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Aerospace Engineering

Entry requirements


A level

A*,A,A-A,A,B

Standard offer: A*AA including A*A (in any order) in Mathematics and any one of Physics, Chemistry, Further Mathematics, Computer Science, or Electronics. Contextual offer: AAB including AA in Mathematics and any one of Physics, Chemistry, Further Mathematics, Computer Science, or Electronics. Please visit: bristol.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/entry-requirements-qualifications/contextual-offers/ for more information about contextual offers.

Access to HE Diploma

D:30,M:15

Access to HE Diploma in Engineering, Science, or Computing (or similar titles) with 30 credits at distinction and 15 at merit, including at least 12 credits at distinction from units in one of Physics, Chemistry or Computer Science, and A in A-level Mathematics, Or Access to HE Diploma in Engineering, Science, or Computing (or similar titles) with 30 credits at distinction and 15 at merit, including at least 12 credits at distinction in Mathematics (including algebra, calculus and trigonometry), 12 credits at distinction from units in one of Physics, Chemistry or Computer Science, and achieving the required level in the University of Bristol Mathematics Test: https://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/after-you-apply/interviews/maths-tests/ Mature students can contact [email protected] to check the suitability of their Access course.

Requirements for principal subjects are as for A-level, where D1/ D2 is A*, D3 is A, M1/ M2 is B, and M3 is C

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

34-38

Standard offer: 38 points overall with 18 at Higher Level including 7, 6 (in any order) at Higher Level in Mathematics (either Analysis and Approaches or Applications and Interpretations) and any one of Physics, Chemistry, Further Mathematics or Computer Science. Contextual offer: 34 points overall with 17 at Higher Level including 6, 6 at Higher Level in Mathematics (either Analysis and Approaches or Applications and Interpretations) and any one of Physics, Chemistry, Further Mathematics or Computer Science. Please visit: bristol.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/entry-requirements-qualifications/contextual-offers/ for more information about contextual offers.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

D*DD

D*DD in EITHER Engineering BTEC National Level 3 Extended Diploma, with Distinctions in four required Physics units, plus A in Mathematics at A-level (or equivalent), OR in Applied Science BTEC National Level 3 Extended Diploma, with Distinctions in five required Chemistry units, plus A in Mathematics at A-level (or equivalent). Applicants taking Engineering BTEC may be invited to take the University of Bristol Maths test in place of A-level Mathematics: https://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/after-you-apply/interviews/maths-tests/

Scottish Advanced Higher

A,A

Advanced Higher: AA in Mathematics and any one of Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics of Mechanics or Computer Science

Scottish Higher

A,A,A,A,A

Standard Higher: AAAAA.

Requirements are as for A-levels where you can substitute a non-subject specific grade for the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate at that grade

UCAS Tariff

112-165

We've calculated how many Ucas points you'll need for this course.

About this course


Course option

4years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Aeronautical engineering

This four-year course covers a broad range of subjects organised into three streams:

- aerodynamics

- dynamics and control

- structures and materials.

These subjects are specialised from year one and are taught with aerospace applications and examples.

The first two years are devoted to core concepts, which are taught via lectures and backed up by practical experience through coursework and lab work. Further material, such as space applications and aviation operations, are covered in specialist units.

You will also learn skills that cross all the streams, such as computing, systems engineering and design. There is extensive mathematical content throughout.

In year three, your research project allows you to tackle a problem in detail, for example the automated landing of an unmanned air vehicle (UAV), design of a potential space mission, or experimental testing of advanced composite materials.

In year four, there is greater flexibility for you to pursue options that interest you. Some units relate to particular application areas, such as computational aerodynamics, advanced composite materials, aircraft dynamics, space systems or renewable energy. You can also choose to undertake a research project.

The diversity of topics in aerospace engineering makes this a challenging degree but the reward is a uniquely broad education.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£9,250
per year
England
£9,250
per year
EU
£31,300
per year
International
£31,300
per year
Northern Ireland
£9,250
per year
Scotland
£9,250
per year
Wales
£9,250
per year

The Uni


Course location:

University of Bristol

Department:

Aerospace Engineering

Read full university profile

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.

87%
Aeronautical engineering

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.

Aeronautical and aerospace engineering

Teaching and learning

86%
Staff make the subject interesting
92%
Staff are good at explaining things
89%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
82%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

90%
Library resources
87%
IT resources
94%
Course specific equipment and facilities
70%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

56%
UK students
44%
International students
84%
Male students
16%
Female students
94%
2:1 or above
6%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

A*
A
A

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.

Aeronautical and aerospace 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.

£27,000
high
Average annual salary
88%
low
Employed or in further education
79%
high
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

38%
Engineering professionals
9%
Business, finance and related associate professionals
9%
Information technology and telecommunications professionals

Just over a thousand UK graduates got a degree in aerospace engineering in 2015. There are a few dedicated employers, unevenly spread around the country, and so there's often competition for graduates looking for their first job - which leads to a relatively high (although improving) early unemployment rate, and a good grade is particularly important for graduates. Sponsorship and work experience can be key if you're after the most sought-after roles in the industry. Starting salaries are usually good and graduates commonly go into the aerospace (yes, this does include manufacture of equipment for satellites and space operations) and defence industries. Bear in mind that a lot of courses are four years long, and lead to an MEng qualification — this is necessary if you want to become a Chartered Engineer.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Aeronautical and aerospace 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.

£28k

£28k

£34k

£34k

£41k

£41k

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...

Lower entry requirements
Heriot-Watt University | Edinburgh
Aerospace Engineering
MEng (Hon) 5 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 104-136
Higher entry requirements
Imperial College London | City of Westminster
Aeronautical Engineering
MEng (Hon) 4 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 168-200
Nearby University
University of South Wales | Pontypridd
Aeronautical Engineering
MEng (Hon) 4 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 80-104
Same University
University of Bristol | Bristol
Mechanical Engineering
MEng (Hon) 4 Years Full-time 2024
UCAS Points: 112-165

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This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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