Chemical Engineering
Entry requirements
A level
Must include: A*A* Mathematics and Chemistry A in a relevant subject(s) including Physics, Biology, Further Mathematics, Business Studies and/or Economics General Studies and Critical Thinking are not accepted. If you are made an offer you will be required to achieve a pass in the practical endorsement in all science subjects that form part of the offer.
Cambridge International Pre-U Certificate - Principal
D2 in Chemistry D2 in Mathematics D3 in Physics, Biology, Further Mathematics or Economics
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
7 in Mathematics* at higher level 7 in Chemistry at higher level 6 in Biology, Business Management, Economics or Physics at higher level *Mathematics Analysis and Approaches or the Applications and Interpretation syllabi will be accepted at higher level with no preference.
UCAS Tariff
We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.
You may also need to…
Attend an interview
About this course
Discover how chemical engineers bring about innovation and improvements in process industries on this professionally accredited course.
You'll apply scientific, engineering and business principles to a variety of complex practical issues as you analyse a range of engineering problems.
This course will help you develop a strong foundation in the fundamental principles of science, mathematics and engineering.
Through this work, you'll build sound practical expertise and engineering judgement and understand the ‘mastery’ concept.
You'll also have the opportunity to tailor the study programme towards your interests through a range of specialist modules as the course progresses.
Environmental effects of chemical operations are highlighted throughout the course, and you'll examine successful control and mitigation methods and key aspects of safety engineering.
Your study reaches Master's level in the fourth year, where your studies will culminate in a substantial research project.
This work will see you investigate all aspects of the design of a chemical plant.
Your projects throughout the course will see you develop your skills in cutting-edge laboratories available at Imperial, including the state-of-the-art Carbon Capture Pilot Plant.
All students must apply to this course in the first instance. Students interested in the Chemical with Nuclear Engineering degree can normally transfer onto the course up until the start of the third year. We also offer this degree with a Year Abroad. Normally only students who are on track for at least a 2:1 by the end of year two (or year three for final-year placements) will be eligible. If you are an international student, transferring to a different course could have an impact on your Tier 4 visa, but our International Student Support Team are here to help advise and support you.
**Professional accreditation**
This degree is professionally accredited by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE).
With a professionally accredited degree, you’ll be able to demonstrate to employers that you have achieved an industry-recognised standard of competency. Professional accreditation also provides international recognition of your qualifications, which you can use to launch a career abroad.
With this integrated Master’s degree, you’ll fully meet the educational requirements for professional registration as a Chartered Engineer (CEng).
Becoming a Chartered Engineer can further enhance your career prospects and earning potential. It demonstrates your competencies and commitment to lifelong learning – providing you with recognition in your field and greater influence and opportunities.
Modules
We recommend reviewing our course page for the latest information regarding the curriculum (including core and optional modules) and course structure, as this information may be subject to periodic change.
Tuition fees
Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:
The Uni
Imperial College London
Chemical Engineering
What students say
We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.
How do students rate their degree experience?
The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Chemical, process and energy engineering
Teaching and learning
Assessment and feedback
Resources and organisation
Student voice
Who studies this subject and how do they get on?
Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)
After graduation
The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.
Chemical, process and energy engineering
What are graduates doing after six months?
This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.
Top job areas of graduates
Want to make good money from the word go? This is the degree for you! The UK has had a shortage of chemical engineers for a while now so starting salaries are very good. In fact, across the UK, only doctors and dentists bettered the average starting salary for chemical engineering graduates, with an average starting salary of around £28,000. Key sectors for chemical engineers last year included the petrochemicals, food, nuclear, pharmaceuticals, materials and consultancy industries. Their skills set also means that the finance industry likes graduates from these degrees, so there are options if you don't fancy engineering as a career. Most graduates take a longer course that leads to an MEng — which is what you need to take if you want to be a Chartered Engineer. Chemical engineers are also more likely than other engineers to take doctorates and go into research roles, so if you want to take an engineering subject but fancy a research job, this might be a good subject to take.
What about your long term prospects?
Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.
Chemical, process and energy engineering
The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.
£32k
£40k
£46k
Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.
Explore these similar courses...
This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
Course location and department:
This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):
We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).
This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.
You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
Post-six month graduation stats:
This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.
It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
Graduate field commentary:
The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show
Have a question about this info? Learn more here
The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.
While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?
Have a question about this info? Learn more here