Extra costs

Mandatory costs

• Personal Protective Equipment: Included in your tuition fee
• Research project (at Imperial): Free

Optional costs

• Field trip (flight testing course): Estimated £50 based on 2024/5 academic year
• Research project (elsewhere in the UK): Varies
• Research project (outside the UK) – return economy flight: Varies; the Department may contribute to the cost

Flight testing course

The Easter break of second year includes an optional flight testing course at the Cranfield Institute of Technology.

The cost of the flight testing course is subsidised by the Department of Aeronautics. Students wishing to take part will be asked to pay an estimated £50 towards this cost (based on 2024/5 academic year). Payment is required before the end of the spring term (March).

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Wearing personal protective equipment is compulsory for some activities on this course. Where this applies, we will provide you with the necessary PPE free of charge.

Mandatory costs

• Personal Protective Equipment: Included in your tuition fees

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Wearing personal protective equipment is compulsory for some activities on this course. Where this applies, the Department of Life Sciences will provide you with the necessary PPE free of charge to ensure you can undertake lab work safely. This includes:

• Lab coat
• Goggles

Laptop computer

Although laptops will be available for you to use on campus, you may wish to have a laptop of your own. As a guide, our recommended laptop specification is listed below.

• Windows 10 operating system
• Intel I7 3.6 GHz CPU
• 16 GB RAM
• 512 GB SSD drive

A laptop with I5 processors and SSD drives of 256GB will work almost as well.

Mandatory costs

• Field trips (first year): Included in your tuition fees
• Field trips (second year): Included in your tuition fees
• Personal Protective Equipment: Included in your tuition fees

Optional costs

• Field trip (African biology; flights): Variable

African biology field trip

The optional African biology field trip is specific to Biological Sciences courses, Ecology and Environmental Biology, and Microbiology. It is currently held in South Africa. 

It takes place in your third year and we cover your food and accommodation.

You will need to pay for and organise travel to and from South Africa, and it is recommended to bring spending money of between £25 and £50. A limited number of travel bursaries are available.

First year field trips

Your first year field trips are funded by the Department of Life Sciences, and are provided free of charge.

Second year field trips

Your second year field trips are funded by the Department of Life Sciences, and are provided free of charge.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Wearing personal protective equipment is compulsory for some activities on this course. Where this applies, the Department of Life Sciences will provide you with the necessary PPE free of charge to ensure you can undertake lab work safely. This includes:

• Lab coat
• Goggles

Mandatory costs

• Equipment (laptop computer): £120 (refundable)

Laptop computer

You will need a laptop for some classes and coursework. The laptop must meet the following minimum specification:

• Windows 10 capable
• Intel i5/i7 6th/7th generation processor
• 8GB RAM
• 256 GB SSD HDD

The Department has a number of laptops available for loan for the duration of your course. The deposit is refundable when you return the laptop at the end of your course.

You will have the chance to indicate whether you wish to take part in the laptop loan scheme when contacted by the Department in September before you start your course.

If you choose to borrow a laptop you will be provided a payment link from the Department of Chemical Engineering to pay the deposit. 

Mandatory costs 

• Equipment (course materials): Included in your tuition fee
• Personal Protective Equipment: Included in your tuition fee

Lab equipment and materials

The Department provides the materials you will need in the laboratory, such as glassware (with no replacement charge for breakages), printed laboratory manuals and chemicals.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Wearing personal protective equipment is compulsory for some activities on this course. Where this applies, the Department of Chemistry will provide you with the necessary PPE free of charge to ensure you can undertake lab work safely. This includes:

• Gloves
• Lab coat
• Safety spectacles

Mandatory costs

• Equipment (sketching – mandatory items): £20 - £30
• Field trips (all student trips in Years 1 and 2): Included in your tuition fees
• Personal Protective Equipment (safety boots): from £30
• Personal Protective Equipment (other items): Included in your tuition fees

Optional costs

• Equipment (sketching – useful items): Varies

Sketching equipment

You will need to purchase the following items in order to complete the first year core module which includes Sketching & Modelling:

• Standard HB pencils, eraser and sharpener
• Coloured pencils
• Scissors
• 300mm steel ruler

Other items will be recommended or provided during the term.

Field trips

There are three field trips which all Civil Engineering students attend, and these trips are included within your tuition fees.

You can read more about what happens on each field trip in the Structure section of this page.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

All Civil Engineering students are required to have their own pair of safety boots. The minimum safety standard which the boots must meet is EN ISO 20345. Other PPE will be provided by the Department where necessary.

No additional costs.

We often recommend that students have their own laptop, but all of the coursework and project work can be completed in the labs if need-be.

Mandatory costs

• Stationery: From £30
• Laptop computer: £500 - 1000 (loan machines available)

Laptop computer

You will require a laptop computer for some classes and coursework. Guidance on the specification along with general advice on laptop purchases may be found in the appendices section of the Design Engineering MEng Student Handbook.
The School has a number of high-spec laptops available for short-term loan from laptop lockers within the Dyson Building. These computers are generally used for applications that may exceed the capability of students’ personal devices.

Stationery

You will need particular stationery and equipment for some classes and coursework. This will include things like drawing equipment. You will receive a detailed list of what you are expected to bring before your course starts.

Placement

You will spend time on an industrial placement between April and September in your third year. You will receive a stipend from your industry host to reimburse you for any additional costs incurred through completing the placement, such as travel costs.

Project materials

The School will provide you with the materials you need to complete practical projects as part of the course. These materials will be provided free of charge, within reason.

The Earth Science and Engineering (ESE) Department’s courses in Geology, Geophysics, and Earth and Planetary Science include fieldwork in the UK and overseas as a core component of study. For all scheduled departmental field trips that form part of the degree, travel and accommodation costs are covered within tuition fees.

One exception is the Independent Geology Project, which is mandatory for Geology students and optional for Earth and Planetary Science students (but not available to Geophysics students). This project involves 4-5 weeks of independent geological field mapping in a location chosen by the student. Students are responsible for planning and arranging their own travel and accommodation. To support this, the ESE Department provides a bursary intended to cover typical travel and accommodation expenses.

For all fieldwork activities, the ESE Department provides essential field equipment, including a field notebook, compass-clinometer and hand lens, as well as required safety equipment such as a hard hat and high-visibility vest. Students are only expected to supply their own personal items, such as walking boots, rucksacks and waterproof clothing.

Mandatory costs

• Field trips (first year): Included in your tuition fees
• Field trips (second year): Included in your tuition fees
• Personal Protective Equipment: Included in your tuition fees

Optional costs

• Field trip (African biology; flights): Variable

African biology field trip

The optional African biology field trip is specific to Biological Sciences courses, Ecology and Environmental Biology, and Microbiology. It is currently held in South Africa. 

It takes place in your third year and we cover your food and accommodation.

You will need to pay for and organise travel to and from South Africa, and it is recommended to bring spending money of between £25 and £50. A limited number of travel bursaries are available.

First year field trips

Your first year field trips are funded by the Department of Life Sciences, and are provided free of charge.

Second year field trips

Your second year field trips are funded by the Department of Life Sciences, and are provided free of charge.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Wearing personal protective equipment is compulsory for some activities on this course. Where this applies, the Department of Life Sciences will provide you with the necessary PPE free of charge to ensure you can undertake lab work safely. This includes:

• Lab coat
• Goggles

Mandatory costs

• Equipment (course materials): Included in your tuition fees
• Personal Protective Equipment: Included in your tuition fees

Optional costs

• Equipment (laptop computer): Variable

Advice on laptops

The Department runs a Bring-Your-Own-Devices (BYOD) scheme. Electrical and Electronic Engineers need excellent skills in using computers for programming, controlling equipment and many other tasks. There is no better way to become proficient than by managing your own laptop, including all the software installed on it.
Financial assistance may be available from the College to support purchasing a laptop. 

What laptop to choose? 

Our recommendation is to buy a laptop with the following specifications: 

• Intel i5/i7 CPU 
• 8/16GB of RAM 
• 512GB hard drive 
• 13”/15” screen 

We do not make official recommendations on the specific make of laptops. When choosing your laptop processing power is less important than weight (light) and battery life (long). The more RAM you have, the better. An SSD hard drive can speed up some processes but is not essential. A touch screen can be useful for annotating notes but is also not essential. 

Our Department laptops use: HP EliteBook 840G5, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD drive, 15” display - these can be borrowed for short term loan depending on availability. 

Mac users can consider the MacBook Pro 13”, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD drive, but you should be aware that some of the required software for coursework may not run in the M1/M2/M3 processors. 

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Wearing personal protective equipment is compulsory for some activities on this course. Where this applies, we will provide you with the necessary PPE free of charge.

Mandatory costs

• Laptop computer: no charge for short-term loan of a laptop

Laboratory equipment

You are provided with laboratory books and materials (such as experiment samples) for your practical classes.

Laptop computer

You will need a laptop for some classes and coursework. The laptop must meet a minimum specification:

• Windows 10 capable
• Intel i5/i7 6th/7th generation processor
• 16GB RAM
• 256 GB SSD HDD
• Webcam

The Department has a number of laptops available for loan. These will be on a short-term basis for those who meet specific criteria. 

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Wearing personal protective equipment is compulsory for some activities on this course. Where this applies, the Department of Materials will provide you with the necessary PPE free of charge to ensure you can undertake lab work safely. This includes:

• Goggles
• Lab coat
• Software

You are provided free computer software, which is required to complete coursework, including:

• MATLAB
• Office 365
• Solid Works

No additional costs.

We often recommend that students have their own laptop, but all of the coursework and project work can be completed in the labs if need-be.

Mandatory costs

• Personal Protective Equipment: Included in your tuition fee

Optional costs

• Laptop computer: Varies
• Travel and placement costs: Varies

Personal Protective Equipment

Wearing personal protective equipment is compulsory for some activities on this course. Where this applies, the Department of Mechanical Engineering will provide you with the necessary PPE free of charge to ensure you can undertake lab work safely. This includes:

• Boiler suit
• Goggles
• Lab coat
• Laptop 

Although University machines will be available for you to use on campus, you may wish to have a laptop of your own. Our recommendations for laptops is that they at least match the specifications of university computers with:

• • Windows 11
  • Intel 17 3.6 GHz CPU
  • 32 GB RAM
  • 512GB SSD drive
  • Laptop with I5 processors and SSD drives of 256GB will work almost as well

Placements and year abroad

If you are undertaking a placement or year abroad, you may have to consider the costs involved. These will vary, depending on the location of your year abroad or placement.

Costs may include flights, transport, visas, travel insurance, health insurance and living expenses such as accommodation.

Student status with the Year Abroad

If you spend an academic year abroad, you will retain your student status at Imperial so that you will normally remain eligible for the same loans and grants that you would receive in the UK. As an exchange student, you will not pay tuition fees to the host institution abroad.

Mandatory costs

• Personal Protective Equipment: Provided by Imperial
• Tablet computer: Provided by Imperial

Optional costs

• Placement (travel): Varies

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Wearing personal protective equipment is compulsory for some activities on this course. Where this applies, we will provide you with the necessary PPE free of charge. This includes a lab coat.

Tablet computer

All students on this course will be provided with a tablet computer for the duration of their studies. This will be provided free of charge.

Travel to placement

Currently, there are three project options in your third year (see Structure – Year 3).

The placement project option will involve travel to and from your placement, which you should expect to budget for.

The other placement options will not require you to budget for travel expenses and can be completed at one of Imperial’s campuses. Students will be expected to travel to the relevant Imperial campus to which their placement is assigned; this can be subject to change.

Mandatory costs

• Travel – to and from clinical placements. Some of these costs are covered by the NHS Bursary in Years 5 and 6: The price will vary depending on where you live and where your placement is located. For up-to-date information on fares within London, please refer to Transport for London website.

Optional costs

• Elective – additional costs may be incurred for travel and accommodation, depending on where you decide to go. This may be subsidised under certain circumstances on application: Varies by location
• Clinical Research and Innovation – Research Experiences: A range of research experiences are available in London, the wider UK and abroad.
• Overseas opportunities (e.g. Institute of Science Tokyo): Varies

Clinical attachments

You will complete mandatory clinical attachments during your studies through Phase 1 and Phase 3 of study on the MBBS A100 course. During Phase 1, you will undertake shorter attachments in a clinical environment, whilst a majority of your longer attachments will take place in the final year of Phase 1 and throughout Phase 3.

Clinical attachments typically last between one and ten weeks, during which time you will be attached to a certain department within a hospital. The clinical attachments will be in a hospital in the Greater London area. Typically, you will be between  Zone 1 and Zone 3; however, you can be expected to travel beyond this, including to Zones 4 to 6, as well as outside London. For more information about Student Oyster Prices and the cost of travelling between zones, please visit the Transport for London fares information webpage.

You will need to budget for travel to and from your placement. The location will vary according to clinical speciality. Depending on the distances involved, you may also need to budget for accommodation. Some NHS Trusts offer overnight accommodation. This is usually on a case-by-case basis for clinical attachments that are further outside the centre of London. This is discussed with your site’s Undergraduate Education Office via the Teaching Coordinator.

If you are in receipt of an NHS Bursary in Phases Years 5 and 6 of the course, you may also be eligible to receive reimbursement for placement accommodation and/or travel costs. 

Disclosure and Barring Service

You will need to successfully obtain a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate before you can enrol on this course.

You will need to submit a criminal record self-declaration before you enter Phase 1c (year 3) and again before Year 5. If positive, you may need to undergo a second DBS check.

The DBS checking process is designed to ensure candidates are suited to working with vulnerable groups such as children. The School of Medicine covers the cost of your two DBS checks.

Equipment

You will be provided with the following equipment free of charge:

• iPad/ tablet computer
• Protective goggles
• Stethoscope
• Patella hammer
• Clinical uniform

The School of Medicine and/or NHS Trust will always provide free of charge any necessary personal protective equipment required for this course.

Final year elective

You are required to take part in an elective in your final year. You must have organised your elective by the end of January of your final year. The elective takes place in the elective period, which begins in April of that year.

You can choose to complete your elective in the UK or abroad. Locations are approved following a risk assessment, which considers factors including the nature of the elective, health risks, accommodation and travel. You will need to budget for the travel and accommodation costs associated with this final-year elective.

No extra costs.