All undergraduate and postgraduate students will be expected to meet the basic academic competency standards as laid down by the admission criteria of their degree programme in the Department of Computing.

The following highlights the key supplementary competences expected of students studying in the Department of Computing:

• The ability to work as part of a group/team, for the purposes of research, collective problem solving and communication of results/findings.
• The ability to present key facts, ideas, problem solutions, results etc. both verbally and in written form.
• The ability to work independently.
• The ability to use computer systems and appropriate software packages as an aid to research, analysis, problem solving and presentation.
• The ability to exercise self-learning.
• The ability to use acquired theoretical and practical knowledge to tackle unseen problems.
• Knowledge of the general principles and practices of professional codes of conduct.

Students seeking admission to Faculty of Engineering degrees should are also advised to consult the Engineering Council’s UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC) which identifies key competences for the various levels of the Council’s registrants.

This document provides insight into the expectations of the Engineering Council for practising professionals, post-graduation. 

Programme Structure

Our Computing degree programmes are designed to ensure that you will have detailed exposure to both the theoretical and practical aspects of Computing. At Imperial we see Computing as an engineering discipline where the emphasis is on building complex computer-based systems that work and are fit for purpose.

In the first two years, there is a carefully planned programme of practical laboratory work where you will solve problems of gradually increasing size and complexity. Each problem is designed to teach a specific aspect of Computing and, at the same time, provide exposure to a range of software and hardware platforms and tools appropriate to the problem. The emphasis throughout is on instilling transferable problem-solving skills and independent learning, rather than on the teaching of specific technologies.

The mathematical foundations of computing, which includes various topics in discrete and continuous mathematics, is taught through a series of core modules in the first two years. Follow-on modules in the third and fourth years allow you to apply the knowledge and skills gained to build and reason about complex systems, with key drivers being correctness, usability, security, reliability and performance.

In the third year you will undertake a group project, which will provide you with experience of what it’s like to work as part of a team. You will also have the opportunity to work with external companies and collaborators as part of the project.

At the end of the Spring term of the third year you will embark on a full-time, paid industrial placement which finishes just prior to the start of the final year.  

In the final year you will undertake a major individual project spanning around eight months. This presents an exciting opportunity for you to apply the technical skills you have learnt throughout the course, including research and presentation skills, under the supervision of an academic adviser. The topics covered by individual projects vary enormously, from the very theoretical to the very practical. Many projects are aligned directly with the Department’s cutting-edge research activities.

Students graduate with exceptional practical skills and with the ability to apply their extensive knowledge of key Computing principles to the engineering of complex systems that are fit for purpose, and also to academic and industrial research.

BEng vs MEng

The department offers both a three-year BEng programme and four-year integrated Master’s MEng programme in Computing. Both degree programmes involve substantial group and individual project work. The MEng programme has the added benefit of an industrial placement, and in your final year of your programme you will be able to choose from a range of Master’s level elective modules and gain further exposure to cutting-edge research problems in computing.

Computing Courses

UCAS	Courses	Length
G400	Computing (BEng)	3 years
G401	Computing (MEng)	4 years
G700	Computing (Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning) (MEng)	4 years
GG47	Computing (Visual Computing and Robotics) (MEng)	4 years
G402	Computing (International Programme of Study) (MEng)	4 years
G501	Computing (Management and Finance) (MEng)	4 years
G600	Computing (Software Engineering) (MEng)	4 years
G610	Computing (Security and Reliability) (MEng) (new for 2019 entry)	4 years

Please note that we consider all aspects of each application, including academic record, predicted grades/marks, and evidence of motivation for Computing. Competition for the limited number of places on our courses is intense and regrettably, we have to turn down many excellent candidates. Even if your application is very strong, you may unfortunately not receive an offer.

Our offers are individually tailored, and aim at helping our future students to be fully prepared for the challenges ahead, should they join our courses. Our advertised grades are "minimum", and our offers may be more demanding and include further qualifications: please see Qualification Advice for Computing (next tab). We may also consider any applicant marginally below our standard offer (e.g. with a prediction of A in A-level Maths rather than A*).

Imperial has an English language requirement which equates to a Grade 6 in English Language GCSE or an IELTS score of 6.5. Note that, even if students have studied English as part of their qualification, this may not satisfy the College requirement and an IELTS test or equivalent may still be required.

Standard UK Qualifications

A-levels

Minimum Entry Standard

Our minimum entry standard for 2020 entry is A*A*A / A*AAA or overall, to include:

• A* in Mathematics
• A* and A in two accepted subjects/AAA in three accepted subjects

Further Mathematics is preferred but not essential.

ICT, Business Studies, General Studies and Critical Thinking are not accepted.

Typical Offers

Our typical A-level offer is A*AA - A*AAA with an A* in Maths. Typical offers also require STEP II.

For 2020 entry, our typical offer will include A*A*A for applicants taking 3 A levels, and A*AAA for applicants taking 4 A levels. Typical offers also require STEP II.

For further recommendations on A-levels, see the tab on Qualification Advice for Computing. We strongly encourage applicants to take Further Maths at A2 level.

We also accept the Edexcel International A-levels.

International Baccalaureate

Minimum Entry Standard

39 points overall to include:

• 7 in Mathematics at Higher Level
• 7 in another relevant subject at Higher Level

Typical Offers

Our typical IB offer is 41-42 points overall with a 7 in Maths at higher level and a 7 in at least one further relevant subject at higher level. Typical offers also require STEP II.

Cambridge Pre-U Diploma and Pre-U Subjects

Our minimum requirement is distinction in three principal subjects, including D2 in Maths, and D2,D3 or D3,D3,D3 in two or three other subjects (see Qualifications tab for preferred subjects and those not accepted). Typical offers also require STEP II.

Scottish Advanced Highers

Our standard minimum Scottish Advanced Higher offer is: A1, A, A with an A1 in Advanced Higher Maths. Typical offers also require STEP II. Applied Maths: Mechanics is a preferred subject.

 

Foundation Courses

We only accept students from the two high-quality UK foundation courses described below. These are specialised courses for overseas students whose home qualifications are not usually accepted for study at UK universities.

UCL UPCSE

The University Preparatory Certificate for Science and Engineering is a high quality foundation programme. Our standard minimum requirement is 80% or above overall, with 80% in Maths and 80% in Biology, Chemistry or Physics.

WARWICK IFP Science and Engineering

The Warwick IFP is another high quality foundation programme we accept.Our standard minimum requirement is 80% or above overall, with 80% in Maths and 80% in one other relevant subject.

To meet these requirements, students should choose from the following IFP pathways:

• Life Sciences 
• Computer Science 
• Mathematics & Statistics 
• Economics 
• Physical Sciences 
• Engineering 

Insufficient UK Qualifications

We do not accept the Welsh Baccalaureate and BTEC.

Standard International Qualifications

We accept qualifications from all over the world. Below is the list of qualifications we typically accept, with standard minimum requirements, followed by the list of qualifications we do not accept. If you have a query about a particular qualification not included in these lists, please contact the Admissions Tutor, providing details on the qualification (subjects, grades etc.).

A number of countries offer A-Levels or qualifications based on the UK A-Level. The qualifications below can be considered as being equivalent to A-Level standard and therefore meeting our entry requirements. Students would need to achieve the standard minimum A level entry requirements.

Bahamas	Bahamas GCE A Level
Brunei	Brunei-Cambridge A-Level
Macao	Cambridge Overseas Higher School Certificate/GCE A-Level
Maldives	UCLES A Level
Mauritius	Cambridge Overseas Higher School Certificate/GCE A-Level
Namibia	Cambridge Overseas Higher School Certificate/GCE A-Level
Tanzania	Cambridge Overseas Higher School Certificate/East African Advanced Certificate of Education
Seychelles	Cambridge Overseas Higher School Certificate
Swaziland	Cambridge Overseas Higher School Certificate
Uganda	Cambridge Overseas Higher School Certificate/Advanced Certificate of Education
Zimbabwe	ZIMSEC/GCE A-Level

Insufficient International Qualifications

We do not accept the following qualifications:

All applications for all our undergraduate Computing degrees are made through UCAS in the first instance. Note that we cannot accept direct applications from applicants. The college provides a complete description of how to go about applying through UCAS. You are advised to get your application in as early as possible and before the 15 January UCAS deadline.

ONLINE ADMISSIONS TEST

Applicants demonstrating sufficient potential will be invited to complete an online admissions test, which will test their logical, reasoning and problem-solving skills. No prior preparation is required for the test. The test will include a practice session, and should not take more than 90 minutes.

The test must be taken on a computer with an internet connection.

Interviews

Candidates are invited to the department to attend an interview day based on the strength of their UCAS applications and their performance in the online admissions test. Applicants are not judged by academic ability alone, but upon a wider profile to assess their potential for success in an engineering degree. Interviews also give you the opportunity to raise questions about the courses or College life in general.

Candidates passing their interview will usually be made an offer within 4-5 weeks of the interview day. The interview day consists of:

• a welcome presentation by the Admissions tutor and Director of Studies
• a tour of the College and Department facilities
• demonstrations of undergraduate projects
• a one-to-one academic interview with one of our lecturers

Interview days will be conducted online in autumn term

Interview days for 2020/21 to be announced

A-level Selection

Many applicants ask us what A-levels we would recommend. In an effort to provide helpful advice, we have developed the following suggestions:

Summary of the table's contents

Category 1: Compulsory A-levels	Category 2: Highly-Recommended A-levels	Category 3: Very useful A-levels*
Maths	Computer Science Further Mathematics Physics	Ancient Language Biology Chemistry Economics Electronics English Literature History Law Modern Languages Philosophy Politics  Psychology

We strongly encourage applicants to take Further Maths at A2 level. If your school offers Further Maths, we expect you to take it. If your school does not offer you the chance to take Further Maths, please make sure this is stated in your school reference. We will take this into account and will still welcome your application.

Some candidates choose to take Further Maths independently through a local Further Maths Network Centre. We also accept AEA or STEP Maths qualifications in place of Further Maths and may include these in your offer. If your school does not offer you Further Maths, our preferred A-level is a science subject, such as Physics or Computer Science.

*We do not accept ICT, Business Studies, General Studies and Critical Thinking.

We should emphasise that, with the exception of the required A-level Maths and the A-levels we do not accept, Category 2 and 3 are only a set of suggestions. If your A-level selection does not match this exact pattern, you should not worry unduly.

We do understand that some schools do not offer Computing for students wishing to study the subject for A-level. We will not hold this against an applicant as we do not require Computing as an A-level subject for any applicant, so if you would prefer to take another subject, then this would be fine.

For students looking for a good grounding in the principles of Computing pre A-level, we do recommend the new OCR GCSE in Computing. Again, however, this is not a requirement for admission to any of our degrees.

Relevant Subjects Selection

Many applicants ask us what relevant subjects we would recommend, for example at higher level for the IB. Below are our suggestions:

• Physics
• Computer Science
• Chemistry
• Economics
• Biology

Computing Experience?

Each year, a large number of our incoming students have no prior programming experience.

If you are in this category and are thinking of applying to our courses but are worried that a lack of computing experience will leave you at a disadvantage, don't be: we teach a variety of programming languages from scratch in the first and second year, so this is not a problem. You do not need to have taken A-level Computer Science for our degrees.

We look for people who are good at Maths and are excited by computing and its many applications and are or have the potential to be great problem-solvers, lateral-thinkers or systematic thinkers. We welcome people with a wide variety of A-level subjects for our courses.

STEP Qualifications

All applicants (particularly those not taking an A-level in Further Maths) are encouraged, and may be asked, to take a STEP exam in Maths. These can often be sat at your local examination centre. Please note that regardless of whether an applicant is planning to take a STEP exam in maths or not, one or more may form part of a conditional offer that we make to an applicant.

STEP

The STEP Maths exam consists of 2 papers. Extra tuition is advisable; the style of question is markedly different to that of A-level. For applications to Computing courses, where requested, we will usually ask for a Grade 2 in STEP II.

• STEP Mathematics website
• Wikipedia STEP resources
• Meikleriggs' STEP solutions
• Mathematics in Education and Industry (MEI)

International Programme of Study

Applicants for admission to the G402, MEng Computing in International Programme of Study, should normally hold a GCSE in a foreign language at grade B or above, or otherwise be able to demonstrate linguistic competence.

All undergraduate and postgraduate students will be expected to meet the basic academic competency standards as laid down by the admission criteria of their degree programme in the Department of Computing.

The following highlights the key supplementary competences expected of students studying in the Department of Computing:

• The ability to work as part of a group/team, for the purposes of research, collective problem solving and communication of results/findings.
• The ability to present key facts, ideas, problem solutions, results etc. both verbally and in written form.
• The ability to work independently.
• The ability to use computer systems and appropriate software packages as an aid to research, analysis, problem solving and presentation.
• The ability to exercise self-learning.
• The ability to use acquired theoretical and practical knowledge to tackle unseen problems.
• Knowledge of the general principles and practices of professional codes of conduct.

Students seeking admission to Faculty of Engineering degrees should are also advised to consult the Engineering Council’s UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC) which identifies key competences for the various levels of the Council’s registrants.

This document provides insight into the expectations of the Engineering Council for practising professionals, post-graduation. 

Please note that we consider all aspects of each application, including academic record, predicted grades/marks, and evidence of motivation for Joint Maths and Computing. Competition for the limited number of places on our courses is intense and regrettably, we have to turn down many excellent candidates. Even if your application is very strong, you may unfortunately not receive an offer.

Our offers are individually tailored, and aim at helping our future students to be fully prepared for the challenges ahead, should they join our courses. Our advertised grades are "minimum", and our offers may be more demanding and include further qualifications: please see Qualification Advice for Joint Maths and Computer Science (next tab). We may also consider any applicant marginally below our standard offer (e.g. with a prediction of A in A-level Maths rather than A*).

Imperial has an English language requirement which equates to a Grade 6 in English Language GCSE or an IELTS score of 6.5. Note that, even if students have studied English as part of their qualification, this may not satisfy the College requirement and an IELTS test or equivalent may still be required.

Standard UK Qualifications

A-levels

Our typical A-level offer is A*A*A or A*A*AA including A*s in Maths and Further Maths. Typical offers also require STEP II/III.

For further recommendations on A-levels, see the tab on Qualification Advice for Joint Maths and Computing.

We also accept the Edexcel International A-levels.

International Baccalaureate

Our typical IB offer is 42 points overall with a 7 in Maths at higher level and a 7 in one further relevant subject at higher level. Typical offers also require STEP II/III.

Cambridge Pre-U Diploma and Pre-U Subjects

Our minimum requirement is distinction in three principal subjects, including D2 in Mathematics and D2 in Further Mathematics. Typical offers also require STEP II/III.

Scottish Advanced Highers

Our standard minimum Scottish Advanced Higher offer is: A1A1A or A1A1AA with an A1 in Maths and A1 in Maths of Mechanics. Typical offers also require STEP II/III.

Foundation Courses

We only accept students from the two high-quality UK foundation courses described below. These are specialised courses for overseas students whose home qualifications are not usually accepted for study at UK universities.

UCL UPCSE

The University Preparatory Certificate for Science and Engineering is a high quality foundation programme. Our standard minimum requirement is 80% or above overall, with 80% in Maths and 80% in Biology, Chemistry or Physics.

Warwick IFP Science and Engineering

The Warwick IFP is another high quality foundation programme we accept.Our standard minimum requirement is 80% or above overall, with 80% in Maths and 80% in one other relevant subject.

To meet these requirements, students should choose from the following IFP pathways:

• Life Sciences 
• Computer Science 
• Mathematics & Statistics 
• Economics 
• Physical Sciences 
• Engineering 

Insufficient UK Qualifications

We do not accept the Welsh Baccalaureate and BTEC.

Standard International Qualifications

We accept qualifications from all over the world. Below is the list of qualifications we typically accept, with standard minimum requirements, followed by the list of qualifications we do not accept. If you have a query about a particular qualification not included in these lists, please contact the Admissions Tutor, providing details on the qualification (subjects, grades etc.).

A number of countries offer A-Levels or qualifications based on the UK A-Level. The qualifications below can be considered as being equivalent to A-Level standard and therefore meeting our entry requirements. Students would need to achieve the standard minimum A-level entry requirements.

Bahamas	Bahamas GCE A Level
Brunei	Brunei-Cambridge A-Level
Macao	Cambridge Overseas Higher School Certificate/GCE A-Level
Maldives	UCLES A Level
Mauritius	Cambridge Overseas Higher School Certificate/GCE A-Level
Namibia	Cambridge Overseas Higher School Certificate/GCE A-Level
Tanzania	Cambridge Overseas Higher School Certificate/East African Advanced Certificate of Education
Seychelles	Cambridge Overseas Higher School Certificate
Swaziland	Cambridge Overseas Higher School Certificate
Uganda	Cambridge Overseas Higher School Certificate/Advanced Certificate of Education
Zimbabwe	ZIMSEC/GCE A-Level

Insufficient International Qualifications

We do not accept the following qualifications:

Applying

All applications for all our undergraduate Joint Maths Computing (JMC) degrees are made through UCAS in the first instance. Note that we cannot accept direct applications from applicants. The college provides a complete description of how to go about applying through UCAS.  You are advised to get your application in as early as possible and well before the 15 January UCAS deadline.

1. BEng Mathematics and Computer Science (GG14)
2. MEng Mathematics and Computer Science (GG41)

ONLINE ADMISSIONS TEST

Applicants demonstrating sufficient potential will be invited to complete an online admissions test, which will test their logical, reasoning and problem-solving skills. No prior preparation is required for the test. The test will include a practice session, and should not take more than 90 minutes.

The test must be taken on a computer with an internet connection.

Interviews

JMC is a specialised course combining modules from Computing and Mathematics degrees. We expect applicants to have a strong mathematical background. Candidates are invited to the department to attend an interview day based on the strength of their UCAS applications and their performance in the online admissions test. Applicants are not judged by academic ability alone, but upon a wider profile to assess their potential for success in an engineering degree. Interviews also give you the opportunity to raise questions about the courses or College life in general.

Candidates passing their interview will usually be made an offer within 4-5 weeks of the interview day. The interview day consists of:

• a welcome presentation by the Admissions tutor and Director of Studies
• a tour of the College and Department facilities
• demonstrations of undergraduate projects
• a one-to-one academic interview with one of our lecturers

Interview days will be conducted online in autumn term.

Interview days for 2020/21 to be announced

The Departments of Mathematics and Computing of Imperial College offer a three-year and a four-year joint degree course.

1. BEng Mathematics and Computer Science (3 year)
2. MEng Mathematics and Computer Science (4 year)

All courses lead to the Associate of the City and Guilds Institute (ACGI).

These programmes, offered jointly by the two departments, are designed as mathematical courses oriented towards computing science and are suited to mathematically able students with interests in both subjects. The programmes give a firm foundation in Mathematics, in particular Pure Mathematics, Numerical Analysis and Statistics, and cover all the essentials of Computer Science, with an emphasis on developing software and reasoning formally about it, as well as more theoretical topics. The teaching is divided approximately equally between the two Departments.

Students take set courses from each Department in each of the first two years, with some options available in the second year. In each of the third and fourth year students select a total of eight courses from either department to support their particular interests and areas of specialisation. Students are able to switch between JMC degree courses at any stage during the first year. Note that progress on the 4 year MEng degrees require that the student maintains a sufficient performance (2:1 level) throughout the first two years of the degree. As with other MEng degrees in Computing, students may be required to transfer to the 3 year BEng degree if they do not meet this level.

With the spread of computing procedures and mathematical ideas into many areas, there is high demand for professionals who are expert in both computing and mathematics. Graduates in these courses are also well qualified for careers that normally require graduates from one or other of the two disciplines.

JMC Courses

UCAS	Courses	Length
GG14	Mathematics and Computer Science (BEng)	3 years
GG41	Mathematics and Computer Science (MEng)	4 years

 

List of courses and regulations

A-level Selection

Many applicants ask us what A-levels we would recommend. In an effort to provide helpful advice, we have developed the following suggestions.

Category 1: Compulsory A-levels	Category 2: Highly recommended A-levels	Category 3: Useful A-levels**
Maths Further Maths*	Physics Computer Science	Ancient Language Biology Chemistry Economics Electronics English Literature History Law Modern Languages Philosophy Politics  Psychology

*If you are not able to take A-level Further Maths to A2, you should take the STEP III Maths qualification instead of the Further Maths A-level. Some candidates choose to take Further Maths independently through a local Further Maths Network Centre.

**We do not accept ICT, Business Studies, General Studies and Critical Thinking.

We should emphasise that, with the exception of the required A-level Maths, A-level Further Maths and the A-levels we do not accept, Category 2 and 3 are only a set of suggestions. If your A-level selection does not match this exact pattern, you should not worry unduly.

We do understand that some schools do not offer Computing for students wishing to study the subject for A-level. We will not hold this against an applicant as we do not require Computing as an A-level subject for any applicant so if you would prefer to take another subject, then this is fine.

For students looking for a good grounding in the principles of Computing pre A-level, we do recommend the new OCR GCSE in Computing. Again, however, this is not a requirement for admission to any of our degrees.

Relevant Subjects Selection

Many applicants ask us what relevant subjects we would recommend, for example at higher level for the IB. Below are our suggestions:

• Physics
• Computer Science
• Chemistry
• Economics
• Biology

Computing Experience?

Each year, a large number of our incoming students have no prior programming experience.

If you are in this category and are thinking of applying to our courses but are worried that a lack of computing experience will leave you at a disadvantage, don't be: we teach a variety of programming languages from scratch in the first and second year, so this is not a problem. You do not need to have taken A-level Computer Science for our degrees.

We look for people who are good at Maths and are excited by computing and its many applications and are or have the potential to be great problem-solvers, lateral-thinkers or systematic thinkers. We welcome people with a wide variety of A-level subjects for our courses.

STEP Qualifications

All applicants are encouraged, if possible, and may be asked, to take a STEP exam in Maths. These can often be sat at your local examination centre. Please note that regardless of whether an applicant is planning to take a STEP exam in maths or not, one or more may form part of a conditional offer that we make to an applicant.

STEP

The STEP Maths exam consists of 2 papers. Extra tuition is advisable; the style of question is markedly different to that of A-level. For applications to Joint Maths and Computing courses, where requested, we will usually ask for a Grade 2 in STEP II and/or Grade 2 in STEP III.

• STEP Mathematics website
• Wikipedia STEP resources
• Meikleriggs' STEP solutions
• Mathematics in Education and Industry (MEI)