Located in Bedfordshire, United Kingdom, Cranfield School of Management was founded primarily as a post-graduate college of aeronautics. With the increasing demand for management training, the institute established itself in the present form in 1967. As the only school in the UK wholly dedicated to post-graduate studies, the school is one of the best UK universities for international students that witnesses more than 15,000 people every year participating in its executive and professional development programs.

The institute has triple accreditation of AACSB International, AMBA and EQUIS. Ranked among the top 10 business schools in the UK as per Financial Times 2019 report, the school observes May 31 as its application deadline for admission to its coveted MBA program. It is an organization that believes in equal rights at quality education for all and thus does not charge any application fee from its aspirants. It is a favored choice among international candidates seeking to study in the UK with a high employment rate of around 92%.

Cranfield School of Management Rankings

Cranfield School of Management has secured the below stated finest rankings in the following areas-

  • The Financial Times ranked the institute as 7th in the UK and 44th in Europe in the Best Business Schools.
  • 3rd in UK and 10th in the world by Forbes’ for Best International MBA: One Year Programs.
  • 5th in UK in Masters in Management by the Financial Times.
  • 9th in the world for highest percentage of graduates with a job-offer within three months after graduation by The Economist.

Highlights

University type Business school
Campus setting Urban
Campus Cranfield
Establishment year 1967
No. of Programs 5
Application mode Paper-based online(international applicants)
Mode of Program Full time
Accreditation AACSB International AMBA EQUIS

Cranfield School of Management: Campus and Accommodation

Campus

  • Cranfield University has two campuses: the main campus is at Cranfield, Bedfordshire, and the second is at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom at Shrivenham, southwest Oxfordshire.
  • The school is a part of the main campus, which also accommodates the School of Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing, and the School of Water, Energy, and Environment.
  • Cranfield School of Management campus is situated in the countryside of Bedfordshire. The location is at a decent distance from Bedford and Milton Keynes and offers a scenic sight.
  • The campus has all the amenities including bars, banks, bookshops, post office, shops, etc. Everything is accessible at a walking distance.
  • Cranfield is at the center of two beautiful places to visit: the modern city of Milton Keynes and the country town of Bedford.
  • The institute also has a sports centre for students who want to indulge in recreational activities apart from academics. The centre has a fitness studio, aerobics studio, tennis courts, golf course, playing pitches, etc.
  • Wide range of clubs and societies such as, Astronomical Society, Basketball Club and Musicians Society also operate on campus.
  • A technology park with several entrepreneurial businesses is just beside the institute campus.
  • The localities of Bedford and Milton Keynes are a hub of theatres, museums, live music, nightlife, etc. and never fail to demonstrate the culture. MK Gallery, Milton Keynes Theatre, 12th Street, Willen Lake are a part attraction for the students.

Housing facilities/Residence

  • Students can either choose to live on or off campus at the institute. For off campus residence, students can search for property through Cranfield StudentPad, the official accommodation search engine for the institute.
  • On-campus accommodation is available on a first-come-first-serve basis. Four halls, namely Chilver Hall, Lanchester Hall, Stringfellow Hall and Mitchell Hall are available for students’ residence.
  • Each hall has a basic cleaning and heating facility. Apart from that, free internet, microwave, refrigerator, etc. are also available.
  • The halls have a further division of single rooms and suite rooms. The rates depend upon the hall that one is residing in and also the type of room preferred.
  • The rate list for different types of accommodations is as follows-
Type Rates per day
Chilver Hall -
En Suite, Self-catered room 20.42 GBP
Lanchester Hall -
Large en suite room (private bathroom) 23.38 GBP
Premier en suite room (private bathroom) 22.79 GBP
Mitchell Hall -
Standard catered room 20.59 GBP
En Suite catered room 26.76 GBP
Stringfellow Hall -
En Suite, self-catered room 22.79 GBP

Cranfield School of Management Courses

  • The institute offers multiple programs for international students at the master’s level, such as MBA, MSc, DBA and Ph.D.
  • MSc is offered in almost 12 disciplines. Some of the popular subjects are Finance and Management, Strategic Marketing, Marketing and Leadership, Management, Management and Leadership, Management and Corporate Sustainability, and Management and Entrepreneurship.
  • The School also offers a prestigious MBA degree. MBA full-time, Executive MBA, MBA Energy, MBA Defence, and Executive MBA Defence Export are the courses that one can choose from based on eligibility and interest. For example, professionals with three years of work experience can go for a full-time MBA and those interested in a part-time program can opt for an Executive MBA.
  • MBA has been a popular choice amongst international applicants.
  • Cranfield School also offers Open Executive and Customized Programs that hold utmost value. General Management, Leadership and Talent Management are some popular courses.
  • Research opportunities are also available with the diversity of the doctoral community, with some 120 researchers from over 30 countries.
  • Different types of MBA programs offered by the institute are mentioned below.
Type of Program Duration
MBA fulltime 13 months course(full time)
Executive MBA 2 years (part-time)
MBA Defense 2 years (part-time)
Executive MBA Defense export 2 years (part-time)

Cranfield School of Management Application Process

How to apply?

Application Portal: Online application

Application Fee: No application fee is charged, but a sum of 3,000 GBP is to be deposited on acceptance of application.

Basic Admission Requirements

The following documents are integral to the form filling process-

  1. A UK first or second class honors degree or an international equivalent degree.
  2. Official academic transcripts.
  3. Record of work experience
  4. Personal statement
  5. Curriculum Vitae
  6. Birth certificate
  7. Passport copy
  8. GRE/GMAT scores (if required)
  9. English Proficiency scores
Test Minimum Score
IELTS Academic 6.5 overall
TOEFL 92
Pearson PTE Academic 65
Cambridge English Scale 180
Cambridge English: Advanced C
Cambridge English: Proficiency C
Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English III Minimum overall score of pass

Cranfield School of Management Cost of Attendance

The school charges a non-refundable deposit on admission against the tuition fee. An amount of 3,000 GBP needs to be paid for securing the place. An estimated cost of living while studying in the UK are as compiled below.

Tuition fee

Program fees for some popular courses is as follows:

Course Total fees for domestic students Total fees for international students
MBA 39,000 GBP 39,000 GBP
MBA Energy 39,000 GBP 39,000 GBP
Management and Entrepreneurship 12,250 GBP 21,500 GBP
Finance and Management 23,000 GBP 25,000 GBP
Executive MBA 27,000 GBP 27,000 GBP
Strategic Marketing 13,000 GBP 24,500 GBP

Cost of living

Approximately 9,650-11,600 GBP is the living expense for a single student for about 50 weeks. Following is the estimated breakdown of the expense:

Expense Type Total cost
Accommodation 4,500-7,800 GBP
Books 500 GBP
Food 2,250 GBP
Travel 400-600 GBP
Other expenses 2,900 GBP

Scholarships/Financial Aid

Cranfield School of Management offers limited scholarships and financial support for international students looking to study in the UK. Some such awards available for the students are as mentioned below.

  • The Cranfield Scholarship is awarded to those with aptitude and ability for the subject they are applying for. It covers part of the tuition fee.
  • Chevening Scholarships are awarded to take up a one year master’s degree at Cranfield. It’s given to emerging leaders and covers tuition fees, travel expenses and the monthly stipend.
  • Commonwealth Scholarship is reserved for students from developing nations who cannot otherwise afford to study in the UK. Tuition fees, travel expenses and a monthly stipend are covered under this.
  • Future Finance Students Loans covers tuition fees and living costs of students at Cranfield. The total reward amount is 40,000 GBP.
  • The Global Study Awards offers 10,000 GBP to those who have taken the IELTS at the British Council testing center and have an ISIC student card.

Alumni Network

The institute offers alumni benefits for life to those who have pursued a degree for the institute. The benefits include-

  • Skype, phone, or email support for assistance regarding career.
  • Access to portal and opportunities reserved for alumni.
  • Advising those who are intending to start their business.
  • Access to useful resources on the website.
  • Advertising opportunities for alumni through our networking channel.
  • Manage surveys and rank your qualifications.
  • Discounted tuition fees for multiple courses.

Notable Alumni

  • Lord Karan Billimoria- Founder, Cobra Beer Ltd.
  • Angus Thirlwell- Founder, Hotel Chocolat
  • Warren East CBE- Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce

Cranfield School of Management Placements

Two major career fairs are organized by the institute on campus. Approximately 70 companies visit during these fairs for recruitment purposes. The Career Development Team at Cranfield helps students work on their skills and organizes training events to equip candidates for placement activities. As per DLHE Longitudinal Survey, 2017, Cranfield is ranked second in the UK for graduate employment.

Nearly 92% of students from the popular full-time MBA program secured a job within six months of completing the degree, out of which 74% opted for a job in the UK itself. The popular recruiters of the MBA program students are companies like Amazon, Samsung, IB Boost, Infosys, HCL Technologies, etc.

Average exit salary for an MBA degree holder at Cranfield is 63,929 GBP.