Submit supporting documents

Required documents

Whichever programme you apply for, there are documents that you will need to provide with your application. Please refer to the postgraduate admissions statement for each programme to see individual requirements.

The documents that may be required include:

• two academic references (see further information on references below);
• if you are currently studying:
  university degree transcripts to date (transcripts are documents showing your grades for individual units or essays and exams throughout your degree);
• if you are applying to a programme that requires a strong upper second-class honours degree (65% or higher) and you have studied at a UK institution, if possible please provide us with the weightings your university will use to calculate your final degree score.
• if you have completed your degree(s):
  provide colour scans of university degree certificate(s) and final transcripts confirming completion. In exceptional circumstances, an official letter from your university confirming completion of your award and final grade may be accepted in place of a certificate;
• if you are a current University of Bristol student or recent graduate of the University of Bristol: 
  the Admissions team will access and review your transcripts and certificates from your time at the University. This streamlines the admissions process and removes the need for you to provide this information yourself.
• personal statements, which should describe your skills, experience and academic achievements and interest in studying a programme. Your personal statement should be around 1000 words. It should highlight your motivation for applying for the programme and any relevant experience/skills. Please refer to your chosen programme's admissions statement for specific guidance;
• English language certificate, if your first language is not English, to show that you meet the English language requirements for your chosen programme;
• some programmes require additional documents; research applications may need a research proposal.
• some programmes will require an application fee. Please refer the application fee policy for further guidance.

International applicants should submit scans of original documentation in the language of the country it was received in. They must include a certified translation of all documents to English. Translations must be signed or stamped by an official translation service or education provider.

How to submit additional documentation

If you have already submitted your application, you can attach additional supporting documents to be considered for your application in the applicant portal.

Help is available on our 'how to apply' pages.

We are unable to receive documents for your application via email.

In exceptional circumstances, we may accept documents posted to the postgraduate admissions team for the appropriate faculty or school. However, please make every effort to upload your documents online, as sending documents separately by post may cause a delay in your application being assessed. If you need to post documents to us, you must include the following details:

• your full name
• your date of birth
• your applicant ID number
• the name of the programme you are applying for.

Use the applicable school or faculty address for delivery.

Application checks

Information submitted as part of an application will be scrutinised and we may request additional information to verify specific details including verification of results with third parties such as other universities, test providers, schools and other external parties assisting with admissions. Please see our Fraudulent Applications Policy for further details.

Certified copies of documents

We accept certified copies of documents for interim degree documentation only. For completed degrees, you should submit a colour scan of the original official documentation.

If you are an international student and are required to post your documentation to the University, you may keep your original documents to be used for a visa application and submit certified copies to us.

A certified copy has been approved as a true copy by a relevant authority. You can ask your university, your local British Council, a solicitor or another professional person to certify documents for you.

Missing degree certificate or transcripts

We need your degree certificate(s) and transcripts in order to make a decision on your application. If you do not have these documents, you must ask your university to provide another copy. They may charge you for this service. In exceptional circumstances, you may be allowed to ask your university for a letter confirming your award and final grade instead of a degree certificate.

Providing documents if you haven’t graduated

If you’re waiting to graduate and can’t provide a degree certificate, please apply as usual. Include your transcripts to date (e.g. if you are a third-year student, please include transcripts from your first and second years). Please ensure your transcript shows details for every year of your programme.

If an offer of study is made, it may be conditional on obtaining the required final grade in your degree. You will then be asked to provide evidence that you have met the condition.

References

For most programmes you will be required to submit at least two references for us to consider your application. You should refer to the postgraduate admissions statement for your chosen programme for details of what is required. Applications received without references will not be processed. It is your responsibility to ensure that we receive your letters of reference.

References should be submitted electronically by the referee, using the online reference form. Alternatively, scanned copies of the original reference can be uploaded by the applicant. 

References must be written, signed and dated on official headed paper from the referee's organisation. They must include the referee’s full contact details, i.e. postal address, telephone number and organisation email address. A reference template (PDF, 96kB) is available to show the required format. References supplied with a personal email address can only be accepted under exceptional circumstances, which must be explained within the reference. All references should be dated within the last two years.  

If you graduated more than two years ago, or if professional experience is relevant to the application, professional references will be accepted in lieu of one academic reference. At least one referee should be familiar with the applicant's academic work.

Additional references

Applicants are welcome to upload additional references to support their application further. Professional references from work experience in a related field and/or industrial placements can help an application.

In exceptional circumstances, we may accept documents posted to the postgraduate admissions team in the faculty or school. However, please make every effort to include your references online, as sending documents separately may cause a delay in your application being assessed. Please read the guidance below on submitting a reference. We are unable to accept references via email.

Submitting a reference

There are several ways you can provide references: