Mechanical Engineering Schools and Programs in The United Kingdom

Mechanical Engineering Studies in The United Kingdom

Mechanical engineering in the United Kingdom is taught as a three-year BEng or a four-year integrated MEng, and the choice between them matters for anyone who wants to become a Chartered Engineer. Courses cover mechanical design, structures, materials and the dynamics of machines. This directory lists 20 schools for mechanical engineering in the UK, three of them in London and two each in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester.

How the degree is organised

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland there are two first degrees. The Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) is a bachelor's degree with honours, a level 6 qualification that takes three years: The University of Sheffield, the University of Southampton, the University of Surrey and Newcastle University all offer a three-year BEng. The Master of Engineering (MEng) is an integrated master's degree, a level 7 qualification that takes four years; Sheffield and Southampton offer it next to the BEng, and Imperial College London teaches mechanical engineering as a four-year MEng.

In Scotland, degree-level study usually takes four years, and the University of Strathclyde states that the majority of its mechanical engineering students follow five-year MEng programmes. Many universities add an optional year in industry: at Sheffield a placement year turns the four-year MEng into a five-year degree, and Imperial offers versions with a year in industry or a year abroad.

Accreditation and Chartered Engineer status

Engineering degrees are accredited by professional institutions licensed by the Engineering Council; for this subject it is the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE). Accredited programmes are listed in the Engineering Council's course database. According to the Engineering Council, the academic qualification for Chartered Engineer (CEng) is either an accredited integrated MEng degree or an accredited bachelor's degree with honours plus an accredited master's degree or equivalent further learning. This is why Southampton describes its MEng as meeting the academic requirement in full and its BEng as meeting it in part.

The degree is only the first step. IMechE states that most engineers need at least about four years of work experience before the professional review, which includes an interview. For international graduates, the Engineering Council is the UK signatory of the Washington, Sydney and Dublin accords on engineering education and awards the EUR-ACE label to accredited programmes; registration is open to anyone who meets its standards, regardless of nationality.

Where to study

London examples in this directory are Imperial College London and University College London. In Scotland the list includes The University of Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, the University of Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonian University in Glasgow, and the University of Aberdeen; in Wales, Cardiff University and Swansea University. Elsewhere in England there are The University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, The University of Sheffield, the University of Southampton, the University of Bristol, Newcastle University, the University of Surrey in Guildford and the University of Oxford.

Admission and English level

Universities and colleges set their own entry requirements, and mechanical engineering courses normally ask for mathematics and physics. Southampton requires A*AA including mathematics and physics for the MEng and AAA for the BEng; Sheffield asks for A*AA, Imperial for a minimum of A*A*A or A*AAA, and Surrey and Newcastle for ABB. Imperial also uses an admissions test and reported 13 applications per place in 2025. UK ENIC, the official organisation for the recognition and comparison of international qualifications, issues statements that compare a foreign qualification with the UK system.

For English, Southampton requires IELTS 6.5 overall and Sheffield 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component. Undergraduate applications are sent through UCAS, with a maximum of five choices. For 2027 entry, the equal consideration date for most undergraduate courses is 13 January 2027 (18:00 UK time); for the universities of Oxford and Cambridge it is 15 October 2026. Many universities accept international applications until later in the year.

Costs and visa

Fees depend on fee status. For 2027 entry, Newcastle lists first-year fees of £10,050 for home students and £30,700 for international students on its BEng, and Surrey lists £10,050 for UK students and £28,100 for overseas students.

International students normally need a Student visa for a full degree. According to GOV.UK (checked on 8 October 2026), applicants must be 16 or over, hold an offer from a licensed student sponsor and prove English equivalent to CEFR level B2 for degree-level study. The application costs £558 from outside the UK, plus a healthcare surcharge of £776 per year for students. Applicants must also show living-cost funds of £1,529 per month for courses in London or £1,171 per month elsewhere, for up to nine months, and can apply at the earliest six months before the course starts. Students on a master's degree or above may also need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate: Imperial states that applicants for its MEng need one unless they hold an exempt nationality.

Careers

Sheffield names aerospace, transport, energy and manufacturing as sectors that employ its mechanical engineering graduates, in work such as designing aircraft and vehicles or developing renewable energy systems. After the degree, the Graduate visa allows a stay of 18 months for applications made on or after 1 January 2027.

Frequently asked questions

Should I choose a BEng or an MEng?

An accredited MEng meets the academic requirement for Chartered Engineer in full. An accredited BEng meets it in part and has to be completed with an accredited master's degree or equivalent further learning.

How long does a mechanical engineering degree take in the UK?

A BEng takes three years and an MEng four years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland degree-level study usually takes a year longer, and a placement year adds one more.

How much does it cost for international students?

Each university sets its own fee. For 2027 entry, Surrey lists £28,100 and Newcastle £30,700 for the first year of the BEng.