Master of Arts [M.A] [Global Development] From University of Leeds

University of Leeds MA Global Development is a 12-month, full-time, on-campus degree in Leeds for relevant social science or humanities graduates. September 2027 tuition is unpublished; September 2026 tuition was GBP 28,250 (INR 36.58 Lakhs), as a prior-cycle reference.

The course connects contested development theory with project-cycle practice, quantitative and qualitative analysis and a 60-credit dissertation. It suits applicants seeking policy, development or research work who can examine institutions, power and community agency critically.

• Two 30-credit core modules integrate global development, public governance and experiential project skills.
• Optional modules allow focused study of health, gender, education, political economy, natural resources, Africa or China.
• Assessment through essays, projects, assignments and dissertation work develops evidence-led analysis rather than one examination profile.

Also Check: University of Leeds admission process

Leeds MA Global Development Fees and Living Costs 2027

The September 2027 international tuition is unpublished after checks of the live course and Masters fee pages. The latest course-specific amount below is a prior-cycle planning reference, not a 2027 quote.

September 2026 fee reference: the official course page lists one total fee for the full-time international route.

Source: University of Leeds Global Development MA course page, September 2026 entry.

All INR conversions in the article use a conversion rate of GBP 1 = INR 129.50 as of 06 August 2026. Rates fluctuate daily, verify before applying.

Because the published amount belongs to an earlier cycle, applicants should preserve a fee-rise buffer instead of fixing a loan at GBP 28,250 (INR 36.58 Lakhs). No separate programme application fee or deposit appears on the checked course page.

Cost of Living in Leeds for Global Development Students

The University’s 2025 estimate places weekly student spending between GBP 199 (INR 25,771) and GBP 423 (INR 54,779). This estimate remains separate from tuition and the UK visa maintenance test.

A prior-cycle planning illustration combining September 2026 tuition with annual living costs gives GBP 38,598 to GBP 50,246 (INR 49.98 Lakhs to INR 65.07 Lakhs). This sum excludes visa, travel and any 2027 fee increase.

Check Out: University of Leeds course and campus overview

ROI reality: The prior-cycle tuition dominates cost, while annual living estimates span GBP 11,648 (INR 15.08 Lakhs). Applicants should price housing before setting a loan ceiling.

Leeds MA Global Development Admission 2027

Admission requires a UK 2:1 honours degree or equivalent in social science, humanities or another related discipline. The transcript must include at least five social science or humanities modules.

Academic Eligibility for Indian Applicants

Leeds identifies a first-class Indian bachelor’s degree with 60% as its 2:1 equivalent. The five-module rule means applicants should map relevant coursework explicitly instead of relying on the degree title alone.

A professional degree can still fit when its transcript contains the required module breadth. However, applicants should show how prior study supports analysis of institutions, inequality, governance or social change.

English Language Requirements

Direct entry requires IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.0 in every component. Leeds also publishes alternatives that account for the January 2026 TOEFL scale change.

• Choose IELTS or PTE when practice reveals a component weakness before the application opens.
• TOEFL applicants must use one test-centre sitting because Leeds rejects MyBest, Home Edition and Paper Edition results.
• Indian school-English evidence should be checked against the board-specific threshold before paying for another test.

Tip for Indian students: Meeting 60% proves grade equivalence, but the transcript must also contain five relevant modules and support development-focused study.

Leeds MA Global Development Application 2027

The September 2027 application schedule is not yet published, while the live course page still displays the closed 2026 cycle. Applicants should prepare now without projecting 26 June 2026 onto the next intake.

Application Evidence and Sequence

Leeds requests certified transcripts, the degree certificate and English-language evidence when applicable. A persuasive file must also make the five-module academic fit visible and define a development question worth sustained study.

Start by mapping prior modules to the entry rule, then connect one policy or development problem to the course structure. This sequence turns the statement into an evidence-based fit case rather than a broad wish to create change.

• Prepare certified documents before the portal opens because overseas verification can delay a complete submission.
• Check the live course page for the 2027 international cutoff instead of reusing the prior-cycle date.
• Submit at least one month before a scholarship deadline once the 2027 funding calendar is published.

Application tip: The two core modules combine governance with experiential project skills, so demonstrate both analytical preparation and a practical development question.

Leeds MA Global Development Scholarships 2027

The 2027 to 2028 scholarship values and deadlines are unpublished after checks of University and School funding pages. The amounts below are prior-cycle or current published context and cannot reduce an unpublished 2027 tuition.

Funding references: 2026 to 2027 values apply to the international schemes, while the alumni discount is a current percentage publication without a named cycle.

Awards from GBP 3,000 to GBP 16,000 (INR 3.89 Lakhs to INR 20.72 Lakhs) could change borrowing materially. However, their earlier cycle prevents a 2027 net calculation, so applicants should budget gross tuition until new values appear.

• Track the 2027 funding page separately because a course offer does not establish scholarship eligibility.
• Draft merit and course-fit evidence before deadlines appear while preserving alternative funding for the full fee.
• Leeds alumni should verify combination rules before applying another award because stacking conditions remain scheme-specific.

Read More: University of Leeds scholarship options

Scholarship reality: No 2027 award can yet reduce cost, so retain gross tuition in funding plans and treat earlier values only as possible upside.

Leeds MA Global Development Salary 2027

Leeds publishes no course-cohort salary, offer rate or sector distribution for this MA. Its official evidence identifies skills and graduate destinations, which supports pathway planning but cannot establish financial payback.

Career Evidence and ROI

The programme builds project design, management, policy analysis and quantitative and qualitative research skills. Recent graduates have entered development organisations, government, environmental charities and further research, but Leeds reports no hiring frequency.

Source: University of Leeds Global Development MA career opportunities page for September 2026 entry.

The professional value is strongest when applicants need both development analysis and project-cycle capability. However, GBP 28,250 (INR 36.58 Lakhs) in prior-cycle tuition creates funding risk without course-level earnings evidence.

• Use experiential project work and the dissertation to create evidence for one defined policy, NGO or research pathway.
• Ask the School for destination detail before borrowing because named organisations reveal neither salary nor recruitment frequency.
• For UK plans, compare gross role pay with tax deductions and Leeds costs before estimating disposable income.
• For India-return plans, test whether target employers value project-cycle and research evidence enough to justify the overseas budget.

ROI reality: The course develops practical project and research capability, but its financial case depends on a defined role because cohort salary evidence is absent.

UK Visa for Leeds MA Global Development Students 2027

Indian students need a UK Student visa, currently costing GBP 558 (INR 72,261), plus the Immigration Health Surcharge. The surcharge is GBP 776 (INR 1.00 Lakh) yearly and follows the granted visa duration.

• The Graduate Route permits eligible master’s graduates to work for 18 months, so career preparation must start during this 12-month course.
• Student visa maintenance outside London is GBP 1,023 (INR 1.32 Lakhs) monthly for nine months, separate from University living estimates.
• The Skilled Worker route normally requires GBP 41,700 (INR 54.00 Lakhs) yearly, though occupation and new-entrant rules can change the threshold.
• Taught postgraduate students generally cannot bring dependants, while government-sponsored and eligible research-course exceptions remain conditional.

Check Out: Study and visa planning for the United Kingdom

Visa reality: The 18-month Graduate Route is shorter than the course’s prior planning context, so role research should begin before dissertation work intensifies.

Leeds MA Global Development Ranking 2027

Leeds is 18th globally for Development Studies in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026. This discipline result aligns closely with the MA, but it is not a course-level outcome measure.

The position indicates the research environment surrounding development study at Leeds. Curriculum fit still matters more, so applicants should prioritise project-cycle training, optional focus and dissertation supervision when choosing the programme.

Read More: University of Leeds subject ranking context

Honest take: The 18th-place discipline ranking supports academic context, but it cannot establish individual teaching fit, employment probability or salary return.