Engineering Science Schools and Programs in The United Kingdom

Engineering Science Studies in The United Kingdom

Engineering in the United Kingdom is taught as a bachelor's degree (BEng) or as an integrated master's degree (MEng). Students can apply to a single discipline, such as mechanical, civil or electrical engineering, or to a general engineering degree that covers several disciplines before specialisation. Most degrees are accredited by a professional engineering institution on behalf of the Engineering Council, which matters for anyone who later wants to register as a professional engineer.

This directory lists 27 schools for the subject in the United Kingdom. London has the most, followed by Edinburgh and Newcastle upon Tyne.

How the degree is organised

There are two main undergraduate routes:

• BEng (Hons): a bachelor's degree with honours, normally three years of full-time study in England. The University of Warwick, the University of Southampton and Lancaster University all list 3 years
• MEng: an integrated master's degree that adds a fourth year of advanced study and is a level 7 qualification. The University of Warwick, the University of Southampton and King's College London list 4 years

Degrees in Scotland are one year longer. At the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, BEng students reach their final stage in fourth year and most students follow five-year MEng programmes; it publishes separate A-level requirements for entry to Year 1 (ABB-BBB) and to Year 2 (AAA-ABB).

General engineering degrees start broad. At Warwick, all first-year students study a general engineering programme and decide from second year whether to stay on the general pathway or switch to another engineering course. Lancaster University has a common first year that lets students change their specialisation at the end of year one. In Southampton's mechanical engineering degree, the modules of the first 2 years focus on the fundamentals of the discipline. Southampton also offers the degree with a paid industrial placement year.

Accreditation and professional registration

Accreditation is the process of reviewing an engineering degree against the standard set by the Engineering Council. A degree may be accredited by one or more licensed engineering institutions, such as the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) or the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). According to the Engineering Council, most accredited degrees are Bachelors, Honours or MEng, and accredited programmes are listed in its accredited courses database.

The level of accreditation differs between the two routes. Southampton's BEng in mechanical engineering is accredited as meeting the academic requirement for Chartered Engineer (CEng) registration in part, and its MEng as meeting it in full. The Engineering Council names two standard academic routes to CEng: an accredited integrated MEng degree, or an accredited bachelor's degree with honours plus an appropriate accredited master's degree or equivalent further learning. Registration also requires competence developed through working experience after graduation.

Admission and language

Applications for full-time undergraduate courses go through UCAS, with a maximum of five choices. The equal consideration date for most courses starting in 2027 is 13 January 2027; for the universities of Oxford and Cambridge it is 15 October of the previous year. Universities usually ask for mathematics and physics. Examples of typical A-level offers:

• University of Warwick: AAA for the BEng and A*AA for the MEng, including Mathematics and Physics
• University of Southampton (mechanical engineering): AAA for the BEng and A*AA for the MEng
• King's College London (General Engineering MEng): AAA
• Lancaster University (Engineering BEng): ABB

Requirements are stated as UK qualifications, but equivalent qualifications from other countries can be used, and UK ENIC issues statements that compare foreign qualifications with UK ones. Teaching is in English. For a Student visa, degree-level study requires English equivalent to CEFR level B2; Lancaster University, for example, asks for IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each component.

The Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) applies to certain foreign students in sensitive technology-related fields, mainly at postgraduate level, and applicants to an undergraduate course with an integrated master's year may also need it. Nationals of a list of exempt countries that includes Spain and the other European Union member states do not need a certificate; most Latin American nationals should ask the university whether their course requires one.

Costs

Each university sets its own tuition fees, and international students pay more than UK students. For 2027 entry, UK students pay £10,050 a year at Southampton and Lancaster. International fees are £31,700 a year for Lancaster's Engineering BEng in 2027-28 and £33,500 a year for mechanical engineering at Southampton.

Students who need a visa must also show funds of £1,529 per month for courses in London or £1,171 per month elsewhere, for up to 9 months.

Recognition and careers

An accredited degree provides some or all of the knowledge and skills needed for eventual professional registration. Students who plan to work in Spain or Latin America should also ask the authority in that country how a UK engineering degree is recognised there.

Graduates of a UK bachelor's or postgraduate degree can apply for a Graduate visa to stay and work. It lasts 2 years for applications made on or before 31 December 2026 and 18 months for applications from 1 January 2027.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a BEng and an MEng?

A BEng is a bachelor's degree, normally three years in England. An MEng is an integrated master's degree with one more year of study, and an accredited MEng meets the academic requirement for Chartered Engineer registration in full.

Do I have to choose an engineering discipline before I apply?

Not always. General engineering degrees, such as those at the University of Warwick and Lancaster University, have a common first year and allow students to choose a specialisation afterwards.

How long does an engineering degree take?

A BEng normally takes three years in England and an MEng four. In Scotland both are one year longer.