The Manchester Experience

Expand your horizons and open up a world of opportunities with our Full-time MBA. Experience what the UK’s ‘second city’ has to offer.

A yellow tram crossing through Manchester city centre

The original modern city

Often called the birthplace of the industrial revolution, Manchester is a city of creativity, progress, and resilience. It’s also where trade unions and the suffragette movement first began.

Manchester is one of the fastest growing cities in Europe. Built on innovation, its future is energised by investment, growth, and global attention.

Naomi Blackwell, MBA Assistant Director

A strong return on investment

Our MBA offers world-class teaching at an exceptional value. And a lower cost of living than London, you can focus more of your budget on things that matter to you.

Manchester is currently ranked as the UK's most liveable city – two places ahead of London (The Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Liveability Index 2025).

It's more affordable, safe and supported by strong infrastructure, making it an ideal base for ambitious professionals.

Rich in culture and heritage

From Oasis to The Smiths, Manchester has always inspired creativity. It boasts a vibrant cultural scene – legendary music venues, world-class museums, exciting nightlife, and two of the biggest football teams in the world.

Manchester's diversity is central to its character. The city celebrates its global influences through events such as the Manchester International Festival, Parklife, Manchester Jazz Festival, and Manchester Punk Festival.

You'll also find iconic landmarks such as Rusholme's famous 'Curry Mile' and the UK's second largest Chinatown.

It's no surprise that Manchester was voted the UK's favourite urban destination (Condé Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Awards 2025).

If you love art, if you love to socialise, there are places for you here. If you – like me – love music and football, it’s amazing to be here because there’s so much happening.

Ravij Bhatia, Full-time MBA, Class of 2025

An economic powerhouse

Manchester is home to leading companies such as PwC, Amazon, Deloitte, the BBC, and more. The city's excellent business credentials make it a booming hub for many industries, including:

Finance
Manufacturing
Professional services
Health
Innovation
Creative and digital.

Here, you'll also find a growing venture capital community as well as Europe's biggest cluster of e-commerce unicorns. The city is also the fifth-largest fintech city in the continent, with over 150 firms.

If you're interested in entrepreneurship, the University of Manchester's Masood Entrepreneurship Centre offers workshops, mentoring, and funding opportunities – including Venture Further, the UK's leading university startup competition.

Connected locally and globally

Manchester's modern transport infrastructure keeps you connected to international opportunities. The city is perfectly placed for exploring the UK, with London just two hours away by train, and the North West easily accessible. 

Manchester Airport, one of the UK's busiest, offers direct flights to over 210 destinations worldwide.

Manchester MBA student life

Manchester has a thriving student population of over 100,000, which means there's no shortage of things to do.

Alongside what the city has to offer, we've got you covered with a range of MBA+ activities for you to get the most out of your Manchester experience.

Extracurricular activities

We want you to make the most of your time with us, whether you're inside or outside the classroom.

We foster a friendly and supportive MBA community, beginning with a three-day team-building residential in the beautiful Lake District.

Throughout the programme, you can join a wide range of student-led activities:

MBA Student Council elections

MBA socials (e.g. Welcome Party, Diwali Night, Latin Night, Asian Night, Barbecues, Thirsty Thursdays)

MBA Ball

MBA Tournament in Paris (MBAT)

MBA Partners & Families Club

Manchester Matters – student-led speaker series inspired by TED Talks.

Professional development

Our MBA+ clubs provide great opportunities to network with professionals, alumni, and academics.

Sharing knowledge and ideas, you'll gain valuable insight into different sectors and develop skills to further your career.

Current clubs include:

Banking and Finance
Consulting
Energy and Industry
Retail and Pharmaceuticals
Technology, Media and Telecommunications.

You can also join student forums for Entrepreneurship, Social Impact, and Women in Business.

Events

MBA+ club members get involved with a range of events and activities, including:

Business competitions - for example, the AMBS Case Competition or Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC)
Networking events (e.g. breakfasts, dinners and panel debates)
Company treks with organisations such as Amazon, BP, Credit Suisse, Facebook, Google and Microsoft
On-site guest speakers and webinars
Industry conferences
Training workshops.

The University of Manchester community

As a Manchester MBA, you will be part of The University of Manchester, the UK's largest single-site university.

You'll get access to an impressive range of clubs, societies and services, including:

Over 80 sport and fitness activities - from athletics to Zumba
More than 300 societies offering everything from knitting to scuba diving
Wellbeing services to boost your mood and help you stay calm and focused - for example, annual Wellbeing Week, the Counselling Service and drop-in relaxation sessions
The UK's largest Students' Union, a hub for student life on campus
Student volunteering opportunities to immerse you in the local community
The International Society - meet students from all over the world studying at the UoM, Manchester Metropolitan University and Salford University. You can also join trips all over the UK.

You'll also be able to tap into our wider university ecosystem, such as Unit M, SISTER, and Innovation Factory.