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Check eligibility →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.
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.
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)
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)
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.
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.
- 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.
Names detected beside accreditation or recognition copy on the provider course page; verify the route and intake.
Year in industry. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
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 | 93% |
| Other | 5% |
| a Baccalaureate | 1% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
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.
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.
- 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.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
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
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.
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.
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.
Careers & earnings
What Engineering 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 | £39,000 | £31,000 – £65,000 | 20 |
| 3 years after | £45,500 | £34,500 – £57,500 | 65 |
| 5 years after | £60,500 | £45,000 – £84,000 | 70 |
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
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in engineering · 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 Engineering nationally
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.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
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.
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.
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.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Engineering & manufacturing firms
- Automotive & aerospace
- Energy & utilities
- Defence & consultancies
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Engineering graduates.
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
Engineering and technology across the UK
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.
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.
Related courses
More at Imperial College London
Common questions
How competitive is entry?
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates go on to do?
What will it cost me?
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