty are easily approachable for career advice, and some offer informal network support. Several stand out for clarity, challenge, and genuine student focus.
Campus Life
8
- Cranfield University has two campuses: the main Cranfield University campus in Bedfordshire and Shrivenham in Oxfordshire.
- Cranfield offers a strong library, sports centre, gym, medical and wellbeing services. Campus life includes MBA socials, sports clubs, consulting and entrepreneurship societies, and student-led events throughout the year. You can start your own if it does not exist on campus
- There are no events that happen here like the colleges in India
Part Time Jobs
- As the university is secluded, a limited number of students secure TA, RA, or DA roles, usually those with strong academic or research fit, like PhD students.
- Pay is typically £11–£15 per hour. Other on-campus jobs are admin and catering roles at similar pay.
- Students can work up to 20 hours per week.
- Jobs are competitive but manageable if you apply early and network.
- MBA students cannot have jobs because their schedules are really hectic
- Hourly for the ones who do part-time is £13.75. It is difficult as students are more and opportunities are fewer. Just apply online on the university website or create a connection. That generally gets things going and makes it easier. There are also student president options that allow students to earn money, but that is a selection process and is based on voting on the campus
Placement
8
- Around 60% of graduates from Cranfield University secure roles within 6 months.
- Average salaries are around £45k–£65k.
- Jobs are mainly found via networking, internships, alumni referrals, and online portals by the university, and then by external sources.
- Batchmates are in the process of searching for an internship that will help them get a later full-time role in that company. Previous batches have secured roles through internships and different referrals
Accommodation
Off Campus
8
- I stay at Stringfellow catered accommodation inside the campus (Which is highly recommended)
- Rent is £1244.50 per month, including meals, utilities, and WiFi.
- Availability is a main challenge, so early application is key.
- It’s on campus, a short walk to classes.
- Most Indian students stay on campus or nearby Cranfield village, which is a bus ride away.
Exams
- GMAT
- IELTS
- Statement of Purpose, LOR (one from the university and one from the last company), CV
- Yes Interview was part of the process
- (It was taken by the Program director, who asked to present a short verbal presentation on a topic given previously and had to do it within 3 mins, then the interview was more like a conversation in which the interviewee tries to understand whether I am a good fit for the program.
Fees
- The full tuition fee is supposed to be paid before reaching the campus. (£44000)
- Hotel fee can be paid Monthly, quarterly, or altogether (this depends on which hostel you take up, and the cost varies yearly, considering various factors). Mine cost £1244.50 per month and £700 security deposit
- Monthly £300-£400 should be enough to take care of everything, but this exceeds depending on various external factors.
Scholarship
- Yes, there are different scholarships that are available on the university website. I got the transformative scholarship for £10,000 and an early application discount of £2,300
- One batch mate got the Cheving's Scholarship, and another one got the Joe Nellis Scholarship
- There are other scholarships like the Commonwealth Scholarship and other UK govt scholarships
