Chemical Engineering
Apply scientific, engineering and business principles to a variety of complex practical issues in this accredited Master's degree.
Chemical Engineering with a Year Abroad
Apply scientific, engineering and business principles to a variety of complex practical issues in this accredited Master's degree.
Understand how engineers improve chemical process industry and beyond
Tailor your course to suit your interests through specialist modules
Explore the design of a chemical plant and build your understanding of industry practice
Course key facts
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Qualification
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MEng
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-
Duration
4 years
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Start date
October 2025
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UCAS course code
H801
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Study mode
Full-time
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Fees
£9,535 per year Home
£43,300 per year Overseas
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Delivered by
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Location
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South Kensington
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-
Applications: places
5 : 1 (2023)
Minimum entry standard
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A*A*A (A-level)
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40 points (International Baccalaureate)
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Qualification
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MEng
-
-
Duration
4 years
-
Start date
October 2025
-
UCAS course code
Apply to H801
-
Study mode
Full-time
-
Fees
£9,535 per year Home
£43,300 per year Overseas
-
Delivered by
-
Location
-
South Kensington
-
-
Applications: places
5 : 1 (2023)
Minimum entry standard
-
A*A*A (A-level)
-
40 points (International Baccalaureate)
Course overview
Discover how chemical engineers bring about innovation and improvements in process industries on this professionally accredited course.
You'll apply scientific, engineering and business principles to a variety of complex practical issues as you analyse a range of engineering problems.
This course will help you develop a strong foundation in the fundamental principles of science, mathematics and engineering.
Through this work, you'll build sound practical expertise and engineering judgement and understand the ‘mastery’ concept.
You'll also have the opportunity to tailor the study programme towards your interests through a range of specialist modules as the course progresses.
Environmental effects of chemical operations are highlighted throughout the course, and you'll examine successful control and mitigation methods and key aspects of safety engineering.
Your study reaches Master's level in the fourth year, where your studies will culminate in a substantial research project.
This work will see you investigate all aspects of the design of a chemical plant.
Your projects throughout the course will see you develop your skills in cutting-edge laboratories available at Imperial, including the state-of-the-art Carbon Capture Pilot Plant.
Discover how chemical engineers bring about innovation in process industries on this professionally accredited course, which incorporates a year abroad.
You'll apply scientific, engineering and business principles to a variety of complex practical issues as you analyse a range of engineering problems.
This course will help you develop a strong foundation in the fundamental principles of science, mathematics and engineering.
Through this work, you'll build sound practical expertise and engineering judgement and understand the ‘mastery’ concept.
You'll also have the opportunity to tailor the study programme towards your interests through a range of specialist modules as the course progresses.
Environmental effects of chemical operations are highlighted throughout the course, and you'll examine successful control and mitigation methods and key aspects of safety engineering.
You'll spend your third year at one of our partner universities on an integrated year abroad, with the grades you achieve counting directly towards your Imperial degree.
Your study reaches Master's level in the fourth year, where your studies will culminate in a substantial research project. This work will see you investigate all aspects of the design of a chemical plant.
Your projects throughout the course will see you develop your skills in cutting-edge laboratories available at Imperial, including the state-of-the-art Carbon Capture Pilot Plant.
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 the following core modules.
Core modules
Develop your understanding of the main principles of chemical engineering and apply these principles to chemical engineering problems.
Build the skills required to analyse and compare chemical processes and learn how to develop and analyse flow diagrams.
Explore the key features of Matlab software and develop your problem solving skills through group work. You'll also acquire essential skills in physically manipulating apparatus, making measurements and analysing data.
Explain the behaviour and properties of fluids and solve basic problems related to fluid mechanics and heat and mass transfer.
Define and distinguish important principles related to thermodynamics and analyse one-component multi-phase systems.
Analyse diffusional separation processes for simple gas-liquid and liquid-liquid systems and consider their economic viability.
Familiarise yourself with the main principles of chemistry, and identify and apply a number of theories and concepts to solve reactivity.
Understand how to select the most appropriate mathematical techniques for problem solving and use these to solve complex mathematical equations.
Gain knowledge of the concepts that link atomic and molecular physical chemistry to macroscopic behaviour of gases, liquids and solids.
You’ll study the following core modules.
Core modules
Reinforce your mastery of chemical engineering to tackle more practical real-life engineering problems.
Advance your understanding of the equations governing mass and momentum transfer of incompressible fluids.
Design and execute selected experiments for a variety of engineering problems in order to choose optimal solutions and/or deliver set targets.
Engage with the fundamental theory for the design and analysis of (pseudo-) homogeneous chemical reactors.
Develop an understanding of the principles of a variety of industrially-significant processes concerned with energy conversion and use.
Explore the transient behaviour of processes through the application of a variety of mathematical models.
Build on your knowledge from Year 1 and analyse advanced distillation and extraction processes.
Review various mathematical concepts and methods used in chemical engineering, including vector calculus and partial differential equations.
Identify the chemical foundations and mechanisms that underpin chemical industrial processes and explore key concepts in biochemistry.
You’ll study the following core modules during your third year.
You’ll also choose one optional module.
Across your final two years, you must choose at least two optional modules from Group A and two from Group B.
Core modules
Further develop your mastery of chemical engineering towards an advanced level of proficiency in communication, problem solving and critical thinking.
Apply a general problem-solving approach to design heterogeneous and multi-phase reactors and appreciate the underlying physics of different reactor types.
Assess the key principles of particle technology and apply these concepts in process design situations involving solids.
Become familiar with structured approaches to the design of chemical processes and the associated business skills required to develop a business plan.
Analyse the hazards which are most often encountered in industrial process plants and learn how to identify them.
Examine the environmental impacts of human activities and explore issues related to sustainability, waste minimisation, clean technology and green chemistry.
Extend the practical competencies gained in earlier modules to areas of design and research to further develop your expertise and engineering judgement.
Apply advanced numerical methods for optimisation of both linear and nonlinear models to real chemical engineering problems.
Your I-Explore module offers you choices from a range of subjects hosted outside of the department. You will be taught alongside students from other courses with options including business, management and many more.
Optional modules - Group A
Develop your ability to formulate and solve engineering problems involving the design of membranes and membrane modules.
Investigate the main chemical engineering processes associated with nuclear energy and work through problems related to mass and energy balance.
Understand how the environmental impacts of fossil fuels can be minimised and analyse CO2 capture from a range of processes.
Learn how to apply fundamental operation principles of different energy storage and conversion technologies and explore different options for clean energy generation.
Investigate the application and use of biological sensors.
Optional modules - Group B
Build your awareness of varied problems of process heat transfer and appreciate the advantages and disadvantages of the respective heat exchanger types.
Apply mathematical techniques to derive and solve the equations of motion of fluids and solve problems in Stokes and potential flows.
You’ll study one core module and choose six optional modules.
Across your final two years, you must choose at least two optional modules from Group A and two from Group B.
Core modules
Employ innovative thinking to develop new process strategies, technology and analytical ability across a research project and group design task.
Optional modules - Group A
Understand the nature of various interparticle forces, and explain the significant forces between colloidal systems and how they can be calculated and measured.
Explore current experimental techniques for product characterisation and apply these methods to real-world products.
Evaluate a broad range of spectroscopic methods and apply your skills to various chemical systems and processes.
Review the techniques used in biotechnology, which in many cases differ markedly from chemical engineering.
Optional modules - Group B
Formulate, solve and interpret meaningful optimisation problems, and appreciate conditions for optimality as well as commonly available solution techniques.
Review state-of-the-art optimisation based techniques for process synthesis, process design and molecular design, and learn how to use leading modelling software.
Develop mathematically well-behaved models of the transient behaviour of process equipment.
Appreciate how nonlinear dynamical systems are key to our understanding of complex phenomena both in nature and in a variety of technological processes.
Assess the opportunities and constraints of the drug development process and the value the chemical engineer adds to it.
Interlink the biological principles of cellular physiology with the mathematical tools required for their analysis and modelling.
Review the relevant fundamentals of biochemistry, microbiology, and molecular biology, and understand the principles behind fermentation processes.
Develop your appreciation of the basic principles of heat, mass and momentum transport and solve problems involving fluid flow, heat and mass transfer.
Build the background and skills needed to understand the application of molecular theory and simulation in modelling fluids and fluid mixtures.
Understand the application of machine learning techniques within a chemical engineering context.
You’ll study the following core modules.
Core modules
Develop your understanding of the main principles of chemical engineering and apply these principles to chemical engineering problems.
Build the skills required to analyse and compare chemical processes and learn how to develop and analyse flow diagrams.
Explore the key features of Matlab software and develop your problem solving skills through group work. You'll also acquire essential skills in physically manipulating apparatus, making measurements and analysing data.
Explain the behaviour and properties of fluids and solve basic problems related to fluid mechanics and heat and mass transfer.
Define and distinguish important principles related to thermodynamics and analyse one-component multi-phase systems.
Analyse diffusional separation processes for simple gas-liquid and liquid-liquid systems and consider their economic viability.
Familiarise yourself with the main principles of chemistry, and identify and apply a number of theories and concepts to solve reactivity.
Understand how to select the most appropriate mathematical techniques for problem solving and use these to solve complex mathematical equations.
Gain knowledge of the concepts that link atomic and molecular physical chemistry to macroscopic behaviour of gases, liquids and solids.
You’ll study the following core modules.
Core modules
Reinforce your mastery of chemical engineering to tackle more practical real-life engineering problems.
Advance your understanding of the equations governing mass and momentum transfer of incompressible fluids.
Design and execute selected experiments for a variety of engineering problems in order to choose optimal solutions and/or deliver set targets.
Engage with the fundamental theory for the design and analysis of (pseudo-) homogeneous chemical reactors.
Develop an understanding of the principles of a variety of industrially-significant processes concerned with energy conversion and use.
Explore the transient behaviour of processes through the application of a variety of mathematical models.
Build on your knowledge from Year 1 and analyse advanced distillation and extraction processes.
Review various mathematical concepts and methods used in chemical engineering, including vector calculus and partial differential equations.
Identify the chemical foundations and mechanisms that underpin chemical industrial processes and explore key concepts in biochemistry.
The third year consists of an agreed programme of study at an approved university in either Australia, Germany, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland or the USA.
This is an integrated year abroad so the grades you achieve will count directly towards your Imperial degree.
We currently have exchange agreements with:
- University of Queensland, Australia
- University of Sydney, Australia
- RWTH Aachen, Germany
- National University of Singapore, Singapore
- IQS, Ramon Llull University, Spain
- EPF Lausanne, Switzerland
- Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA
- MIT, USA
- University of California, USA
You will need to take an I-Explore equivalent module while studying abroad. These modules allow you to study a range of subjects, including those outside of your degree area.
You’ll study one core module and choose six optional modules (two from Group A, and four from Group B).
Core modules
Employ innovative thinking to develop new process strategies, technology and analytical ability across a research project and group design task.
Optional modules - Group A
Understand the nature of various interparticle forces, and explain the significant forces between colloidal systems and how they can be calculated and measured.
Explore current experimental techniques for product characterisation and apply these methods to real-world products.
Evaluate a broad range of spectroscopic methods and apply your skills to various chemical systems and processes.
Review the techniques used in biotechnology, which in many cases differ markedly from chemical engineering.
Optional modules - Group B
Formulate, solve and interpret meaningful optimisation problems, and appreciate conditions for optimality as well as commonly available solution techniques.
Review state-of-the-art optimisation based techniques for process synthesis, process design and molecular design, and learn how to use leading modelling software.
Develop mathematically well-behaved models of the transient behaviour of process equipment.
Appreciate how nonlinear dynamical systems are key to our understanding of complex phenomena both in nature and in a variety of technological processes.
Assess the opportunities and constraints of the drug development process and the value the chemical engineer adds to it.
Interlink the biological principles of cellular physiology with the mathematical tools required for their analysis and modelling.
Review the relevant fundamentals of biochemistry, microbiology, and molecular biology, and understand the principles behind fermentation processes.
Develop your appreciation of the basic principles of heat, mass and momentum transport and solve problems involving fluid flow, heat and mass transfer.
Build the background and skills needed to understand the application of molecular theory and simulation in modelling fluids and fluid mixtures.
Professional accreditation
This degree is professionally accredited by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE).
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.
You can learn more about becoming a Chartered Chemical Engineer on IChemE's Get Chartered website.
The department went through a successful accreditation process during the 2019-20 academic year, with accreditation renewed for a further five years.
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 and tutorials
- Independent study
- Team activities (final design project)
Years 1-3
- 25% Lectures and tutorials
- 75% Independent study
- 0% Team activities (final design project)
Year 4
- 10% Lectures and tutorials
- 75% Independent study
- 15% Team activities (final design project)
Teaching and learning methods
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Lectures and guest lectures
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Tutorials
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Virtual learning environment
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Laboratory and project work
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Presentations
Balance of assessment
Key
- Coursework
- Practical
- Examination
Year 1
- 20% Coursework
- 10% Practical
- 70% Examination
Year 2
- 30% Coursework
- 8% Practical
- 62% Examination
Year 3
- 40% Coursework
- 5% Practical
- 55% Examination
Year 4
- 45% Coursework
- 5% Practical
- 50% Examination
Assessment methods
-
Examinations
-
Project work
-
Coursework
-
In-class tests
-
Laboratory experiments
-
Individual and group reports
-
Presentations
Balance of teaching and learning
Key
- Lectures and tutorials
- Independent study
- Team activities (final design project)
Years 1-3
- 25% Lectures and tutorials
- 75% Independent study
- 0% Team activities (final design project)
Year 4
- 10% Lectures and tutorials
- 75% Independent study
- 15% Team activities (final design project)
Teaching and learning methods
-
Lectures and guest lectures
-
Tutorials
-
Virtual learning environment
-
Laboratory and project work
-
Presentations
Balance of assessment
Key
- Coursework
- Practical
- Examination
Year 1
- 20% Coursework
- 10% Practical
- 70% Examination
Year 2
- 30% Coursework
- 8% Practical
- 62% Examination
Year 3
- 40% Coursework
- 5% Practical
- 55% Examination
Year 4
- 45% Coursework
- 5% Practical
- 50% Examination
Assessment methods
-
Examinations
-
Project work
-
Coursework
-
In-class tests
-
Laboratory experiments
-
Individual and group reports
-
Presentations
Testimonials
Entry requirements
We consider all applicants on an individual basis, welcoming students from all over the world.
How to apply
Apply via UCAS
You can now submit your application via UCAS Hub. There you can add this course as one of your choices and track your application.
UCAS institution code: I50
Application deadlines – 29 January 2025 at 18.00 (UK time)
UCAS institution code: I50
Application deadlines – 29 January 2025 at 18.00 (UK time)
Admissions test (ESAT)
To be eligible for selection for this course for 2025 entry, you must sit the Engineering and Science Admissions Test (ESAT) as part of the application process.
Registration is now open for the January ESAT test sitting.
This is your last opportunity to sit the test for 2025 entry. Registration closes online on 23 December 2024 (21 November 2024 for candidates requiring access arrangements).
About ESAT
- Computer-based, multiple-choice test which you must sit in a Pearson VUE test centre.
- Create a UAT-UK account with Pearson VUE to book a test.
For this course, you need to book and sit the following three ESAT modules:
- Module 1 – Mathematics 1
- Module 2 – Mathematics 2
- Module 3 – Chemistry
Key test deadlines
October sitting (15 and 16 October 2024): Registration is now closed
January sitting (7 and 8 January 2025): Register online from 24 October to 23 December 2024 (candidates requiring access arrangements must register by 21 November 2024)
Take the test just once as only your first score will count.
Test fee bursary
Applications are open for the UAT-UK bursary, which covers the full-test fee for candidates in financial need who are permanently living in the UK and planning to take the test at a UK test centre.
Full details of eligibility criteria and how to apply are available on the UAT-UK website.
Access arrangements
Note: The deadline has now passed to apply for access arrangements for January 2025.
Access arrangements, for example, extra time or rest breaks, are available for students with learning difficulties, disabilities, and other medical conditions.
If this applies to you, you need to notify UAT-UK of your requirements before booking your test in one of Pearson VUE’s global network of test centres.
Once your access arrangements have been confirmed, you will be able to book your test online.
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.
Interview days
The Department plans to hold interview days as part of the selection process. Check back soon for more information.
Unless you are from an exempt nationality, you will need an ATAS certificate to obtain your visa and study this course.
Nationals from the following countries are exempt: Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, USA and EEA members.
Use this information when applying for an ATAS certificate to study this course:
- CAH code: CAH10-01-09
- Descriptor: chemical, process and energy engineering
- Supervisor name: Professor Omar Matar
Get guidance and support for obtaining an ATAS certificate.
All students must apply to the standard MEng Chemical Engineering course in the first instance.
Students interested in our Chemical with Nuclear Engineering course can normally transfer onto the course until the end of the second year.
Normally only students achieving marks of 60% and above will be eligible.
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.
We also offer our standard course with a Year Abroad. Normally only students achieving marks of 60% and above will be eligible. You can normally transfer onto this course until the end of the Autumn term in your second year.
Year abroad
Language requirement
Teaching is in the language of your host country in France and Germany, 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.
Tuition fees
Home fee
2025 entry
£9,535 per year
Year abroad
2025 entry
£1,450 for that year
Important update for 2025 entry
The UK government has announced that, starting in April 2025, maximum tuition fees for Home undergraduate students in England will increase from £9,250 per year to £9,535. Find out more.
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.
In November 2024, the UK government announced a 3.1% increase in English Maintenance Loans for 2025-26.
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.
Overseas fee
2025 entry
£43,300 per year
Year abroad
2025 entry
100% of the fee 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.
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?
87% Of Imperial Chemical Engineering graduates in work or further study*
- 87% Of Imperial Chemical Engineering graduates in work or further study*
- 13%
85% Of Imperial Chemical Engineering graduates in highly skilled work or further study*
- 85% Of Imperial Chemical Engineering graduates in highly skilled work or further study*
- 15%
*2021-22 graduate outcomes data, published by HESA in 2024
Learn skills you can use for a career in process, energy, healthcare, or chemical plant design.
A wide range of industries will value your specialised knowledge.
Graduates have also progressed to research organisations, public utilities, and the IT industry.
Other career options include nuclear laboratories, investment banking, and international oil companies.
Further links
Contact the department
- Telephone: +44 (0)20 7594 5569
- Email: ce-admissions@imperial.ac.uk
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Request info
Learn more about studying at Imperial. Receive useful information about our life in our undergraduate community and download our latest Study Guide.
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Events, tasters and talks
Meet us and find out more about studying at Imperial.
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Course data
Terms and conditions
There are some important pieces of information you should be aware of when applying to Imperial. These include key information about your tuition fees, funding, visas, accommodation and more.
You can find further information about your course, including degree classifications, regulations, progression and awards in the programme specification for your course.
Programme specifications