Imperial College London
Became a university in: 2007 (I know! Weird huh? Of course, it’s actually much older!)
Student population: 22,255 (2022/23)
Location: South Kensington and White City, London
Subject areas: Engineering, Science, Medicine and Business
Admissions: Super competitive. AAA to A*A*A, with many departments requiring admissions tests and/or interviews. And beware, students may get offers well above the published grades, as admissions tutors like to stretch their applicants if they can!
📸 Snapshot
I’ve been writing these snapshots for a while now, and it's got to the point where I really can’t put Imperial off any longer. Imperial, you see, was my last full-time role at a university; I was Director of Student Recruitment and Outreach there a decade ago. It should be really easy to write this, but it’s not, as my time there was difficult and short lived.
So as ever, you’ll get a bit of a personal perspective, along with my best attempt at objectivity.
Every day, walking to work from the tube station, past the Science Museum and The V&A had me feeling torn. On one hand, it felt like a huge privilege to work there. It felt like I was a custodian of something very special; this was a place far bigger and more important than any individual who worked there. And certainly bigger than me. It felt like a real achievement to have got there.
On the other hand, as a custodian I had literally no way to have any impact whatsoever. I thought with 20 years of university experience I could make a difference. But I just didn’t have the cultural capital, nor perhaps, the maturity to get anything to change.
What I loved about Imperial, though, was the sheer ambition of the place. They didn’t aspire to be top ten in the UK, they wanted to be top 10 in the world. And they’ve done it! No 2 in the QS World University Rankings 2025. Of course I’ve written elsewhere that these rankings are largely nonsense, but they do indicate one thing; reputation. And Imperial’s reputation as one of the world’s top universities is not in question.
I also loved the location. London may be nosebleedingly expensive, but if you can afford it, it's an incredible city, and South Kensington where most of the undergraduate teaching takes place, is just stunning. And in case you are worried about those costs, the Imperial Bursary scheme is one of the most generous in the country, with a higher income threshold on the means-testing than most. There are also plenty of scholarships to apply for, though beware, the standards of competition will be crazy high.
And what of the academic experience? Well, I’ve never met an Imperial student who didn’t have exceptional grades, and nor have I met one who didn’t have to work seriously hard on their degree just to get by. Don’t let anyone tell you that degree standards are the same everywhere; if you make it into, and through Imperial, you have proved you are exceptional. And that’s why you won’t hear any complaints from me about Imperial’s reputation. It is, at least from the student’s perspective, entirely deserved.
So, what of the problems I faced while working there? Well, I’m pleased to say some progress has been made. They are a little more progressive in the use of contextual admissions - reflecting the disadvantage that some students face when applying. They finally introduced Saturday Open Days to make them more accessible. But… a quick glance at the homepage of the website still tells you a lot about their priorities; rankings and research. And today the main news item is the visit of King Charles. Not much there for the undergraduate applicants looking to make the most important decision of their lives so far.
So should you apply? Well, Imperial is certainly a hugely credible alternative to Oxbridge and the US elite universities. It is super-competitive, and its reputation for excellence is deserved. But just like its competitors, it is most certainly not for everyone.
In summary
Imperial College London could be for you if…
You have top, top predicted grades.
You are comfortable with admissions tests and interviews that will stretch you beyond what you have been taught in the curriculum.
You are prepared for some serious work while at university.
You have done your financial planning and have worked out that it is affordable, whether through your own finances, the Imperial Bursary scheme, or through living at home.
And if you like Imperial, you might also like…
University of Cambridge
King’s College London
University of Oxford
University College London
