How much does an online MS Data Science cost in the UK in 2026/27?

Published 2026/27 home tuition for one-year UK online MS Data Science programmes ranges from about £7,440 at Keele to £21,500 at UCL. Russell Group online MScs typically fall between £12,000 and £21,500. Modular platforms like Bath charge £722 per 10 credits (about £12,996 total) and the University of London charges £11,010 (Band A independent) or £16,375 (Band B) for the same MSc (University of York + UCL + KCL + Bath + Keele + University of London tariffs, 2026/27).

Which UK universities offer an online MS Data Science?

Russell Group and post-92 providers offering fully online UK MS Data Science in 2026/27 include UCL (Data Science and Machine Learning), King's College London (Data Science), University of Edinburgh (Data Science Technologies, online), University of York (Data Science AI and Statistics), University of London (MSc Data Science, modular), University of Bath (online MSc Computer Science with AI/data track), and Keele University. All listed providers are registered with the Office for Students and many hold QAA membership (University of Edinburgh + Bath + Keele 2026/27).

Are UK online MS Data Science programmes eligible for postgraduate loans?

Most UK online MS Data Science programmes from OfS-registered English providers are designated for postgraduate student loans through Student Finance England, currently up to £12,858 for the 2026/27 academic year. Scottish and Welsh providers have their own loan frameworks. The University of Edinburgh, Bath, Keele, and University of London online programmes all confirm loan eligibility on their 2026/27 pages; UCL and KCL research master's programmes typically do not qualify for the standard PGL (Student Finance England, 2026/27).

What accreditation should I check for on a UK online MS Data Science?

Three signals matter for UK quality. First, the provider should be registered with the Office for Students and hold a Tier 4 sponsor licence if it recruits international students. Second, look for QAA membership for quality review compliance. Third, programme-level accreditation from the Chartered Institute of IT (BCS) or a relevant professional body carries weight for hireability. Most UK Russell Group online MS Data Science programmes meet all three (OfS public register + QAA membership list, 2026/27).

Can I study an online UK MS Data Science part-time while working?

Yes. Most UK online MS Data Science programmes are designed for part-time study over two to three years. Lancaster, Northumbria, and Staffordshire explicitly offer 28 to 36-month part-time online formats. The University of London modular platform lets you spread the MSc over up to five years. Part-time UK fees are typically the same total as full-time; the difference is duration and module scheduling, not tuition (University of London + Lancaster, 2026/27).

UK MS Data Science Online 2026: Tuition Fees + Rankings

Q: What is the typical UK MS Data Science salary outcome?

The Office for National Statistics reports that full-time UK data scientists earned a median of around £62,500 in 2025, with the top decile above £98,000. The Higher Education Statistics Agency Graduate Outcomes data shows median MSc Data Science graduate earnings of approximately £42,000 six months after graduation, rising to around £58,000 at 30 months. London weighting adds 15 to 25 percent for in-person roles (ONS ASHE + HESA Graduate Outcomes, 2025).

Quick Answer

An online UK MS Data Science in 2026/27 costs between about £7,440 (Keele) and £21,500 (UCL) for home students, with most Russell Group online MScs clustering between £12,000 and £18,000. International online fees are typically £1,500 to £3,000 higher per programme. OfS registration and QAA membership are the two quality anchors to verify on any UK online provider (University of York + UCL + KCL tuition fee tables, 2026/27).

The financial decision sits in duration and delivery model. A two-year part-time online programme at Bath (£12,996) and a one-year full-time programme at UCL (£21,500) sit within £10,000 of each other once the extra year of earning potential is included.

Last verified: Sep 15, 2026.

At a glance

York MS Data Science (AI and Statistics) home £13,900 for 1-year full-time (Russell Group)
UCL Data Science and Machine Learning MSc home £21,500 for 1-year full-time
King's College London Data Science MSc home £18,150 for 1-year full-time
Bath online MSc Computer Science £12,996 (£722 per 10 credits, 180 credits total)
University of London modular MSc Data Science £11,010 (Band A) or £16,375 (Band B)
Keele MSc Computer Science £7,440 for the full programme, £620 per 15-credit module

UK online MS Data Science: published 2026/27 tuition fees

UK online MS Data Science tuition in 2026/27 spans a wide band because fee varies by Russell Group status, delivery model, and module structure. The table below uses the published 2026/27 UK home fees from each provider's online tuition fee schedule. International fees are listed separately where providers publish them (University of York + UCL + KCL + Bath + University of London + Keele fee pages, September 2026).

Programme	Provider	UK home fee (2026/27)	International fee (2026/27)	Duration
Data Science and Machine Learning MSc	UCL	£21,500	£42,700	1 year full-time
Data Science MSc	King's College London	£18,150	published separately	1 year full-time
Data Science (AI and Statistics) MSc	University of York	£13,900	£32,900	1 year full-time
MSc Computer Science	University of Bath (online)	£12,996	£12,996	2 years 3 months part-time
MSc Data Science	University of London (modular)	£11,010 (Band A) / £16,375 (Band B)	same	1-5 years flexible
MSc Computer Science	Keele University (online)	£7,440	£7,440	2 years part-time

Russell Group online MScs (UCL, KCL, York, Edinburgh) sit at the top of the table because they carry higher research overhead and London weighting. Post-92 universities and modular platforms (Bath, Keele, University of London) deliver the same core curriculum at substantially lower tuition. The trade is name recognition for graduate hiring against fee savings of £5,000 to £13,000 per programme (Office for Students register, 2026).

OfS and QAA: the two UK quality anchors

The Office for Students regulates English HE providers, and the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education runs quality reviews. Both anchors should appear on the footer of any reputable UK online MS Data Science provider's website. OfS registration confirms the provider meets baseline standards on quality, standards, student protection, and freedom of speech; without it, the provider cannot legally charge home fees or access Student Finance England. QAA membership confirms the provider has signed up to external quality reviews against the UK Quality Code for Higher Education (Office for Students public register, 2026/27).

Programme-level accreditation adds a third signal. BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, accredits programmes that meet its CITP (Chartered IT Professional) requirements; several UK online MS Data Science programmes hold partial BCS accreditation. For data science specifically, look for programmes aligned with the DataSkills curriculum or with the Royal Statistical Society's Graduate Statistician pathway, both of which are recognized by UK data employers (BCS + Royal Statistical Society, 2026).

Loans, scholarships, and the total cost of study

Most UK online MS Data Science programmes are eligible for the postgraduate loan through Student Finance England. The current maximum is £12,858 for the 2026/27 academic year for eligible English residents studying at OfS-registered providers. The University of Edinburgh, Bath, Keele, and University of London online programmes all confirm loan eligibility on their 2026/27 pages. Scottish and Welsh providers have their own frameworks with similar amounts; Northern Irish students apply through their respective nested authorities (Student Finance England 2026/27).

Tuition is not the only cost line. UK online students should budget £200 to £600 per year for required software (Python environments, cloud compute credits), £150 to £400 for required textbooks, and the standard UK Part-Time Fee Loan repayment terms once earning exceeds the repayment threshold. Many online programmes waive campus fees, but a residential week or two may be required by some providers; budget £400 to £1,000 per residential if the programme includes one (Student Finance England, 2026).

Career outcomes and salary uplift

UK data scientist salaries have remained among the strongest in the graduate labour market. The Office for National Statistics' Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings reports median full-time UK data scientist earnings of approximately £62,500 in 2025, with the top decile above £98,000. London weighting adds 15 to 25 percent for in-person roles. HESA's Graduate Outcomes data shows median MSc Data Science graduate earnings of around £42,000 six months after graduation, rising to roughly £58,000 at 30 months (ONS ASHE + HESA Graduate Outcomes 2025).

The salary uplift from an MS Data Science typically pays back the tuition within two to four years of full-time work in a data role. For a £15,000 programme, a £15,000 starting salary uplift versus a non-MSc role recovers the tuition in year one. For a £21,500 UCL programme with London weighting, the same uplift recovers tuition in 18 to 24 months at typical UK MSc data roles (ONS ASHE, 2025).

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Written by

Fazlur RahmanAI, Entrepreneurship, EdTech

Fazlur Rahman is the founder of Tutorsbot, building AI-powered tools for learning and career growth. He writes about applying AI in real products and the practi… Read more

Fazlur Rahman is the founder of Tutorsbot, building AI-powered tools for learning and career growth. He writes about applying AI in real products and the practical side of building an ed-tech startup.