Undergraduate · Imperial Civil Engineering
Imperial's Civil Engineering MEng asks for A* in Mathematics and Physics at A or A*, the ESAT with Mathematics 1, Mathematics 2 and Physics, and an online video submission rather than an interview in the cycle the page describes. It is a four-year integrated Master's that meets the educational requirements for chartered status. The decision for a student is whether the built and natural environment, and the practical, team-based side of civil engineering, is what they want, rather than mechanical or design engineering. Everything cycle-specific here is Imperial's wording for 2027 entry; nothing below is a confirmed 2028 requirement.
Official information · last verified for 2027 entry
Taken from Imperial's Civil Engineering MEng course page and read on 31 October 2026. For a normal 2028-entry application, made in 2027, every requirement below is last verified for the previous cycle and may change; Imperial's 2028-entry requirements and dates are awaiting publication.
The minimum A-level standard is A*A*A or A*AAA, including A* in Mathematics, Physics at A or A* (A* with three A levels, at least A with four) and an A in a third or fourth subject. General Studies and Critical Thinking are not accepted.
The IB entry standard is 40 points, including 7 in Mathematics and 6 in Physics at Higher Level. Either Mathematics syllabus is accepted.
You must sit the Engineering and Science Admissions Test and, to be eligible for selection, three modules: Mathematics 1, Mathematics 2 and Physics. Each module has 27 multiple-choice questions and lasts 40 minutes.
Applicants with the potential to meet the minimum requirements are invited to an online insight session and to make an online video submission. You have 48 hours to complete it, it takes around 15 minutes, and example questions are not available.
The degree is a four-year MEng, UCAS code H201, accredited on behalf of the Engineering Council by the Joint Board of Moderators, and meets the educational requirements for professional registration as a Chartered Engineer.
Official sources
Read on 31 October 2026 on Imperial's Civil Engineering MEng course page, which describes 2027 entry. Imperial's separate ESAT page, fees, the Year Abroad variant's own rules, the video-submission questions (the page says examples are not available) and the 2028-entry values were not read and are not stated.
The course
Imperial describes civil engineering as shaping the built and natural environments in which we live, from safe drinking water to earthquake-resistant structures, and says civil engineers will play a crucial role in tackling climate change and leading sustainable development. The course gives a foundation in engineering science and technology, with topics such as geotechnics, energy systems and professional engineering practice, and lets students tailor their studies through specialist modules or continue with a broad programme. Field trips include practical land surveying, a geology field course and Constructionarium, where teams construct scaled-down versions of well-known buildings, bridges, dams and other projects. A separate variant includes a year abroad.
Choosing between courses
All three are engineering degrees at Imperial with mathematics at their core. They differ in what you will spend your time building and analysing.
you want to work on structures, geotechnics, water and the built environment, enjoy practical field and team projects and want a route to chartered status through the Joint Board of Moderators.
your interest is machines, energy and dynamics. Imperial's Mechanical Engineering has its own guide and its own subject rules.
you want engineering together with design and product thinking. That course has its own entry rules and is not covered here.
Do not assume the subject rules or tests carry over between universities.
Reading the offer
The A-level standard is A*A*A for three A levels or A*AAA for four. A* in Mathematics is required, and Physics must be A* if you are applying with three A levels, or at least A if you are applying with four. A candidate offering Mathematics and Chemistry without Physics does not meet the stated requirement. The IB requirement is 40 points with 7 in Mathematics and 6 in Physics at Higher Level. Imperial adds that if you receive an offer you must pass the practical endorsement in each science subject that forms part of it.
The ESAT, insight session and video
The ESAT is a computer-based, multiple-choice test run by UAT-UK. For this course you need Mathematics 1, Mathematics 2 and Physics, each with 27 questions in 40 minutes. For 2027 entry Imperial gave two test windows, in October 2026 and January 2027. Applicants who have the potential to meet the minimum requirements are then invited to an online insight session and to a video submission, in which they respond to questions about their motivation, experiences and reasoning skills. Imperial says example questions are not available. Dates are cycle-specific and are not stated for 2028. Imperial notes that decisions can take several months, because it accepts applications until the January UCAS deadline and keeps making decisions until the end of March.
A decision framework
This is Avandy's own framework, not Imperial's.
Look at a bridge, a dam or a building and ask what forces act and how they are resisted. If that draws you, the subject will too.
Mathematics at A* and Physics are required, and the ESAT has two mathematics modules. Check your current level.
The video submission asks about motivation, experience and reasoning. Practise explaining why civil engineering to someone who does not know you.
Planning for 2028 entry
Applying for 2028 entry means applying in 2027, under rules Imperial has not yet published for that cycle. Each item below carries one of two labels. Last verified for 2027 entry means Imperial published it for the previous cycle and it may change. Awaiting publication for 2028 entry means Imperial has not yet published it.
These are the best guide to what to prepare. Imperial has not confirmed them for 2028 entry.
Check Imperial's Civil Engineering course page for the 2028-entry values when they appear.
Secure Mathematics at A* and Physics, practise the three ESAT modules under timed conditions, and prepare to explain your motivation clearly.
Support
Avandy provides independent academic and admissions support. It is not affiliated with Imperial College London or any of its colleges or departments. Preparation sits within the Avandy Trinity Advisory Model: a Strategic Admissions Consultant, a PhD-level Academic Mentor and a Subject-specific Tutor, working to the actual requirements of each course. Mathematics and physics mentoring and ESAT preparation help a student prepare for the test and for explaining their motivation; they do not supply questions or predict content. No outcome is promised.
Questions
A*A*A or A*AAA at A level, including A* in Mathematics and Physics at A or A*, or 40 IB points with 7 in Mathematics and 6 in Physics at Higher Level. This is Imperial's wording for 2027 entry.
Mathematics 1, Mathematics 2 and Physics. Each has 27 multiple-choice questions and lasts 40 minutes.
In the cycle described, Imperial invited eligible applicants to an online insight session and an online video submission, not an interview. Example questions are not available.
Imperial says it is accredited by the Joint Board of Moderators on behalf of the Engineering Council and meets the educational requirements for chartered status.
Imperial says it may take several months, because it keeps making decisions until the end of March.
No. They are Imperial's wording for the 2027 application cycle. Check the course page again when Imperial publishes its 2028-entry requirements.
Students and families
Tell us about the student's curriculum, their Mathematics and Physics and their ESAT readiness, the universities on the list, and the intended year of entry. A senior adviser will review the academic profile before recommending how to prepare.
