MEng (Hons) Chemical Engineering · Imperial College LondonIntegrated Master's degree · 4 years
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Imperial College London · Undergraduate

MEng (Hons) Chemical Engineering Integrated Master's degree at Imperial College London

MEng (Hons) Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London. Chemical engineering at Imperial College London is framed around applying scientific, engineering and business principles to a range of complex, practical problems, and this MEng is an accredited Master's route through that territory.

MEng (Hons)
Award
4
Years
Full-time
Study mode
90%
in work/study (15m)

About this course

Apply scientific, engineering and business principles to a variety of complex practical issues in this accredited Master From the provider’s course page.

MEng (Hons) Chemical Engineering is an Integrated Master's degree (MEng (Hons)) at Imperial College London, based in South Kensington. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.

For Chemical, process and energy engineering graduates from this provider, 90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 90% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £39,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)

For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Engineering, see the sections below.

Course evidence score

The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.

9.0
/ 10
Exceptional
3 of 3 official measures
Student satisfaction
What students say in the National Student Survey
Excellent88

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
Exceptional90

Limited evidence Published sample: 20; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 90% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)

Continuation
Students who continue past their first year
Exceptional93

Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 93% (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 9 modules
  • Mastery 1Core
    Module details

    Develop your understanding of the main principles of chemical engineering and apply these principles to chemical engineering problems.

  • Process AnalysisCore
    Module details

    Build the skills required to analyse and compare chemical processes and learn how to develop and analyse flow diagrams.

  • Chemical Engineering Practice 1Core
    Module details

    Learn a programming language and apply it to solve design problems. Develop your problem solving skills through group work.

  • Transfer Processes 1Core
    Module details

    Explain the behaviour and properties of fluids and solve basic problems related to fluid mechanics and heat and mass transfer.

  • Thermodynamics 1Core
    Module details

    Define and distinguish important principles related to thermodynamics and analyse one-component multi-phase systems.

  • Separation Processes 1Core
    Module details

    Analyse diffusional separation processes for simple gas-liquid and liquid-liquid systems and consider their economic viability.

  • Chemistry 1Core
    Module details

    Familiarise yourself with the main principles of chemistry, and identify and apply a number of theories and concepts to solve reactivity.

  • Mathematics FundamentalsCore
    Module details

    Understand how to select the most appropriate mathematical techniques for problem solving and use these to solve complex mathematical equations.

  • Physical ChemistryCore
    Module details

    Gain knowledge of the concepts that link atomic and molecular physical chemistry to macroscopic behaviour of gases, liquids and solids.

Year 2 9 modules
  • Mastery 2Core
    Module details

    Reinforce your mastery of chemical engineering to tackle more practical real-life engineering problems.

  • Transfer Processes 2Core
    Module details

    Advance your understanding of the equations governing mass and momentum transfer of incompressible fluids.

  • Chemical Engineering Practice 2Core
    Module details

    Design and execute selected experiments for a variety of engineering problems in order to choose optimal solutions and/or deliver set targets.

  • Reaction Engineering 1Core
    Module details

    Engage with the fundamental theory for the design and analysis of (pseudo-) homogeneous chemical reactors.

  • Thermodynamics 2Core
    Module details

    Develop an understanding of the principles of a variety of industrially-significant processes concerned with energy conversion and use.

  • Process Dynamics and ControlCore
    Module details

    Explore the transient behaviour of processes through the application of a variety of mathematical models.

  • Separation Processes 2Core
    Module details

    Build on your knowledge from Year 1 and analyse advanced distillation and extraction processes.

  • Engineering MathematicsCore
    Module details

    Review various mathematical concepts and methods used in chemical engineering, including vector calculus and partial differential equations.

  • Chemistry 2Core
    Module details

    Identify the chemical foundations and mechanisms that underpin chemical industrial processes and explore key concepts in biochemistry.

Year 3 15 modules
  • Mastery 3Core
    Module details

    Further develop your mastery of chemical engineering towards an advanced level of proficiency in communication, problem solving and critical thinking.

  • Reaction Engineering 2Core
    Module details

    Apply a general problem-solving approach to design heterogeneous and multi-phase reactors and appreciate the underlying physics of different reactor types.

  • Particle EngineeringCore
    Module details

    Assess the key principles of particle technology and apply these concepts in process design situations involving solids.

  • Process DesignCore
    Module details

    Become familiar with structured approaches to the design of chemical processes and the associated business skills required to develop a business plan.

  • Safety and Loss PreventionCore
    Module details

    Analyse the hazards which are most often encountered in industrial process plants and learn how to identify them.

  • Environmental EngineeringCore
    Module details

    Examine the environmental impacts of human activities and explore issues related to sustainability, waste minimisation, clean technology and green chemistry.

  • Chemical Engineering Practice 3Core
    Module details

    Extend the practical competencies gained in earlier modules to areas of design and research to further develop your expertise and engineering judgement.

  • Process OptimisationCore
    Module details

    Apply advanced numerical methods for optimisation of both linear and nonlinear models to real chemical engineering problems.

  • I-ExploreCore
    Module details

    Through I-Explore, you'll have the chance to deepen your knowledge in a brand new subject area, chosen from a huge range of for-credit modules. All of our undergraduate courses include one module from I-Explore's wide selection. The module you choose will be fully integrated into your course's curriculum and count as credit towards your degree.

  • Nuclear Chemical EngineeringOptional
    Module details

    Investigate the main chemical engineering processes associated with nuclear energy and work through problems related to mass and energy balance.

  • Sustainable Energy TechnologiesOptional
    Module details

    Learn how to apply fundamental operation principles of different energy storage and conversion technologies and explore different options for clean energy generation.

  • Biochemical SensorsOptional
    Module details

    Investigate the application and use of biological sensors.

  • Process Heat TransferOptional
    Module details

    Build your awareness of varied problems of process heat transfer and appreciate the advantages and disadvantages of the respective heat exchanger types.

  • Advanced Fluid MechanicsOptional
    Module details

    Apply mathematical techniques to derive and solve the equations of motion of fluids and solve problems in Stokes and potential flows.

  • Entrepreneurship for Chemical EngineersOptional
    Module details

    Acquire the core skills for creating, operating and developing a new chemical technology or chemical engineering business.

Year 4 3 modules
  • Research ProjectCore
    Module details

    In the final year research project students undertake research on a selected topic in pairs under the guidance of one of the academics.

  • Design ProjectCore
    Module details

    In the final year design project, students undertake the design of a complete chemical process in teams of about ten students.

  • Colloids and Interface ScienceOptional
    Module details

    Understand the nature of various interparticle forces, and explain the significant forces between colloidal systems and how they can be calculated and measured.

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 build progressively rather than front-load everything at once. Early study centres on core theory, the scientific and engineering fundamentals that everything else in chemical engineering rests on. Alongside this, you're introduced to research & methods, developing the habits of enquiry and analysis that later independent work depends on. As you advance, applied practice brings theory into contact with practical engineering problems, and specialist options let you steer towards particular interests within the discipline. The fourth year centres on an independent project, giving you scope to work through a substantial piece of engineering work largely under your own direction, supported by professional skills training that addresses the non-technical side of engineering practice, communication, teamwork, and the kind of judgement calls that don't show up in a textbook. Together these strands mean the degree doesn't just teach you chemical engineering as a set of facts; it walks you through the discipline's own way of working, from grounding to independent execution.

Who it's for

This course suits someone who is comfortable with mathematics and the physical sciences and who actually enjoys the process of working through a difficult technical problem rather than just wanting the answer handed over. If you're the sort of person who likes to understand why a process works, not just that it does, the emphasis on core theory before applied practice will feel like the right order of things. Because the degree runs a full year longer than a standard BEng, it's worth being someone who wants that additional depth and is genuinely drawn to the idea of an independent project and more specialist study, rather than someone keen to get into industry as quickly as possible. Most entrants arrive with A-levels or equivalent, and the typical UCAS tariff among accepted students sits between 192 and 207 points, so you're likely to be joining a cohort with a fairly similar academic background to your own. Studying full-time in South Kensington also means being comfortable with a demanding, campus-based routine, this isn't a course you can approach casually alongside other major commitments. What it will feel like, day to day, is a steady increase in autonomy: more guided in the early years, more self-directed by the time you reach the specialist options and independent project.

Careers & job market

Engineering graduates nationally tend to move into work or further study fairly readily: across Engineering courses, 90% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating, and of those in work, 80% are in highly skilled roles or further study. Continuation into a second year is also strong nationally, with 88% of students carrying on past their first year. On pay, national Graduate Outcomes and LEO data (not specific to this university or course) show starting salaries 15 months after graduation ranging from £29,000 to £35,000, rising to a range of £26,775 to £37,800 after three years and £33,150 to £46,800 after five years, figures that reflect the spread across the whole graduate population rather than any guarantee tied to this particular degree. The accredited nature of the MEng is relevant here too, since accreditation is typically the route toward professional chartered status in chemical engineering, something that can matter for career progression over the longer term regardless of where earnings happen to fall within the national ranges.

University & format

Imperial College London is a public, research-intensive university and a member of the Russell Group, based in South Kensington, with a total student body of 17,565. It was founded in 1907 and is, alongside its Gold rating in the Office for Students' TEF 2023 for teaching quality. This MEng (Hons) is delivered full-time over four years, entirely in English, as an integrated Master's degree.

Student satisfaction

How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.

The teaching on my course
89%
Learning opportunities
89%
Assessment and feedback
79%
Academic Support
91%
Organisation and management
87%
Learning resources
94%
Student voice
86%

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
  1. 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted

    Your application needs a reference before you can send it.

  2. 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications

    Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.

  3. 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice

    Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.

  4. 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline

    18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.

Show 5 later dates
  1. 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens

    Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.

  2. 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers

    Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.

  3. 2027 entryClearing opens

    Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.

  4. 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications

    Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.

  5. 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice

    Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.

AccreditationIChemE

Names detected beside accreditation or recognition copy on the provider course page; verify the route and intake.

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 A*A*A. Always check the provider for the current offer and subject requirements.
Most entrants held A-levels or equivalent93% of accepted students came in with A-levels or equivalent (entrants over recent years).
Typical UCAS tariff: 192 - 207 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

QualificationShare
A-levels or equivalent93%
Other5%
a Baccalaureate1%

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.

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

Your points will drop onto the distribution above, with an honest above / within / below read.

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*A*A*+A-level equivalent admitted students held
  1. 1
    Register on UCAS Hub

    Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.

  2. 2
    Write 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.

  3. 3
    Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time

    UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.

  4. 4
    Reply to your offers

    When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.

  5. 5
    Results 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 4 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

Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for

All Imperial College London funding →

Named awards published by the university. Compare the eligibility and application route before budgeting for one.

Amounts, exclusions and deadlines can change. An award is not guaranteed unless the university confirms it.

StudyKit · free

Still deciding what to study?

StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.

Career quizApplication walkthroughSalary & CV check

Careers & earnings

What Engineering graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.

Graduate earnings: this course

WhenMedianTypical rangeGraduates
15 months after£39,000£31,000 – £65,00020
3 years after£45,500£34,500 – £57,50065
5 years after£60,500£45,000 – £84,00070

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

90%
in work or further study 15 months on
90%
in highly skilled work or study
93%
continue past their first year
60%
find their work meaningful
75%
say work fits their future plans
  1. 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
  2. 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in engineering · 2–5 yrs
  3. 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
  4. 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs

How pay grows: this course vs Engineering nationally

Starting (15 months) HESA GO
£39,000
£29,000 – £35,000
After 3 years LEO
£45,500
£26,775 – £37,800
After 5 years LEO
£60,500
£33,150 – £46,800
national rangethis course’s medianaxis £24,000 – £63,000

National figures for Engineering 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.

90 of 100

were in work or further study

15 months after graduation

65% working5% working and studying15% in further study90% 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 Engineering courses at the same study level.

This course £60,500Peer median £38,500Middle 50% £35,500–£42,500
100th percentile

Compared with 2,256 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.

  • Engineering professionalsSOC 2020 212 · 25% of published destinations · ASHE median £50,325
  • Business, Research and Administrative ProfessionalsSOC 2020 243 · 20% of published destinations · ASHE median £48,746
  • Business and public service associate professionalsSOC 2020 35 · 15% of published destinations · ASHE median £38,760
  • Finance ProfessionalsSOC 2020 242 · 10% of published destinations · ASHE median £47,173

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: 55; response rate: 60%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.

Job market & outlook

How Engineering graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.

90%
in work or further study 15 months after graduating, across Engineering courses nationally.
Graduate Outcomes
80%
of working graduates are in highly skilled work or further study.
highly skilled
88%
of students continue past their first year (still enrolled or completed).
continuation

How 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 Engineering graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.

Where they work

  • Engineering & manufacturing firms
  • Automotive & aerospace
  • Energy & utilities
  • Defence & consultancies

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

90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £39,000. 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 9.0 out of 10: NSS 87.9% · in work or study 90% · continued 93%.

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%

Engineering and technology across the UK

Students176,530
Aged 25+23%

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 Engineering 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.

Common questions

Entry is competitive. Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. The most common tariff band among recent entrants was 192 - 207 UCAS points. Use the calculator on this page to see where your predicted grades would put you; many universities also make lower contextual offers.
Set by Imperial College London. Most accepted students held A-levels or equivalent. Check the university's course page for the exact offer.
For Chemical, process and energy engineering graduates from this provider, 90% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 90% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £39,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
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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