r/Imperial

Hi, im just wondering if anyone has advice that could help w ps and tmua prep (to help me get 8+) as im targeting the unis above.

Hi Guys,

I’m in year 12 and just started my summer holiday. I want to apply to imperial for machine learning and AI or Robotics so I need to take the TMUA. My question is do I have to take it in October or in January and does it matter? Do they prefer people who did it in October as I’m really confused to why there is two dates. I know for Oxford you need to do it in October. I am also taking the TARA in October. Please let me know.

Thanks!

Hi everyone. I've been admitted to an MSc programme at Imperial Business School and wanted to ask: is it realistic to not live in London and only come in for assessments?

During my undergraduate degree at a UK university, attendance technically wasn't enforced, lectures and materials were all uploaded online, assessments were either online or during exam season, and I could get good grades without ever showing up in person. Attendance was officially "mandatory" there too, and I'd occasionally get reminder emails, but nothing ever really happened if I skipped it. That said, like most students, I'd sometimes forget to check in for lectures, but I actually did attend them.

I'm genuinely trying to live in London, but I'm struggling a lot with finding accommodation and affording it. I really want to complete this degree, so I'm wondering whether Imperial's MSc works the same way, i.e. whether it's actually possible to skip most in-person attendance and still finish the programme and get the degree, despite attendance being listed as mandatory.

Hi guys, I just received my results and I found out I failed one of the modules in Chemical Engineering. Can I ask whether the resit paper would be harder or easier or same level as the June examination.

I received my visa refusal today. The refusal letter stated that I did not have the required amount in the account for the 28 day required period. I understand the error that I had made. My family removed a certain amount of money from the account without realizing that the money needs to be in the account for atleast 28 days and thought that the statements would be enough.

For next steps and the fastest way to reapply, I am thinking about doing the following:
- Pay the entire student fee amount. This way my new CAS letter will show that no amount is due.
- My current bank account shows approx 35K Euros. This would cover the amount needed (approx) 13K to cover stay in London. This way I do not to have the 28 day cooling down period so that I am able to apply ASAP.

Thoughts on this?

Hello all! I’m an undergrad who is at the library everyday working on my remote internship and doing a bit of pre-learning for next year. Was wondering if anyone would be interested in working/studying together, since my friends are all at home and uni is much quieter nowadays. Perhaps you’re a postgrad and you find yourself in a similar position to me; it would be lovely to lock in and have lunch breaks together :)

hi, has anyone received their offer for round 4?

I’m starting a 1 year engineering MSc at Imperial and I currently have a part time job in retail. I’m planning to cut my hours down to 12/week from 20, working three short shifts (4am-8am) on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings, to avoid clashing with weekday teaching whereas I currently do two 10hr night shifts.

A few things I’d love input on from current/former Imperial MSc students:

1. How intense is the timetable in practice? Are there regular Friday sessions (lectures/labs/tutorials), or is it usually lighter and how is the typical week usually structured in terms of hours of lectures etc?

2. How much of the workload is fixed schedule vs flexible (e.g., coursework/project work you can do on your own time)?

3. Did anyone else work part time during the course, and if so, how did you manage it especially around exam periods or the summer research project?

4. Realistically, how much does sleep disruption affect performance in a course like this? Genuinely trying to understand whether early morning shifts before/after a weekend are manageable long term or if it’s unrealistic/risky.

Hello, I'm currently an incoming second year. I have a bad family relationship with my parents and so this year I'm considering moving out. My parents don't support me moving out so they won't help me pay for rent and my maintenance loan is only covering 40% of my rent. I'm unable to work during university as my course is too demanding and I'm not sure what I should do next. Also I wouldn't be eligible for bursaries as my family's annual salary falls above the requirements and I can't prove that I am estranged from my family because the past year I have been living with them at home. 

Has anyone got off the waitlist?

Doing one of the courses in Huxley. I learned how much more effort and focus I actually need to put in so next year I'll fix up.

But how much will this hurt for internships?

I sat Esat and know about TMUA. Happy to answer any questions about admission tests, how to prep, applications

We’re deciding on accommodation for my daughter, currently setting on Beit and Wilson. We’ve heard that in Wilson, up to 25 people share the kitchen. Does this work practically? What do people think about Wilson generally? And for that matter, Beit or the others? She’s decided against Woodward or Kemp Porter for the distance

Thank you

thinking back on it there's stuff about this place that nobody tells you until you're already deep in it. could be about the workload, the social side, getting around london on a student budget, which study spots to fight for. what's the thing you'd go back and tell your first year self.

Specifically, my PS will have some stuff about propulsion(a jet engine project and a chemistry/rocket propulsion book). I don't really want to apply aerospace, I would much rather apply to mechanical engineering. Will the admissions team mind?

Hey everyone!

Starting my MSc at Imperial this September and I've got a scholarship that covers living costs at £1,900/month. No extra income on top of that.

Any tips on making it work? Particularly curious about:

• Food — best cheap supermarkets, cooking tips, anything helps
• Transport — bike vs Oyster, any tricks?
• For accoms, it seems like the only feasible way is to find a twin room, anyone can confirm?
• Where does money quietly disappear without you noticing?
• Free or cheap things to do around London

Basically, anything you wish you knew before moving. Cheers!

I’m considering the MSc Mathematics and Finance programme at Imperial College London, and I’d like to learn more about the general employment situation for international students, especially Chinese students, after graduation.
A bit about my background: I have around six months of internship experience at a Beijing-based hedge fund, mainly related to quant research. I’m interested in roles such as quant research, trading, or other finance/quant-related positions in the UK, Hong Kong, Singapore.

I know employment outcomes depend a lot on individual background, interview performance, market conditions, and visa sponsorship, so I’m not expecting a definite answer. I’d just really appreciate any real experiences or general observations from current students, alumni, or people familiar with the programme.
In particular, I’d like to ask:

1.	How competitive is the UK job market for international students from this programme?  
2.	Do Chinese/international students usually manage to find relevant roles after graduation?  
3.	How difficult is visa sponsorship for quant/finance roles in London?  
4.	Are most students aiming for the UK market, or do many return to Hong Kong or Singapore?  
5.	What should I prepare before starting the programme to improve my chances? I feel this long summer will be little wasted.

I'm in a bit of a career dilemma and would really appreciate some perspectives.

I'm currently studying electronic engineering at a university that's decent but not prestigious. I've realised that I'm much more interested in biology than engineering, and if I were to restart, I'd want to study Biological Sciences w management at Imperial.

The thing is, I don't really see myself staying in academic research or becoming a scientist long-term. I'm much more interested in eventually moving into areas like biotech, finance, consulting, venture capital, entrepreneurship, or doing an MBA later in my career. Basically high earning careers.

So I'm trying to figure out whether it's worth taking a gap year to retake my A-levels and apply to Imperial for Biological Sciences, or whether that's a risky decision given I'm not aiming for a traditional research career.

1.) For those who studied Biological Sciences at Imperial (or know people who did), where did graduates actually end up?

2.)How flexible is the degree outside of research?

3.)If you were in my position, would you take the chance to restart, or stick with engineering and pivot later?

I'd really appreciate any honest advice or experiences.

I can hear the air con… but I can’t feel the aircon… Does anyone know some actual cool places for silent study on campus? 🫠