Imperial College what is it like

[ImperialCollege89]

DC is really set in an Engineering course in Imperial College. I would be grateful for opinions from people with children there recently or who attend/attended themselves.

I read is very competitive but all they could do is give them the best shot.

Yes it’s definitely engineering.

They started with four A Levels including biology as they wanted to do medicine or dentistry. Changed their mind to engineering and dropped bio a level immediately. Leaving maths, chem and physics. And actually relatively little relevant engineering-type experiences on UCAS as they were heading for a health career.

We were all q surprised at the offer. Esp the parents!

CS =computer science

@MessyClock Well you can never say never! It will be very hard work though.

Just a geographical add from a relative local here, totally agree with the grim aspects of the location. But tbf, both Kemp Porter and Woodward are in walking distance of an Elizabeth Line, and even quicker by hopping on a bus a couple of stops.

Action Main Line (the new stn) is much closer to the A40 than Acton itself, does has less trains stop there vs say, Ealing Broadway but still, it has made a difference to those unfortunate enough to get halls there vs South Ken, not just having to rely on the Central Line to get into town/LHR.

Reading this with interest. Ds1's girlfriend who he met on camp America, has started there this year, as a first year doing engineering. I think she's enjoying it.

Thank you everyone. How much are current students paying on accommodation and living expenses a year?I think when I looked at it DC could borrow 6.5k maximun a year for maintenance for a London university. I think they will need 3 times as much and won’t be able to work studying engineering

My DD was in Wilson halls for yr 1 and paid around £150 a week for a decent sized room. She did share a tiny shower room with 6 I think but she said it wasn't too bad. Wilson is near Paddington basin and she loved the location. It's a row of town houses joined together. It has large shared kitchens in the basement. The price was on a par with her friends in other city unis. She could also walk through Hyde park onto campus.

In comparison yr 2 is an eye watering £1200 per month for a shared basement flat. She is still able to walk to campus though so saves travel costs.

For those following the thread it is worth knowing that Imperial offer some generous bursaries. A bursary meant that one of DDs friends who lived technically within commuting distance could afford to live in halls rather than at home which made a huge difference to his University experience. It also means Imperial can be affordable for those outside London who can't see how to make the figures stack up.

£150 per week is not too but £1,200 per month on top of living expenses. At least £1,600 per month I guess including food and a bit of entertainment

Sounds good but I imagine you need to be in low income to apply?

@ImperialCollege89 My DD has said that the Wilson rent has gone up considerably this year. At least you only pay for 39 weeks not the 12 months she now had to pay.

It was a huge factor for her when deciding on a London university. She does get mid level maintenance loan and a small bursary from Imperial. They have also paid two cost of living payments of £500 to those that get a bursary which was very welcome.

We top up around £400 per month and she works as a tutor, which is her fun money.

She also does not go out to pubs and clubs but socialises in friends flats or looks for free things to do.

She is though absolutely loving living in London.

Yes. London Universities are acutely aware that the high cost of living in London can deter young people from lower income families, especially those outside London, from applying. Imperial is the richest of the London Universities so can afford to do the most. UCL is also good.

Oddly by some measures London Universities do well, as less well off students from London will choose to stay in the capital to save money, including those who are either first generation University or come from families where it is normal to attend a local University (and this includes many Europeans) or to stay at home until marriage.

For clarity, it’s a 15 minute walk from North Acton to the Elizabeth Lime station at Acton Main Line. Cannot see the advantage really unless you want to go home to Reading or into the city. It doesn’t go near Imperial.

You can rent a room more cheaply than £1200 a month elsewhere but only the better off stay near South Ken. For obvious reasons. Bursaries are tightly controlled for those with parents on limited incomes so maybe they can afford £1200 with a full loan and generous bursary? The international fee for Engimerring at Imperial can be as high as £40,000 so many dc do have money!

Anyone who is eligible for more than the very basic level of maintenance grant is eligible for the imperial bursary. I can't remember exactly how much DC has got but I think it is about £3K this year plus the COL payment which was £500 this term.

I have another DC at uni in a big northern city which isn't cheap and when you factor in the grant they're both on a parity in terms of available cash and expenses.

The proximity to Hyde Park makes cycling feasible from a range of places. DD planned to cycle through various Royal parks to get there from Central London.

London is an incredibly easy to access by public transport. I am always a bit 🙄at suggestions that North Acton to South Kensington is a difficult journey. DD, who had previously commuted 40 minutes to school in Hammersmith, was initially shocked by the infrequency of Bristol's public transport. Her London bus had run every three minutes.

Native Londoners often prefer the bus or walk. I regularly clock up 15,000 steps without thinking. The range of hire bikes add an additional dimension, so DD used a Boris Bike to meet friends to take the train to Imperial's sports ground. I suspect it is a different mind set, and perhaps a shock to those used to driving. (It is astonishing how few of DDs London peers can drive.) And unlike some other Universities, social activities tend to be centred around campus, the SU bar or in societies.

She also does not go out to pubs and clubs but socialises in friends flats or looks for free things to do. also rings true. Our experience was that London teenagers would meet up in art galleries (really!) or parks or gather in groups to watch films in each other's houses. The Bristol clubbing culture was very different. A keen scientist will enjoy the availability of free lectures from various Royal societies, whilst there are endless free music and other arts events, and cheap theatre and comedy tickets via various apps.

Some international students are very rich, but not all. An Imperial degree offers status but also security, and family members will club together to send a bright kid abroad. Some students used to prefer London because of the ready availability of casual work eg cleaning, though now tutoring is popular, and Imperial students preferred.

Clubbing together to raise £40k a year just for the course for 4 years is big money in anyone’s language! Plus living expenses too! It is something only the better off can afford and even if relatives help, they are relatively wealthy too. It’s usually a choice between London or USA.

4 years x £40k that should read. So £160k before living expenses. I’m rather imagining it’s not the rice farmer who’s helping out!

I believe that quite a lot of international students are sponsored by their government or a company at home. They then have to go back and work for them a certain period of time.

Hypoopyt, DS graduated in Econometrics from LSE and out of the nine, three were on Singapore Government scholarships.

Tizer and I must mix with quite different people. I am a Bahasa speaker and so am sometimes called to duty to help friends take their offspring round various UK Universities. Do not underestimate the importance some Asians attach to education. A place at Imperial is seen as a passport to a better future especially if you are somewhere where the future is uncertain. Money will be found from within the family, but those students will then work very hard and be extremely frugal. It is not uncommon for Asian students to over occupy flats, so two rent a two bed, but then sublet to friends. Many will also work as tutors, in restaurants or cleaning, and cook in groups. The student then contribute a chunk of their salary to the next "family scholarship". East and South East Asian have a large middle class. Not everyone is super rich or a rice farmer🤔 My friends tend to be successful professionals, who save hard to send their kids to college, but the less well off will sometimes manage it for a very bright kid essentially from using clan support.

I don't have DC there but did work at IC for several years.

The students are great: hard-working, super-bright, diverse. Facilities like sports, libraries and societies are second to none, and obviously teaching is top class (as is other support on the whole).

I'd be very proud to have a child there.

On many courses they won't really be able to work much outside vacations because of timetables, but as a PP has said there are bursaries to help lower income families.

Thank you, that’s good to hear

DS is a fresher at ICL and staying at Wilson House. He is absolutely loving it. Teaching, other students and his tutors are excellent. His tutor did tell him that if you have a choice of studying or going out in the first year then go out. As it really ramps up in subsequent years. I agree a lot about the attitude that you have to it. SU and societies are great - something for everyone. DS tutors alongside his studies and a lot of his fellow students at Wilson are on bursaries. He has taken to cycling a lot (even on busy roads) which fills me with horror. Happy to answer any specific questions if you want to DM me.

Not all Asian students are rich but there is a community sprit, where to shop for cheap Asian food (not UK supermarket) and getting 10kg rice bag to share, cheap restaurants (after a certain hour all items 50% off). Government and country have associations that provide events where food are provided for free. If you go to top Universities in UK or US, local Asian banks will give student super favourable loans. Lots of local Asian companies or international companies would support with grants, scholarships and paid internships.
Asian alumni network will donate to their Asian students to help with costs.

Thank you. Will pm you

My son has asd and some physical issues and I am not able to work so low income household.

He is in the most expensive halls and the most expensive room at £339pw! However he's on the full London loan but gets an extra £1000 on that due to disability so £14k ish, gets a £5k pa Bursary due to my income plus gets £100 personal independence payment pw. He's paying it all and he chose the location to suit his needs. Was not going to be convinced on cheaper.

I appreciate that for students where parents have to top up the minimum loan, it is a huge amount to find. His background is by far the "poorest" out of anyone in his corridor