NMA FAQs
Gaining a motorsport qualification will always entail some hard work, but we try and make studying with the NMA as simple as possible.
Whether you are a qualified mechanic or have been playing in the pits since you were a child, entry onto our courses can help you to further your learning in one of the most dynamic and exciting industries in the world.
Our online Course Guide has lots of information about our motorsport qualifications as well as the National Motorsport Academy history, race team and tutors. You can view or download it here.
Joining a course is quite straightforward but we’ve asked our admissions team to compile a list of some of the most common questions they are asked during the applications process.
Fees & Funding
We try to make our fees as straightforward and affordable as possible. We offer ‘pay in full’ discounts as well as monthly payment options to help spread the cost. You can find out more about our fees for UK students here. Most UK students will find that they are eligible for a student loan. It’s easy to apply and often the most cost-effective way of funding your studies. Take a look at our guide to student loans. We also welcome applications from overseas students – find out more.
We try to make our fees as straightforward and affordable as possible. We offer ‘pay in full’ discounts as well as monthly payment options to help spread the cost.
For UK students, If you apply for a student loan, you don’t have to pay any course fees upfront. Find out more here. For overseas students, Take a look at our Fees for International Students page.
Taking out a student loan is a simple and easy process and a great way to take the pressure off going back to study. They are not means tested and are one of the cheapest and safest forms of borrowing, covering the entire cost of your degree. We’ve put together a comprehensive page to answer your questions about student loans as the advice is different depending on whether you live in England & Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
Am I Eligible to Apply?
If you are under 21, you need a minimum of GCSE Maths (Grade A-C) and a Level 3 Diploma in an automotive qualification or relevant engineering subject. For those over the age of 21, you may still be eligible to apply for our motorsports qualifications as a ‘mature’ student. Contact us for more details.
No. Students can apply from 18+ years provided they have the necessary entry requirements. However, there is an upper age limit of 60 for those that may want to apply for a UK student loan.
Yes. As long as you have a good standard of English and an IELTS certificate with a score of 6.0 or above (or equivalent) you can still apply.
Once you have submitted your application you will usually hear back from us within a few days. If it has been longer than this, don’t worry, just contact our admissions team.
NMA Course Details
No. Our motorsport qualification timetables don’t follow the traditional academic year and can be started at any time to suit you. This means that you can start learning straight away and study at times to suit you – perfect if you have family or other commitments or simply want to fit things in around the racing calendar.
- You will be allocated a personal tutor plus each module will be taught by a subject specialist. We are open Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (UK time) and available via telephone, email and skype sessions. On-site tutorials can also be pre-arranged.
- Our courses are studied by students all over the world. This, of course, means many different time zones and requests for advice or guidance can be submitted/received at any time. We endeavour to respond to students as soon as possible.
- We have our own student support team, who have been trained and have relevant experience and qualifications to offer specific support in confidence: please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We also have a close working relationship with external bodies enabling us to provide enhanced industry support.
- We can be contacted as above but also out of hours by email on studentsupport@motorsport.nda.ac.uk and telephone +44 (0)1159 123456 x235 where you can leave a message.
- There is a VLS Student Community, an online forum exclusively for students, and we would encourage all students to utilise this so that they can share information and gain support from others studying, not only on your course, but those studying at a higher level. As we have students in over 75 countries, no matter where you are or the time difference, there will always be students interacting and sharing ideas. The VLS Community bridges the gap between online and on-campus study, so you can share work, interact with your peers and discuss your assignments with like-minded students.
All NMA courses are based on coursework. Our VLS (Virtual Learning System) allows you to complete each module at a relaxed pace and reminds you of your target date for the completion of assignments. The only ‘tests’ are found at the end of the Mathematics for Motorsports module (BSc), which are assessed by multiple-choice quizzes that can be taken at a time to suit you.
No, you do not need to attend the NMA as our courses are all online, unless you wish to arrange a one-to-one tutorial with your tutor.
Our courses are flexible in respect of online access at any time and not having to attend set timetables. However, there are still requirements for the length of time for courses to be completed.
- BSc (Hons) Degree: The course is studied part time, online & has been designed to be as flexible as possible to fit around your own schedule. Whilst the majority of NMA students will achieve their BSc (Hons) Degree online in just 3 years, others may take a little longer and a few may need the maximum study time of 7 years.
- BSc (Hons) Top Up: For those who have already completed an automotive or motorsport course at Foundation degree, HND or BTEC level, our top-up course can be a great way to achieve a full BSc (Hons) in Motorsport Engineering with just one further year’s study. We find most students complete the course within 18 months whilst others may take up to the maximum study time of 3 years.
- MSc Degree: The course module content will last 480 days in total so students could complete the degree in as little as 15 months, however with holidays and rest periods we anticipate that the average time for completion would be 18 months with some taking up to 2 years.
About Our Courses
All students are invited to volunteer at the beginning of the season & allocated a race (or races) as close to them as possible. Further additional motorsport experience or a volunteer role will be required as part of your degree.
Our motorsports qualifications focus on cars rather than bikes. That said, many modules and principles would be relevant to motorcycles too. We offer individual modules as bite-sized Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses. If you’d like to know more about the ones that are relevant to bikes, just contact us
Our maths module has been broken down into easily digestible, bite-sized chunks in order to make each element as easy to understand as possible. Real life Motorsport examples & scenarios are included throughout. Our experienced tutors will also be there to help you every step of the way.
When you study with the NMA, we are preparing you for a career in motorsport. After you graduate, there are a huge number of motorsport careers which allow you to specialise in a specific field or area of expertise. These include: race engineer, data acquisition technician, aerodynamicist, propulsion engineer, drive train engineer, chassis design engineer, or a member of a manufacturer design team.
We also offer advice and support after you graduate to help you to prepare your CV, build industry connections or even apply for motorsport jobs. Your tutors are also always available to offer advice and guidance if you have any questions about future opportunities once you’ve completed your course 😊.
Once you graduate, you will find yourself on a path to one of the most exciting and fulfilling engineering careers, with opportunities to travel the world with some of the most famous names in motorsport. NMA currently has students working in Formula 1, The World Rally Championship and the World Endurance Championship and more!