Cranfield University, Master's by Research, Bioprocess and fermentation
Reviewed on Mar 23, 2026(Enrolled 2025)What Students Say
Likes
- The college is a postgraduate only college, making the atmosphere perfect for studying and focusing on your career if you are a career oriented person.
- The college has world class facilities which help you to grow and develop skills which you would require for your development in your field.
- The college has a huge campus and is located in a village, making the place a quiet and serene area to study.
Dislikes
- Basic necessities are available but scarce in the village.
- Bus service is there but not totally reliable.
- The weather is too cold in the winters, but if you can manage cold weather, it's perfect.
Course Curriculum
8
- I completed a research degree, so my course did not have a set curriculum, but it was hectic as all of my work was practical and in the lab.
- The positive aspect is that you are to what you want at your own pace, because it is your project and you are working on it individually. The negative aspect is also the same; as you are working alone, you will feel lonely if you do not socialize properly.
Admission Experience
- Cranfield University is the only college I applied to, and I was admitted, so I did not apply to other universities. The status I received was admitted, after an online application review and an interview with a project guide. No, I did not receive a rejection.
- Cranfield University has a good research facility, and you have the freedom to do your course on your own with no one watching and monitoring your every move, which makes it hard to actually do the work. But in this case, the work done is your work, and you can continue with it how you please. The admission procedure was smooth; they required an English test to be done.
- I applied for the January intake, and the factors that affected my application was I had finished my graduation from my B.Tech. course only in November the previous year.
- The admission process took around August 2024, and my admission was finalized in Dec 2024. I received the offer letter in August for which I applied and paid a deposit to hold my seat. Applied for a visa after that and got it done by Dec 2024.
Faculty
8
- The faculty-to-student ratio is great, it is around 2-3 research students under one supervisor, which makes the work you do good and focused on, as they can give you the required supervision and guidance.
- As I had mentioned earlier, I did a research degree; there was no one-on-one teaching, more of a discussion in meetings regarding the work I am doing.
Campus Life
10
- The college has two campuses in the UK only, the main one in Cranfield and the other one in Shrivenham.
- We have 2 libraries, sports facilities like gyms, badminton, tennis, basketball, a football ground, medical attention center.
- Cranfield has their student association, CSA, who conduct events every once in a while. There are multiple student associations you can attend, depending on what you like.
Part Time Jobs
- There are multiple opportunities to work as a research assistant, as many professors will require help with their projects.
- Pay-range is around 1000-1500 GBP per month as RA/TA/DA. You can get jobs around the campus and village as part-time, they can let you work up to max 20 hours with a pay of 11-12 GBP per hour.
- The difficulty in securing RA/TA/DA depends on your specific set of skills, and the part-time jobs around campus depend on availability.
- You can earn up to 11-12 GBP an hour, and you can get max 20 hours a week to work, so you can earn enough for your living expenses if you live alone. Securing part-time jobs is available at the moment for that particular job, and mostly it is not easy, as the demand is pretty high. You can just approach the establishments, the convenience stores or departmental stores, and apply.
Placement
8
- I am not sure of the percentage, but it is more than 70%, from what I have heard.
- The salary range could be from 24,000 GBP to 48,000 GBP per annum, depending on the positions you apply for.
- There are placement services that help you with making a CV and other requirements you would have regarding building your career.
- Rolls-Royce, Thermofisher etc.
Accommodation
Off Campus
8
- I lived off campus in a student-accommodated house. I found the house via my supervisor's contact and on websites like uHomes.
- The monthly rent was 405 GBP without bills, which would average around 120 GBP per month (water, gas, electricity). All facilities were included, which a student requires that is.
- I did not face any challenges while finding my accommodation, other than the fact that I didn't actually know if I could believe the pictures on the website.
Exams
- Cranfield accepts any of the above-mentioned English exams and also accepts English tests like the Duolingo English Test.
- There was a requirement for two letters of recommendation, a statement of purpose, a degree certificate stating that you have completed your bachelor's degree, and your CV.
- It was a semi-formal interview where I was asked as to why I applied for Cranfield and what my goals are to be finished from here.
Fees
- My fees were inclusive of all tuition fees only. I did a master's by research course, which made my fees around 22,000 GBP and around 8,000 GBP for living expenses, inclusive of rent for accommodation. An estimate of my monthly expenses would be 700-750 GBP per month.
- The fees are charged yearly at the beginning of the year. Transportation is not that expensive if you use public transport like trains and buses.
