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Imperial College London · Undergraduate
BSc (Hons) Microbiology Bachelor's degree at Imperial College London
BSc (Hons) Microbiology at Imperial College London. Microbiology at Imperial College London puts the microbial world itself at the centre of study, rather than approaching it as a subset of a wider biology degree.
BSc (Hons)
Award
3
Years
Full-time
Study mode
86%
in work/study (15m)
About this course
Focus your study on all types of microorganisms, acquiring the theoretical and practical skills needed for a career in microbiology. From the provider’s course page.
BSc (Hons) Microbiology is a Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons)) at Imperial College London, based in South Kensington. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For Biosciences graduates from this provider, 86% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 95% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £35,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Biological Sciences, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
8.1
/ 10
Excellent
3 of 3 official measures
Student satisfaction
What students say in the National Student Survey
Strong77
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Graduate outcomes
In work or further study 15 months after graduating
Excellent86
Limited evidence Published sample: 20; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 86% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Continuation
Students who continue past their first year
Excellent80
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 80% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 5 modules
- Biological Chemistry and MicrobiologyCore
Module details
Build your understanding of living systems in terms of their underlying physics and chemistry.
- Evolution and DiversityCore
Module details
Make sense of the diversity of the living world and the ways in which it has changed over the past 4.6 billion years.
- Cell Biology and GeneticsCore
Module details
Explore the behaviour of living cells and how they are influenced by both genetics and their environment.
- Ecology and EvolutionCore
Module details
Discover how the planet's biological diversity is organised by ecological processes, and develop skills in statistics, experimental design, and practical field-work.
- Core Skills for Life ScientistsCore
Module details
Develop core skills in analysis, data use, and communication to support your studies and future modules.
Year 2 8 modules
- Applied Molecular BiologyCore
Module details
Understand modern molecular and cell biology techniques and appreciate how such techniques are used in biological disciplines. You'll also explore bioinformatics and its role in genomics and molecular biology.
- GeneticsCore
Module details
Further your knowledge of key aspects of genetics study and learn about the increasingly important applied use of genetics in the 21st Century. Acquire in-depth knowledge of standard genetics/molecular biology techniques.
- Bioinformatics, Programming and StatisticsCore
Module details
Understand the rapid developments in computational, statistical and bioinformatic life sciences. Utilise statistical modelling and bioinformatic tools to understand complex biological datasets and make evidenced inferences.
- Tutored DissertationCore
Module details
Complete a tutored dissertation in an area of microbiology.
- Molecular MicrobiologyCore
Module details
Gain a fundamental understanding of molecular bacteriology. You'll also study the nature of viruses and how they progress.
- ImmunologyCore
Module details
Enhance your knowledge of the organisation, development, and regulation of the immune system in health and disease.
- Molecular and Cell Biology SkillsOptional
Module details
Develop the skills required to perform a range of molecular and cell biology investigations of prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems.
- Computational OmicsOptional
Module details
Acquire the skills to perform computational analysis of genomic and protein sequences, with training in Linux, Python and running sequence analysis programs on the command line.
Year 3 11 modules
- Metabolic & Network EngineeringOptional
Module details
Discover the theory and methodology that is used to engineer biology for an applied objective and build your awareness of the design, engineering and evaluation of biocatalytic systems.
- Medical MicrobiologyOptional
Module details
Gain an appreciation of the fine balance that exists between infectious agents and their human hosts and understand the nature of the immune response to selected infectious agents.
- Symbiosis, Plant Immunity and DiseaseOptional
Module details
Further your understanding of the molecular features of a number of representative plant-microbe interactions.
- Advanced Topics in Infection & ImmunityOptional
Module details
Gain an insight into state-of-the-art infection and immunity research used to to address the specific problems of infections by a whole host of pathogens.
- Disease Ecology and EpidemiologyOptional
Module details
Gain a grounding in the basic biology of diseases. Find out how we measure and model disease processes and learn about the ecological and evolutionary drivers of disease.
- The MicrobiomeOptional
Module details
Explore key microbial groups and broaden your knowledge on how ecological and evolutionary theories underpin our understanding of microbial communities.
- Molecular Basis of Bacterial InfectionOptional
Module details
Develop an understanding of some of the fundamental principles of infectious diseases and expand your knowledge of biochemical, molecular and cellular technologies.
- Synthetic BiologyOptional
Module details
Expand your knowledge on the principles of genetic engineering, synthetic biology and the design of biological machines.
- Advanced ImmunologyOptional
Module details
Develop a deeper appreciation of immunology and explore the mechanisms of cellular immunoregulation. You'll also examine the role of the immune system in cancer development and immunotherapies in treating cancer.
- Science Communication plus Literature Research ProjectOptional
Module details
Gain an overview of different methods of communication and understand how these are used to disseminate scientific content.
- Practical Research ProjectOptional
Module details
Carry out a 10 week, full time research project, and build confidence in applying scientific methods to real-world life science problems.
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
The course is structured to take you from grounding to independent scientific work. You'll start with core theory covering the biology, genetics and physiology of microorganisms, before moving into research and methods, where you learn the techniques microbiologists use to isolate, identify and study microbes in the laboratory. Applied practice translates this into real-world contexts, such as infection, food safety, environmental science or biotechnology, depending on how the syllabus develops during your studies. As you progress, specialist options allow you to focus on particular areas of the discipline that interest you most, while an independent project gives you the chance to design and carry out your own piece of research, working closely with academic staff. Running throughout is a strand of professional skills, communication, data handling, project management and other capabilities that employers and further study both expect from a microbiology graduate.
Who it's for
This course suits people who are curious about the organisms too small to see but whose effects are impossible to miss, from disease and infection to fermentation and environmental cycles. If you enjoyed the practical side of school or college science and want more of it, you'll find plenty of laboratory work here, alongside the reading and reasoning that underpins it. Most students accepted onto the course arrive with A-levels or equivalent qualifications, typically in the 144–159 UCAS tariff range, so you'll be joining a cohort with a similar academic starting point, though this reflects recent entrants rather than a fixed requirement. It's a good fit for someone who is comfortable with detail and patient methodical work, but who also wants the freedom, later on, to pursue their own research question through an independent project. If you're weighing up whether to specialise early or keep options open, this degree lets you do both, building broad microbiological knowledge first, then narrowing your focus as your interests sharpen.
Careers & job market
Nationally, across Biological Sciences courses, 85% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating, and 60% of those in work are in roles classed as highly skilled or continuing into further study. These figures relate to the field as a whole, not to this course specifically, so they're best treated as a general indication of the landscape microbiology graduates enter rather than a guarantee. On earnings, national data (Graduate Outcomes/LEO) shows starting salaries 15 months after graduation typically ranging from £23,000 to £29,000, settling to £20,400–£28,800 after three years, and rising to £25,075–£35,400 after five years. Again, these are national figures for the broader subject area, and individual outcomes vary considerably depending on sector, role and location. Around 90% of students nationally continue past their first year of study, which gives some sense of how well-supported students tend to feel once they begin a Biological Sciences degree.
University & format
Imperial College London is a public, research-intensive Russell Group university founded in 1907, with around 17,565 students in total. The BSc (Hons) Microbiology is delivered full-time over three years at the South Kensington campus, taught in English, leading to a Bachelor's degree with Honours. The university holds Gold in the Office for Students' TEF 2023 for teaching quality and was.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
Application timelineWhat happens next
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
PlacementPublished placement option
Year in industry. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
Open daysFind out more about our September Open Days
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Typical offer (from the provider)The university’s course page lists a typical A-level offer of AAA. Always check the provider for the current offer and subject requirements.
Most entrants held A-levels or equivalent80% of accepted students came in with A-levels or equivalent (entrants over recent years).
Typical UCAS tariff: 144 - 159 pointsThe most common UCAS tariff band among accepted students. This is what entrants had, not a stated requirement.
Entry requirements are set by the universityGrades, subjects and contextual offers vary. Check Imperial College London's official course page for the current offer.
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 80% |
| Other | 20% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Competitive entry
Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. Check how your predicted grades compare and whether a contextual offer applies.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Your UCAS points0
▾
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Add your grades to see where you land
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
Apply by13 January 2027, 18:00 UK timefor this course
Typical gradesA*AAA-level equivalent admitted students held
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
💡 Many universities make a contextual (reduced-grade) offer, for example based on your school’s results, time in care, or where you live. Ask Imperial College London whether you’re eligible before you apply; it can lower the grades you need.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Homeup to £9,790 / yr
Internationalset by the university
Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.
Check fees at Imperial College London →For students who normally live in England
illustrative Maintenance Loan per year
£9,790tuition used per year, illustrative full-time England fee-cap scenario
illustrative borrowing over 3 years
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Funding matched to this course
All Imperial College London funding →Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
Named awards published by the university. Compare the eligibility and application route before budgeting for one.
Medicine students
Check eligibility →undergraduate students
Check eligibility →international students
Check eligibility →students of Black heritage
Check eligibility →Amounts, exclusions and deadlines can change. An award is not guaranteed unless the university confirms it.
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Career quizApplication walkthroughSalary & CV check
Careers & earnings
What Biological Sciences graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £35,000 | £30,000 – £39,000 | 20 |
| 3 years after | £33,500 | £27,500 – £41,000 | 135 |
| 5 years after | £43,000 | £30,500 – £67,000 | 145 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 20; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
86%
in work or further study 15 months on
95%
in highly skilled work or study
80%
continue past their first year
90%
find their work meaningful
90%
say work fits their future plans
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in biological sciences · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Biological Sciences nationally
Starting (15 months) HESA GO
£35,000
£23,000 – £29,000After 3 years LEO
£33,500
£20,400 – £28,800After 5 years LEO
£43,000
£25,075 – £35,400national rangethis course’s medianaxis £18,500 – £45,000
National figures for Biological Sciences graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
86 of 100
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
38% working11% working and studying37% in further study95% in highly skilled work or study
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 20; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Biological Sciences courses at the same study level.
This course £43,000Peer median £29,500Middle 50% £27,500–£33,000
98th percentile
Compared with 771 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Natural and social science professionalsSOC 2020 211 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £44,243
- Finance ProfessionalsSOC 2020 242 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £47,173
- Media ProfessionalsSOC 2020 249 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £40,895
- Business, Research and Administrative ProfessionalsSOC 2020 243 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £48,746
- Information Technology ProfessionalsSOC 2020 213 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £55,357
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 95; response rate: 65%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
Job market & outlook
How Biological Sciences graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
85%
in work or further study 15 months after graduating, across Biological Sciences courses nationally.
Graduate Outcomes60%
of working graduates are in highly skilled work or further study.
highly skilled90%
of students continue past their first year (still enrolled or completed).
continuationHow AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Biological Sciences graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- NHS & hospital labs
- Pharma & biotech
- Universities & institutes
- Public-health bodies
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Biological Sciences graduates.
Head of School, Biological Sciences - Strategic Leadership & GrowthUNIVERSITY OF READINGEducation-Focused Assistant Professor, Biological SciencesUniversity of BirminghamBiological Structures Data Engineer I/IIIambicBiological Structures Data Engineer I/IIIambic Therapeutics, IncCrop Geneticist The James Hutton Institute, Department of Cell & Molecular SciencesEuropean Plant Science OrganisationRegional Lead, Life Sciences FM, UK, Ireland & NordicsJLLLive from the StudySmarter job board · as of 2026-08-01.See all matching jobs
Is this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
💷
Student finance
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years.
📈
Where graduates go
86% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £35,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
🎯
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
⭐
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 8.1 out of 10: NSS 77.3% · in work or study 86% · continued 80%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine
All students22,525
International52.9%
Aged 25+20.2%
Biological and sport sciences across the UK
Students111,380
Aged 25+16.5%
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around South Kensington
3,468 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Anti Social Behaviour 750Violent Crime 642Other Theft 530Shoplifting 370Theft From The Person 293
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Biological Sciences right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to Imperial College London from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by Imperial College London; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Imperial College London offers the GREAT - Imperial College London Scholarship for international students, see Scholarships above.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with Imperial College London and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
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Common questions
How competitive is entry?
Entry is competitive. Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. The most common tariff band among recent entrants was 144 - 159 UCAS points. Use the calculator on this page to see where your predicted grades would put you; many universities also make lower contextual offers.
What are the entry requirements?
Set by Imperial College London. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent. Check the university's course page for the exact offer.
What do graduates go on to do?
For Biosciences graduates from this provider, 86% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 95% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £35,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
What will it cost me?
For comparison, the standard full-time England tuition cap is up to £9,790 per year in 2026/27; the actual fee varies by course and provider. If you normally live in England, eligible students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, plus a Maintenance Loan for living costs. Under Plan 5 you repay 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below that, and the balance is written off after 40 years. See Fees & funding on this page to work out your numbers.
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