Preparing for life at Imperial

Your department will have things that you should do in preparation to start your course. These tasks will be communicated to you by email, so keep an eye out for emails that come from emails addresses ending in @imperial.ac.uk to make sure you are aware of what to do.

Imperial Horizons is the flagship programme run by Imperial's Centre for Languages, Culture & Communication for undergraduate students. It is offered to undergraduates throughout your time at Imperial and gives you the opportunity to study a module not directly related to your academic course. The programme includes a wide range of modules in the fields of languages, change makers and humanities and social sciences to help stimulate your personal, professional, and intellectual growth. 

Horizons enrolment for first years starting in 2026 opens on Wednesday 9 September - find out more about the programme, modules available, and how to enrol on the Imperial Horizons pages.

Imperial's Disability Advisory Service provide support to all students who have a disability, long-term health condition, or specific learning difficulty, whether or not you already have a diagnosis. If you think you may need support - for example, if you received support while at school or a previous university - then it's important to start the process early. The service can help arrange reasonable adjustments, such as exam accommodations, specialist equipment, assistive technology or Disabled Students' Allowances.

Visit the Disability Advisory Service's new students page for a guide on how to help ensure your smooth transition to Imperial.

If there's one thing all Imperial courses have in common it's that there will be maths involved! Incoming undergraduates can access our Introductory Maths webpage and have a look at the maths catalogue to help you plan and prepare for the maths content in your course. 

This catalogue will tell you

• What maths to expect in your first-year modules
• And provide you with a range of resources to practice

Wherever you are living during your studies, there are many funding opportunities you can access in order to support your living costs while studying. 

For both undergraduate and postgraduate students, there are different funding opportunities including loans, grants, bursaries, and scholarships. Many of these will have deadlines that you will need to meet to make sure you are receiving your funding in time for your course. Find out more about your different funding options on our Fees and funding.

Many students also supplement their funding by working part-time during their studies. It is recommended that no student works more than 20 part-time work hours a week. For international students on a Student Visa, 20 hours is the maximum you can legally work during term time. Check out our Part-time Work page for more information.

Moving into first-year halls (undergraduates)

Did you apply for Imperial accommodation before the deadline? If you’ve met all the conditions of your offer, expect an accommodation offer email in September. This email will include details of your allocated hall, though you’ll only find out your room number when you arrive.

To secure your room, make sure to accept the offer by the deadline mentioned in the email. After accepting, you’ll need to complete an online accommodation induction, which will guide you through everything you need to prepare for your move. After completing these steps, you won’t hear more about your accommodation until your arrival date.

If you have any questions or want details if who to contact for help, check out the Accommodation FAQs (including information about Silwood Park accommodation).

Arranging private accommodation

If you are seeking private accommodation (non-Imperial residences), it's important to secure this as soon as possible. London has a huge range of privately rented housing, but don’t panic if you don’t know where to start your search – Imperial’s Student Accommodation Office team can provide plenty of advice and support, even before you arrive at the university.

For help with finding accommodation in London, please see our Private Accommodation website.

Undergraduates moving into Imperial halls

New undergraduate students moving into Imperial halls should complete the pre-arrival induction. This will provide you all the information you need to prepare to move in including what to bring, what not to bring, what to expect from arrival day, and more. You can access the induction on the Moving into halls page.

Moving into private accommodation

If you're moving into private accommodation, check out our Private accommodation moving-in guide which will help with topics such as creating an inventory checklist, setting up utility bills, handling essential documents, and more.

If you are moving home to begin your studies at Imperial, it's important that you register at a GP closer to your new home. Do not wait until you encounter health difficulties before registering as this may cause delays to receiving healthcare when you need it most. 

A vast majority of Imperial students are able to register with the Imperial College Health Centre - an NHS GP practice based on the South Kensington Campus - as either a 'home' or 'out of area' patient. The Health Centre has a student eligibility webpage with more information and a link to register. If you're living in halls, you'll need your room number to register.

If you are not covered by the Health Centre, use the NHS's Find a GP tool to find your local surgery at your postcode. 

For more information in general about accessing healthcare, visit our Doctor and dentist webpage.

Imperial’s Health Centre highlights the importance of ensuring your vaccinations are up-to-date when starting university, particularly for undergraduates moving into halls. Meningitis and MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccinations are particularly crucial, as these diseases, while rare, can be serious and are more common among university students, especially those living in halls of residence.

Make sure to check your vaccination records before you arrive to avoid unnecessary repeat injections. If you haven’t received all your vaccinations, don’t worry—the Health Centre offers them to eligible students.

Visit the Health Centre's Student Vaccinations webpage for more information about what vaccinations are recommended and how you can receive these if you don't have them already.

The My Imperial Campus App is your companion to campus life at Imperial. The app is built by students, and the beta version currently has functionality to access 3D campus maps, a chat bot to find resources, personalised Imperial events feed, and your academic timetable.

The app will feature a 'Welcome to Imperial' events schedule with all of the up-to-date information about events going on when you arrive.

Find out more about the My Imperial Campus app here

Move Imperial provides sporting and gym facilities of the highest standard to encourage physical activity and wellbeing to all Imperial students, regardless of your current level. Our South Kensington sports centre, Ethos, is available to all students (regardless of the campus at which you study) and has various facilities including a gym, swimming pool, sports hall, climbing wall, studio space for classes, and more. The sports centre is an inclusive, safe space for the Imperial community to engage in physical activity.

All students can access a 'Basic' membership for free, which grants access to Ethos and allows you to book pay-as-you-go sessions. The 'Gym and Swim' membership for students costs only £80 for the whole academic year, and includes unlimited use of the gym and pool facilities. 

Find out more on the Ethos student memberships page, including information about facilities at other campuses.

Whether you'll be managing your own money for the first time, or have already been doing so for a few years, we recommend getting on top of budgeting early to ensure you're ready to manage your finances when you start your course. Our Managing your money pages can help you do just that.

We also recommend registering for Blackbullion, a digital financial education platform designed to provide you with money skills for life and providing tools to help you manage your finances. It's free for all Imperial students - you just need to register using your Imperial email address.