Year Abroad Programme – Application Guidance 

The Department of Bioengineering offers a Year Abroad (YA) opportunity for students enrolled in the MEng Biomedical Engineering and MEng Molecular Bioengineering programmes. This exchange programme provides the chance to study at top universities worldwide, gaining international academic and research experience. 

 

Partner Universities 

Students can apply for exchange opportunities at the following institutions:

  • ETH Zurich, Switzerland 
  • Grenoble Institute of Technology (INPG), France 

Language Requirement: Students must meet any language requirements set by the host university, particularly for non-English speaking institutions. 

Each year: 

  • At least 1 student will be selected from Biomedical Engineering. 
  • At least 1 student will be selected from Molecular Bioengineering. 
  • A maximum of 3 students in total per year can be selected from the department

 Eligibility Criteria 

To be eligible for the programme, you must meet the following academic requirements: 

  • Your overall average score must be above 65% each year. 
  • No individual module should fall below 60%. 
  • Students must achieve a First-Class average

Key Dates & Deadlines 

Stage 

Deadline 

Application Submission 

1st November (Midnight) 

Shortlisting Notification 

After 8th November 

Interviews 

11th – 20th November 

Study Plan Submission 

TBD (After Shortlisting) 
   

 Selection Process 

Candidates will be selected based on: 

Academic performance (Students must achieve a first-class average)
Motivation (Personal statement) 
Suitability (Interview performance) 
Academic Mentor Support (A support letter) - Applications must include a reference letter from academic staff in our department (personal tutor or project supervisor)
Personal Tutor Reference (Personal tutor will be contacted separately, so you only need to provide the name of your personal tutor)  
Study Plan Approval (Programme Director must approve) 

Final Notes 

  • Late applications will not be accepted. 
  • Carefully review the course offerings at each university before submitting your module list. 
  • If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to d.zhang17@imperial.ac.uk

Good luck with your application!  

Information about the Year Abroad

Application procedure

Application Process 

  1. Submit Your Application by Email
  • Deadline: 1st November (Midnight) 
  • Email to: d.zhang17@imperial.ac.uk 
  1. Application Requirements

Ensure you submit the following: 

One-page personal statement (essay) 

  • Explain why you want to study abroad and what you hope to gain from the experience. 
  • Highlight why you are a suitable candidate for year abroad programme. 
  • Two-page CV: Highlight relevant academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and research experience. 
  • Transcripts: Send your Year 1 and Year 2 transcripts to support your application. 

 Additional Steps Before the Interview (If Shortlisted) 

If you are shortlisted for the interview, you must complete the following steps: 

  • Notify Your Personal Tutor: Inform your personal tutor about your application that the YA programme coordinator may request a reference letter from them. 
  • Provide Tutor Contact Details: Send the name of your personal tutor to the YA programme coordinator. 
  • Find an Academic Mentor: Identify a faculty member (academic staff) from the following list: 

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/bioengineering/people/academic-and-teaching-staff/ 

The academic mentor should be willing to support your YA programme application.  

Your mentor will: 

  • Provide summative feedback on your project one month before your final report submission for marking at Imperial. 
  • Act as the second marker for your final-year project. 
  1. Develop a Study Plan & Obtain Approval 
  • Prepare a detailed study plan outlining how your selected modules align with your degree requirements. 
  • Obtain approval from your Programme Director before finalizing your study plan. 

 Interview Process 

Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed. Each interview will last 10 minutes, consisting of: 

  • 4-minute slide presentation 
  • 6-minute Q&A session 
Exchange universities

ETH Zurich Biomedical Engineering :

  • Students will take MSc courses. 
  • A combination of coursework and an independent research project is required. 
  • Course details can be found on ETH Zurich's website

Grenoble Institute of Technology, France :

  • Students will specialize in Systems and Microsystems for Physics and Biotechnology. 
  • Courses will be selected from Semesters 3, 4, and 5. 
  • A research project is required. 

A normal course load would be 3 - 4 courses per term plus the project.  Ensure the total course hours are equivalent to the final year courses at Imperial, and we would expect you to take an equivalent number of credits abroad (about 30 per term, plus project work).  European schools use the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) for counting credits. Exchange students can normally take classes outside of the host department but with some restrictions specific to the host department. You can view the regulations for the MEng Biomedical Engineering (Mechanical Engineering pathway), MEng Biomedical Engineering (Electrical Engineering pathway), and MEng Biomedical Engineering (Bioengineering pathway).

Students abroad wishing to study at Imperial

We offer official exchanges only with the above universities.  Erasmus exchanges with other universities are currently not being considered.  However, if students from abroad would like to study at Imperial for a year, they are welcome to apply as Non-Exchange Occasional Students.  This requires that they pay Imperial fees.  Because of our course structure and exam schedule, visiting students are required to come for the entire year (we do not accept visiting students for a single term).  If after careful consideration a student wishes to apply, they should email Adrian Hawksworth. (The Erasmus Code is UK LONDON015)

Students abroad wishing to do project work at Imperial

The first step for completing project work at Imperial is contacting a potential supervisor in the Department of Bioengineering.  If a member of academic staff agrees to supervise, there are a number of different routes available.  For undergraduate project work, students can be registered either in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP) or as Non-Exchange Occasional Students.  For postgraduate project work, students must be registered as Non-Exchange Occasional Students.  The supervisor can advise which application route is suitable.  The maximum stay for project work is 6 months.