Application advice

Admissions tests

Applicants to many Imperial departments need to sit an admissions test as part of their application.

We will take an applicants test performance into account alongside other elements from their UCAS application, such as their personal statement.

The required test to take will depend on which Imperial department they are applying to.

The admissions test is a chance for applicants to show us:

• their skills (for example, their mathematical problem-solving ability)
• their subject knowledge
• their understanding of topics related to their chosen course

Please note: new admissions tests have been introduced for 2025 entry.

To find out which admissions test a course requires, please visit our admissions test page for more information.

Personal statements

Personal statements are an important part of a student's UCAS application and helps admissions tutors gain an insight into the individual and whether they are a good fit for the course they are applying for.

Important information:

• A student can only submit one personal statement for the five courses and universities they are applying for.
• There is a character limit of 4,000 (including spaces) or 47 lines.

Learn more about what we look for in a personal statement.

Interviews

Interviews are an important part of the Imperial admissions process and are given to applicants who demonstrate potential in their UCAS application and admissions tests (where possible). 

Important information:

• Interviews usually take place between November and February.
• These may be virtual or in-person interviews depending on your circumstances and the course applied for.
• The department will contact the student directly about their interview with more information.

Discover more about our interview process and learn some helpful tips.

Transparency information

You can find all our college statistics about attainment and admissions such as:

• UK domiciled student attainment – specified by the Office for Students
• Five-year undergraduate admissions statistics
• Five-year postgraduate admissions statistics

Further information is available to view and download on our transparency page.

Writing a reference in the new style

UCAS has made changes to its undergraduate reference requirements from 2024 entry. There is lots of guidance designed to support advisers in writing academic references for applications to Imperial College London. 

You can find more information and guidance about this with our teacher and reference guidance page.

Contextual admissions for home students

We have contextual admissions schemes available for those who come from disadvantaged or underrepresented backgrounds that help to look beyond purely academic achievements - taking into account factors such as your economic, social and educational background.

To find more information and guidance about this, you can visit our contextual admissions schemes page.