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University of Southampton · Undergraduate
MEng (Hons) Mechatronic Engineering with Foundation Year Integrated Master's degree at Southampton
MEng (Hons) Mechatronic Engineering with Foundation Year at Southampton. Mechatronic engineering sits at the meeting point of mechanical, electronic and software engineering, and this MEng at the University of Southampton is built around exactly that overlap: designing and building the kinds of machines and…
MEng (Hons)
Award
5
Years
Full-time
Study mode
80%
in work/study (15m)
About this course
Design & build the machines / devices of tomorrow, with this MEng Mechatronic Engineering master's degree. Gain professional skills with management training. From the provider’s course page.
MEng (Hons) Mechatronic Engineering with Foundation Year is an Integrated Master's degree (MEng (Hons)) at Southampton. It runs 5 years, studied full-time.
For Engineering graduates from this provider, 80% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 87% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £33,000. (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.
8.7
/ 10
Excellent
3 of 3 official measures
Student satisfaction
What students say in the National Student Survey
Excellent85
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
Excellent80
Stronger evidence Published sample: 120. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 80% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Continuation
Students who continue past their first year
Exceptional95
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 95% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
A typical UK Engineering degree builds from foundations to specialist options and a final project. An indicative structure:
| Stage | Module |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | Engineering Mathematics Calculus, linear algebra and numerical methods for engineers. |
| Year 1 | Mechanics & Materials Statics, dynamics and how materials behave under load. |
| Year 1 | Design & Practical Skills CAD, workshop practice and the engineering design process. |
| Year 2 | Thermodynamics & Fluids / Circuits & Systems The discipline core, mechanical or electrical stream. |
| Year 2 | Engineering Analysis & Computing Simulation, programming and data analysis for engineering problems. |
| Year 2 | Group Design Project A team build against a real specification, reviewed like industry. |
| Year 3 | Specialist options Typically energy, robotics, structures, communications or manufacturing. |
| Year 3 | Professional Engineering Practice Safety, ethics, sustainability and project management. |
| Year 3 | Individual project A substantial supervised design/research project, the degree's centrepiece. |
Typical structure for this subject (indicative). Modules vary by university. Check the provider's course page for the exact curriculum.
Specialisations & pathways
MechanicalElectrical & electronicCivil & structuralRobotics & mechatronicsEnergy & sustainabilityChartered (CEng) pathway
Tip: click a specialisation → current jobs in that area.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
The five-year structure is designed to take you from foundation-level maths, physics and engineering principles through to Master's-level specialist work. Broadly, the course covers areas such as core theory, research & methods, applied practice, specialist options, an independent project, and professional skills.\n\nThe Foundation Year focuses on consolidating the mathematical and scientific groundwork you'll need, this is particularly useful if your prior study didn't include the full combination of subjects engineering courses usually expect, or if you want a slower on-ramp into a technically demanding subject. Once you're into the MEng years proper, expect a steady shift from grounding in core engineering theory towards applied, hands-on work with mechatronic systems, the kind of integrated hardware-and-software devices that combine sensors, actuators, control systems and embedded computing.\n\nAs you progress, you'll have room to choose specialist options that let you steer the course towards the parts of mechatronics that interest you most, whether that leans more electronic, more mechanical, or more software-focused. The independent project gives you a substantial piece of work to lead yourself from start to finish, which is often where students consolidate everything they've learned and produce something they can talk about confidently to employers. Running alongside the technical content is a strand of professional skills and management training, reflecting the fact that this is a Master's-level qualification aimed at people who may go on to manage technical projects and teams, not just execute them.
Who it's for
This course suits someone who's genuinely curious about how physical machines and electronic systems work together, the sort of person who wants to know not just how a motor turns, but how the sensors, circuitry and code around it make it do something useful and controllable. If you enjoy taking things apart to understand them, tinkering with electronics or code, and thinking in terms of systems rather than single components, mechatronics tends to click.\n\nThe Foundation Year is particularly suited to students who are drawn to engineering but whose previous studies haven't quite lined up with the subjects normally expected for direct entry, perhaps you didn't take further maths, or your qualifications were a mix that doesn't map cleanly onto standard entry routes. It's a route in for people who need, or simply want, a year to build confidence and technical foundations before tackling degree-level engineering content.\n\nBecause the course runs the full length through to a Master's-level MEng, it also suits people thinking beyond their first job, those who can imagine themselves, a few years down the line, wanting to lead a project, manage a technical team, or move into more senior engineering roles. Studying here will mean a genuine step up in independence as you move from foundation-level work into specialist options and eventually an independent project you drive yourself. Expect the later years to feel less like being taught and more like being trusted to define and solve real technical problems, with support there when you need it.
Careers & job market
Mechatronic engineering graduates typically move into roles spanning robotics, automation, electronics, product design and control systems, anywhere that mechanical and electronic systems need to be designed and integrated together. The professional and management training built into the MEng year is aimed at graduates who may progress into roles with more responsibility for leading projects or teams, rather than purely technical individual-contributor work.\n\nNationally, across Engineering courses, 90% of graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating, and 80% of working graduates are in highly skilled work or further study. These are national Graduate Outcomes figures for the subject area generally, not specific to this university or guaranteed for any individual graduate. Also nationally, 88% of engineering students continue past their first year of study.\n\nOn earnings, national data (again not specific to this course or university) shows engineering graduates typically earning £29,000–£35,000 fifteen months after graduating, £26,775–£37,800 after three years, and £33,150–£46,800 after five years. These ranges reflect the spread across the graduate population and should be read as context rather than a promise of what any one person will earn.
University & format
You'll study full-time over five years, one Foundation Year followed by the four-year MEng, at the University of Southampton's campus, entirely in English. The UCAS code for this route is H36H.\n\nThe University of Southampton is a public Russell Group university founded in 1862, with a total student population of around 21,335. It's a recognised UK degree-awarding body, meaning the qualification is nationally recognised, and it holds Silver for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023.
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.
Published entryA*AA typical offer
Provider-published requirement; check the linked course page before applying.
Contextual offersPublished by this provider
The provider publishes contextual-offer information. Eligibility and any reduced offer are applicant-specific.
AccreditationIET
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 daysOpen days and visits
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*AA. Always check the provider for the current offer and subject requirements.
Most entrants held A-levels or equivalent75% 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 Southampton'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 | 75% |
| a foundation course | 15% |
| another higher-education qualification | 5% |
| Other | 5% |
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
UCAS codeH36Hquote this on your application
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code H36H). 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 Southampton 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
International£31,000 / yr
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at Southampton →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 5 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 Southampton funding →Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
Named awards published by the university. Compare the eligibility and application route before budgeting for one.
electrical engineering students
Check eligibility →Global Talent in Adult Nursing Scholarship£5,000 off tuition fees
international students studying eligible undergraduate or postgraduate master's in adult n
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 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 | £33,000 | £30,000 – £37,000 | 120 |
| 3 years after | £34,500 | £29,500 – £41,500 | 365 |
| 5 years after | £43,500 | £36,000 – £52,500 | 375 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 120. Cohort 2022-23.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
80%
in work or further study 15 months on
87%
in highly skilled work or study
95%
continue past their first year
82%
find their work meaningful
83%
say work fits their future plans
- 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
Starting (15 months) HESA GO
£33,000
£29,000 – £35,000After 3 years LEO
£34,500
£26,775 – £37,800After 5 years LEO
£43,500
£33,150 – £46,800national rangethis course’s medianaxis £25,000 – £48,500
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.
80 of 100
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
55% working15% working and studying10% in further study87% in highly skilled work or study
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2021-23. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 120. 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 £43,500Peer median £38,500Middle 50% £35,500–£42,500
82nd percentile
Compared with 2,256 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
Birmingham Metropolitan CollegeFdSc Foundation Degree Dental Technology£43,500Brunel University of LondonBEng (Hons) Computer Systems Engineering£43,500Brunel University of LondonBEng (Hons) Computer Systems Engineering with Placement Year£43,500Brunel University of LondonBEng (Hons) Electronic and Electrical Engineering (Communication Systems)£43,500
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Engineering professionalsSOC 2020 212 · 60% of published destinations · ASHE median £50,325
- Information Technology ProfessionalsSOC 2020 213 · 13% 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: 325; response rate: 61%. 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 Outcomes80%
of working graduates are in highly skilled work or further study.
highly skilled88%
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 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.
Engineering Surveyor (Machine Control)BAM UK & IrelandEngineering Operations Project ManagerFdo Consulting LimitedEngineering ManagerVerto PeopleEngineering ManagerRobert WaltersEngineering ManagerPremier Technical RecruitmentEngineering ManagerRedline Group LtdLive 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
80% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £33,000. 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 8.7 out of 10: NSS 84.9% · in work or study 80% · continued 95%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Southampton
All students25,785
International35.1%
Aged 25+17%
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 Southampton
941 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Violent Crime 308Anti Social Behaviour 121Shoplifting 106Public Order 79Criminal Damage Arson 75
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 Southampton from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £31,000 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). 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
Southampton offers the Global Talent in Adult Nursing Scholarship (£5,000 off tuition fees) 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 Southampton and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at Southampton
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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 Southampton. 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 Engineering graduates from this provider, 80% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 87% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £33,000. (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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