Study at Imperial College London

Why study at Imperial College London

Its academic structure has four parts: the Faculties of Engineering, Medicine and Natural Sciences, plus Imperial Business School. Teaching draws on laboratories, workshops and London teaching hospitals, and well-known areas include aeronautics, computing, medicine, life sciences, physics, chemistry, mathematics and earth science. The university runs a Centre for Academic English with pre-sessional courses for offer holders who need to raise their English before term starts.

Location and student life

The main campus is in South Kensington, on Exhibition Road among the Natural History Museum, Science Museum and Victoria and Albert Museum, close to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. The nearest Underground station is South Kensington, on the District, Circle and Piccadilly lines, about a ten-minute walk away. A second major site at White City in west London hosts research and innovation spaces, and Silwood Park near Ascot in Berkshire is a postgraduate campus with a research field station. Students use college halls, libraries, the student union and the surrounding museums, parks, shops and cafes of central London.

Courses and subjects

Imperial is organised into the Faculty of Engineering, the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Imperial Business School, covering departments such as aeronautics, bioengineering, chemical, civil, computing, electrical and mechanical engineering, mathematics, physics, chemistry, life sciences and earth science, alongside medicine and business and management programmes. Degrees concentrate on science, technology, engineering, medicine and business; there is no broad arts or humanities offer. Course pages list accepted school qualifications by country, and offer holders who need extra English can take pre-sessional courses through the Centre for Academic English.

Entry requirements for international students

International undergraduates apply through UCAS and postgraduates apply direct to Imperial; requirements vary by course, so applicants should check the relevant course page and country guidance. The university sets two English levels: Standard, typically IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with at least 6.0 in each element, and Higher, typically 7.0 overall with at least 6.5 in each element. A six-week pre-sessional English course is available for offer holders just below the required level.

Accommodation

Imperial guarantees a place in college accommodation for eligible first-year students who accept an offer as their firm choice and apply by the published deadline. Details of the halls available for 2026–27 are published on the accommodation pages, alongside private options. After the first year most students rent privately, and the university provides guidance on finding housing. Postgraduates receive dedicated support for private and postgraduate housing.

Scholarships and funding

Verified international funding includes Imperial Inspires, announced for autumn 2027 entry, offering at least 300 awards of £15,000 per year for eligible international students on undergraduate and selected postgraduate taught courses. Research applicants can consider the President's PhD Scholarships, and taught postgraduates can check collaborations such as the GREAT–Imperial College London Scholarship. Awards and eligibility change each year, so applicants should use the official scholarships search for current details.