
Molecular Bioengineering
Explore engineering, biology and chemistry to understand how vital molecular level interactions can benefit human health
Understand how vital molecular level interactions can benefit human health
Develop the scientific expertise of a life scientist and the problem-solving skills of an engineer
Enrich your studies with the opportunity to take a year abroad or put your knowledge into practice through a year in industry
Course key facts
Qualification
MEng
Duration
4 years
Start date
October 2026
UCAS course code
H160
Study mode
Full-time
-
Fees
Not set Home
Not set Overseas
Delivered by
Location
-
South Kensington
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Applications: places
5 : 1 (2024)
Minimum entry standard
A*AA (A-level)
39 points (International Baccalaureate)
Course overview
As a molecular bioengineer, you'll learn how to engineer biological systems to solve challenges in health and wellbeing.
Through this course, you will develop the scientific understanding and laboratory expertise of a life scientist with the technical knowledge and problem-solving skills of an engineer.
With this unique combination of skills, you will be well placed to address the global challenges of today: health and well-being agenda, personalised medicine, new biomedical technology industries.
You will gain a theoretical understanding through lectures, study groups and taught classes. During practical wet and dry labs and activities, you will work on real-world projects in medicine and biology with life-changing potential.
You will learn professional standards and understand engineers’ obligations to society, the profession and the environment.
You will develop leadership, communication and teamwork skills, and graduate with the ability to become a leader in your chosen field.
Structure
This page is updated regularly to reflect the latest version of the curriculum. However, this information is subject to change.
Find out more about potential course changes.
Please note: it may not always be possible to take specific combinations of modules due to timetabling conflicts. For confirmation, please check with the relevant department.
You’ll study all of the following core modules.
Core modules
Develop a foundational understanding of the chemistry and materials science principles related to bioengineering. Cultivate wet lab skills in preparing a range of biomaterials and practising key classification techniques.
Understand the underlying molecular basis of cellular and sub-cellular processes in cells and key concepts engineers use to interpret literature and models of cells.
Acquire a platform of mathematical knowledge and understand the basic principles of physics, electrical and mechanical engineering.
Learn the fundamentals of digital logic design and computer programming as you examine how digital computers communicate with the real world.
Discover the principles of engineering design and broaden your practical skills as you utilise appropriate tools and software to solve a variety of design problems.
Professional accreditation
This degree is professionally accredited by the following organisations on behalf of the Engineering Council:
- Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)
- Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3)
- Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM)
- Institution of Engineering Designers (IED)
With a professionally accredited degree, you’ll be able to demonstrate to employers that you have achieved an industry-recognised standard of competency. Professional accreditation also provides international recognition of your qualifications, which you can use to launch a career abroad.
With this integrated Master’s degree, you’ll fully meet the educational requirements for professional registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng).
Becoming a Chartered Engineer can further enhance your career prospects and earning potential. It demonstrates your competencies and commitment to lifelong learning – providing you with recognition in your field and greater influence and opportunities.
Our course accreditations are renewed every five years; the current accreditation agreement covering the current academic year and onwards is provisional and subject to our satisfying the requirements of the accrediting Professional Engineering Institutes, which we expect to complete by the end of the Academic Year.
Associateship
In addition to your degree, you’ll receive the Associateship of the City and Guilds of London Institute (ACGI) upon completion of this course. This associateship is awarded by one of our historic constituent Colleges.
Teaching and assessment
Balance of teaching and learning
Key
- Lectures, seminars and similar
- Independent study, group projects and individual research project
Year 1
- 27% Lectures, seminars and similar
- 73% Independent study, group projects and individual research project
Year 2
- 27% Lectures, seminars and similar
- 73% Independent study, group projects and individual research project
Year 3
- 17% Lectures, seminars and similar
- 83% Independent study, group projects and individual research project
Year 4
- 17% Lectures, seminars and similar
- 83% Independent study, group projects and individual research project
Teaching and learning methods
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Laboratory sessions
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Lectures and guest lectures
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Make, build and test activities
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Tutorials
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Study groups
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Virtual learning environment
Balance of assessment
Key
- Coursework
- Examinations
Year 1
- 34% Coursework
- 66% Examinations
Year 2
- 53% Coursework
- 47% Examinations
Year 3
- 47% Coursework
- 53% Examinations
Year 4
- 59% Coursework
- 41% Examinations
Assessment methods
-
Coursework
-
Examinations
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Oral presentations
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Poster presentations
Testimonials
Entry requirements
We consider all applicants on an individual basis, welcoming students from all over the world.
Minimum entry standard
A*AA
To include:
- A* in Mathematics
- A in Chemistry
- A in a third subject
Not accepted: General Studies and Critical Thinking
Science Practical Endorsement: If you are made an offer you will be required to achieve a pass in the practical endorsement in all science subjects that form part of the offer.
Typical offer
- A*A*A (applicants studying three A-levels)
Offers made to at least 50% of 2024 entry A-level applicants.
Support for widening participation applicants
Our contextual admissions route for UK applicants may entitle you to additional considerations within the application process to help us form a more complete picture of your potential to succeed at Imperial.
Find out more about who is eligible and what support you may receive.
How to apply
Apply via UCAS
When applications open, you will be able to start your application via UCAS Hub. There you can add this course as one of your choices and track your application.
Applications open on 13 May 2025
Application deadlines – 14 January 2026 at 18.00 (UK time)
This department does not use a test as part of its selection process.
Predicted grades and scores in your application are important, but it’s not the only thing that drives the decision.
Our selectors will also consider things like your personal statement and your references to understand whether there is a good match between you and your chosen subject and department at Imperial.
You can read more about our selection process, including tips on writing a personal statement, in our How to apply section.
Assessing your application
Admissions Tutors consider all the evidence available during our rigorous selection process and the College flags key information providing assessors with a more complete picture of the educational and social circumstances relevant to the applicant. Some applicants may be set lower offers and some more challenging ones.
Post-application open day and interview
When assessing applications, we will consider your examination results (already gained and predicted), your motivation and understanding of bioengineering as a career, your potential for leadership and teamwork, your interests and the referee’s report.
You may be invited to an online interview if your UCAS application indicates that you are likely to satisfy our entry requirements and you demonstrate interest and motivation to study this course.
Additional activities will include a talk from our department, a group activity and a virtual tour of our department.
An ATAS certificate is not required for students applying for this course.
The Department also offers the MEng in Biomedical Engineering, with options to complete a year in industry or study abroad for a year.
The main difference between this course and our Biomedical Engineering course is that Biomedical Engineering takes a top-down approach, looking first at the whole organism, injury or problem and then working down to a cellular level.
By contrast, Molecular Bioengineering takes a bottom-up approach, first looking at cells and molecules, then building up from tissues and organs to the whole organism or human.
Transfer between the and the MEng Molecular Bioengineering is rare and you would need to have met the entry requirements for both programmes.
This course includes opportunities to spend a year abroad or a year in industry.
If you are an international student, transferring to a different course could have an impact on your student visa. Please visit our International Student Support webpage for further information.
Year abroad
Language requirement
Teaching is in the language of your host country, so you will need to reach an acceptable proficiency in the relevant language before you go. Free language classes are available at the College to help you prepare.
Availability
There are limited places available on the Year Abroad programme, which means that competition for selection is strong and a placement cannot be guaranteed.
Normally, only students with marks of 60% or above will be eligible for placements in France and Germany. Only students with marks of 70% or above will be eligible for placements in Singapore and the USA.
Please note the list of universities located abroad that the Department currently has partnerships with is illustrative.
Partnerships with universities are subject to continuous review and individual partnerships may or may not be renewed.
Year in industry
You are responsible for finding a placement opportunity, with support available from the Department's dedicated Industrial Liaison Officer and the Careers Service. Securing a placement can be competitive, so you will need to identify suitable employers, and take part in recruitment activities with multiple employers.
The employer can often be in a location of your choice – including outside the UK – as long as you are successful in obtaining a position there and the placement is approved by the Department.
Fees and funding
Home fee
2026 entry
Not set
As a guide, the Home fee for 2025-26 was £9,535.
Year abroad
2026 entry
Not set
As a guide, the Home fee for 2025-26 was £1,450 for that year.
Year in industry
2026 entry
Not set
As a guide, the Home fee for 2025-26 was £950 for that year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the university, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
If you're a Home student, you can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan from the UK government to cover the entire cost of tuition for every year of your course.
The loan is paid directly to the university.
You will start repaying it only after you leave your course, have a job, and are earning above a certain amount.
Once the repayments start, the amount you pay each month depends on how much you earn, not on how much you owe in total.
Home students can apply for a means-tested Maintenance Loan to help with their living costs.
How you apply for student finance depends on whether you have studied before and where you’re from or normally live. Find out more on the UK government's website.
The Imperial Bursary is available to all Home undergraduate students with a household income below £70,000 per year.
The amount awarded is based on your household income, with up to £5,000/year available for students from the lowest income households.
It's money which you don't need to pay back, and it's paid on top of any government funding you may also receive.
It is available for each year of your course, as long as your annual household income remains below £70,000.
You might need to budget for additional costs related to your course that aren't covered by your tuition fees – like field trips, books and protective clothing.
Our extra costs page outlines the additional costs related to courses in each of our departments. It's not an exhaustive list and any additional costs you could incur will be determined by the course and modules you choose.
How will studying at Imperial help my career?
96% Of Imperial Bioengineering graduates in work or further study*
- 96% Of Imperial Bioengineering graduates in work or further study*
- 4%
91% Of Imperial Bioengineering graduates in highly skilled work or further study*
- 91% Of Imperial Bioengineering graduates in highly skilled work or further study*
- 9%
*2021-22 graduate outcomes data, published by HESA in 2024
The career-oriented nature of this degree ensures you'll be well placed to pursue opportunities in the rapidly expanding field of biomedical engineering.
Around 60% of postgraduates find employment upon graduation, while just over a third opt for continued study or training.
Get essential skills to pursue opportunities across a variety of career paths.
You can pursue a career in a range of sectors – with sought-after skills in medicine, healthcare and the medical devices industry.
Other potential career paths could include research, teaching, start-ups, consultancy and finance.
Further links
Contact the department
- Telephone: +44 (0)20 7594 3940
- Email: be.ugadmissions@imperial.ac.uk
Visit the Department of Bioengineering website.

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Course data
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