2027 Entry · Russell Group

How to get into Imperial

Our students' Imperial acceptance rate

80%

Average UK applicant rate

14%

The UK's leading specialist STEM university, consistently in the global top 10.

Course guides

Subjects at Imperial.

Pick a subject for the full 2027-entry breakdown — grade requirements, test strategy, interview questions, personal-statement angles.

Official Imperial links

Always verify requirements on the official site.

Overview

Imperial in a nutshell.

Imperial College London is one of the world's leading science, engineering, medicine, and business universities. Based in South Kensington, London, it consistently ranks in the global top 10 and is the UK's highest-ranked institution for engineering and technology.

01
Unlike Oxbridge, Imperial does not use a college system or tutorial-based teaching. Courses are structured and research-intensive, with strong industry connections and placement opportunities. For students who want world-class STEM education with a London base, Imperial is often the first choice.
02
Imperial receives around 25,000 applications annually. Competition varies enormously by course — Computing regularly sees 15+ applicants per place. Most STEM courses require A*A*A or equivalent at A-Level, and many require specific admissions tests.

Why here

What makes Imperial different.

01
#1 in the UK for engineering and technology
02
Focused exclusively on STEM, medicine, and business — no dilution
03
Prime South Kensington, London location with exceptional industry links
04
Strong placement year and internship opportunities
05
World-leading research that feeds directly into undergraduate teaching
06
Highly international student body (~60% from outside the UK)

The admissions year

Application process & key deadlines.

The Imperial cycle in four acts — from first reading lists to final offers. Dates shown are for 2027 entry (2026 application cycle).

01 · Prepare

Jun – Aug

02 · Apply

Oct – Jan

03 · Evaluate

Nov – Feb

04 · Decide

Mar

Prepare

Jun – Aug

June
Results
Open days & shortlist
Visit Imperial in late June or September. Decide which department best suits your strengths and start reading around the subject.
July
Open
Draft personal statement
Imperial reads STEM personal statements for evidence of technical depth — projects, competitions, side reading — not breadth.
August
Event
Register for admissions tests
ESAT (most STEM), UCAT (Medicine) and any course-specific tests open registration. Most are Pearson VUE-based and require pre-booking weeks ahead.
August
Results
Results day
A-Level / IB results confirm your conditional offer. Imperial occasionally accepts near-misses where a strong test score evidences genuine fit.

Apply

Oct – Jan

15 October
Deadline
UCAS deadline (Medicine)
Medicine applications must be in by 15 October. Other Imperial courses follow the standard January deadline.
October
Event
Sit ESAT / UCAT
Most Imperial admissions tests are sat in October. Bring photo ID and your booking confirmation.
29 January
Deadline
UCAS deadline
All other Imperial courses must be submitted by 29 January at 18:00 UK time.

Evaluate

Nov – Feb

November
Event
MMI interviews (Medicine)
Imperial Medicine uses Multiple Mini Interviews — 7-8 short stations testing reasoning, ethics and communication.
February
Event
Computing & Engineering interviews
Computing and a handful of Engineering departments invite shortlisted candidates to a technical interview, often via video call.

Decide

Mar

March
Results
Decisions released
Most STEM offers land between late January and mid-March. Conditional offers typically require A*A*A or A*A*A* depending on course.

FAQ

Imperial admissions, answered.

Does Imperial interview for all courses?

No. Medicine uses MMIs (Multiple Mini Interviews), and Computing and some Engineering courses interview. Many STEM courses make offers based on admissions tests and academic record alone.

Can I apply to Imperial and Oxbridge?

Yes. Imperial is not part of the Oxbridge-only restriction. Many applicants apply to both Imperial and either Oxford or Cambridge.

What admissions tests does Imperial use?

Imperial primarily uses the ESAT (Engineering and Science Admissions Test) for STEM courses. Medicine requires the UCAT. Check the specific course page for exact requirements.

Is Imperial good for non-STEM subjects?

Imperial focuses exclusively on science, engineering, medicine, and business. It does not offer humanities, social sciences (except Economics as part of joint programmes), or arts courses.

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