Imperial College London Computer Science Entry Requirements

Computer Science is one of the toughest degrees to get into in the UK, with Imperial's degree being among the bets available. In this guide, we'll explore the application process for this degree from start to finish, understand all of the entry requirements.

Last Updated: 2nd October 2024

Author: Matthew Amalfitano-Stroud

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Imperial College London Computer Science Entry Requirements

Computer Science has become of the fastest growing degrees in terms of demand over the last few decades. As a field still early in it’s life, its a subject that many of the UK’s top universities have began to teach.

One such university is Imperial College London, which was ranked as the best non-Oxbridge university in the UK for Computer Science in 2024. This level of prestige has resulted in getting a place to be incredibly competitive. The entry requirements for Computer Science are already pretty hard, but with an acceptance rate of just 5%, the standards for getting into Imperial are even higher.

In this guide, we will examine all the entry requirements for Computer Science at Imperial College London, outlining what you need to accomplish and providing tips to enhance your competitiveness in the application process. Let’s dive in!

Imperial College London Computer Science

Let’s quickly understand what Computer Science actually looks like at Imperial.

Firstly, it’s important to understand that Imperial doesn’t actually offer a standalone “Computer Science” degree as you would see at other universities. Instead, Imperial offers a wide range of “Computing” degrees.

The courses are very similar to a standard Computer Science course, but Imperial’s wider range of options allows applicants to specialise at the application stage rather than partway through their course. The available Imperial Computing courses for undergraduates are:

These degrees are all structured similarly from one another. They each run for four-years, with each degree teaching the same content in Years 1 and 2. In Years 3 and 4, compulsory modules are consistent between each course and different groups of optional modules are made available for each specialty.

Each of these courses run for four years as they each integrate a Master’s degree and industrial placement, though a version of the standard Computing degree can also be taken which runs for three years and just offers a Bachelor’s degree.

Other than Computing, Imperial offers a handful of adjacent degrees for those with slightly varying interests. Most notably is the Mathematics and Computer Science degree, which combines the two subjects into a single qualification. This can also be completed as a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree,

Tuition fees for Computing at Imperial cost the standard rate of £9,250 per year for home students, while international students are charged £43,300 per year. Bursaries and scholarships are offered by Imperial and other external organisations.

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Imperial Computing Entry Requirements

Most Computing degrees have a similar application process, so let’s explore each step you’ll need to take to get your offer:

GCSEs

Although GCSEs aren’t a major focus in your university application, Imperial College London does specify particular requirements for applicants across most of their courses, including Computing.

Although no specific number is mentioned, applicants are generally expected to have mostly Grades 7-9. With the average number of GCSEs being eight, this means achieving Grades 7-9 in at least five of these qualifications.

A key requirement is obtaining at least a Grade 7 in both Maths and Science (either combined or separate) at GCSE level. These subjects are mandatory for all applicants, so you’ll need to ensure you have achieved at least a Grade 7 in each.

A-Levels

A-Levels hold significantly more weight than GCSEs and are often the most crucial part of your application. While Computing applications involve several other important steps, A-Levels remain a key factor in determining both offers and final admissions decisions.

Like any UK degree, you’ll need to meet specific grade requirements after receiving an offer to secure your place on the course. Offers are largely influenced by predicted grades, meaning applicants with lower predicted grades are less likely to be considered.

Computing and Computer Science degrees tend to have some of the highest grade requirements for applicants due to the limited places available and expected quality of the students. At Imperial College London, the minimum requirement for Computing applicants are as follows:

Imperial College London Minimum Computing Requirements A-Levels

A*A*A or A*AAA, including an A* in Mathematics.

Mathematics is always essential for Computing, though Further Mathematics is preferred over standard maths. Preferred subjects for your additional subjects include Computer Science and Physics, while other sciences, languages, economics or psychology are all seen as helpful.

The grade requirement listed above is the minimum, but most applicants (at least 80%) will actually receive a higher requirements in their offer:

Imperial College London Standard Computing A-Levels Requirements

A*A*A* or A*A*AA, including an A* in Mathematics

Be aware that Imperial doesn’t accept A-Levels in General Studies, Critical Thinking, Business Studies or ICT as an additional qualification.

If you’re applying to Mathematics and Computer Science, you will need to ensure you have achieved an A* in both Mathematics and Further Mathematics, as these are both required qualifications.

Alternative Qualifications

In addition to A-Levels, there are several other qualifications students can pursue, though not all are accepted by Imperial.

For Scottish applicants taking Advanced Highers, the typical offer is AAA, with a requirement for Mathematics, similar to A-Levels. Other UK qualifications, such as BTECs or Welsh Baccalaureates, are not accepted. Additionally, Imperial does not use UCAS Tariff points in their admissions process.

International applicants have fewer qualification options, with the International Baccalaureate (IB) being the most common. The IB is widely recognised and offered in many countries.

The minimum requirement for IB students is 41 points, with at least 7 in Mathematics and an additional subject at the higher level. However, like A-Levels, most offers typically ask for more, 42 points in this case.

As for other international qualifications, only a select few are accepted by Imperial, including the French Baccalaureate, HKDSE, CBSE, and Advanced Placements.

Personal Statement

As is standard for university application in the UK you’ll need to provide a Personal Statement with your UCAS Application. This statement is submitted online and has a maximum character limit of 4,000.

The Personal Statement provides important context for your application. It’s your chance to explain why you want to study medicine, share your relevant experiences both in and outside of school, and highlight what you can contribute to the university if accepted.

Imperial doesn’t have formal scoring or specific requirements for Personal Statements, but their selection criteria emphasize factors such as your motivation, community involvement, work experience, leadership skills, and extracurricular activities.

If you can clearly and concisely showcase each of these factors in your statement, you should have a strong chance of being invited to interviews, provided you meet the next set of requirements. Discover more tips for crafting your Personal Statement in our Ultimate Guide.

TMUA

Starting in 2024, Imperial College London implemented a pair of new admissions tests from Pearson VUE for applicants of certain subjects. One of these tests was the Test of Mathematics for University Admissions (TMUA), which is required for all Computing applicants.

The TMUA is a two-part multiple-choice exam that tests applicants on key mathematics principles. This is crucial for Computing applicants due to how dependant the course is on maths ability.

The test can be sat in either September or January, with each testing period having a two-day window available. It’s essential that you register to sit your test before the deadline date, otherwise you will not be able to complete your Computing application.

Imperial TMUA Cut Off Score

Imperial hasn’t set a specific TMUA theshold score for applicants, so all applicants will be considered regardless of their TMUA performance. However, it will be important to get a high TMUA score, as it will be one of the most important parts of the application.

Interviews

While Imperial College London does interview applicants for many of it’s courses, it’s not a standard aspect of the Computing application process.

Instead, interviews are offered on a case-by-case basis, meaning not all applicants will need to attend an interview to be admitted. In most cases, interviews are used to differentiate applicants who appear equal within the standard application process.

Interviews at Imperial are held in a standard panel format, meaning you’ll be speaking with one or two interviews who will ask you questions about your motivations and abilities, as well as giving you Maths and Computing problems to solve.

Even though an interview isn’t guaranteed, it’s still important to be prepared for one. Your Imperial interview will be one of the most intense interviews you’ve attended, so you’ll need to be prepared for tough problems and common interview questions, similar to what you would find at an Oxbridge interview.

Whether you attend an interview of not, offers will begin being sent out in late January at the earliest.

Conclusion

That’s everything you need to know about the entry requirements for Computing at Imperial College London. International students must also provide an English Language Proficiency Test result if English is not their first language; however, there are no other significant requirements beyond this.

There are a lot of steps to applying for this course, but remember that these steps are all standard for medicine degrees in the UK. Writing a great Personal Statement and performing well in the TMUA will ensure you stand out from the rest of the application.

However, with how competitive the course is, you may be looking for support during this process. Thankfully, at UniAdmissions, we’re experts in getting applicants into their dream courses at Oxford Cambridge and Imperial. Our dedicated Imperial Programme offers everything you need to be prepared for each stage of the application process and will triple your chances of earning your offer. To learn how you can enrol, book a free consultation to speak with our friendly admissions team.

Our expert tutors will guide you to Imperial Computing success

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