Reviewed on Jan 27, 2025(Enrolled 2016)
What Students Say
Likes
- Highly diverse with students from all over the world.
- Very efficient and knowledgeable faculty.
- The way in which course is conducted - mix of classes, assignments, group discussions, guests from different sectors etc
Dislikes
- Campus is not as big and fancy as Oxford or Cambridge.
- Not very helpful in getting campus placements.
- Not aware of there are proper programs for alumni engagement especially for the students from other countries than UK.
Course Curriculum
10
- The course is designed to engage students from all walks of the life and hence, it starts From basic level of difficulty in the first semester and general topics are touched upon.
- First sem is mostly theoretical with a few group discussions and projects.
- Second semester is more specific. I was enrolled in Environment Analysis and Assessment specialization. This was more on a practical side, with two projects and a site visit.
- Third sem was for a research project or internship,Hence, overall it was mix of various aspects.
- The variety of ways in which we were equipped with projects is the positive aspect.
Admission Experience
- I got admitted to following schools with confirmed admission.
- Imperial College London, UK
- Edinburgh University, UK
- Cranfield University, UK
- Purdue University, USA
- I was Rejected in one.
- Yale University, USA. Well, not sure of the exact reason but I guess most probable reason would be intense competition and high volume of applications.
- Along with college admission, I also was fortunate to have been awarded prestigious Chevening Scholarship by UK government.
- I chose Imperial College of London because the course I undertook is among the top 10 in the world in QS Rankings, and it continues to stay at the top list for years.
- Admission Process involves submission of Statement of Purpose along with academic records, and score of TOEFL.
- There was no set criteria or minimum score mentioned. IELTS and TOEFL scores were accepted.
- It went very smooth for me especially for all UK universities.
- I got enrolled in 2016-17 batch. I wanted to pursue higher studies at that time of my career from some well known university which could equip me with the knowledge and skills in the field of Environment and clean energy.
- It took almost about 6 months to complete the application process as well as the scholarship application, interview and final outcomes.
Class Schedule
10
- While the negative aspect would be a few particular lectures which were extremely theoretical to an extent where these got boring
- 4-5 classes were scheduled per day, 2 in morning and 2-3 in afternoon. However, routine varied semester to semester.
- I had a batch of about 150 students.
- I was the only Indian student in my class. But generally, there are more in other years.
Faculty
10
- The MSc in Environmental Technology has a faculty-to-student ratio of approximately 1:10, ensuring personalized attention, regular interactions, and detailed feedback.
- Faculty use interactive methods, combining case studies, fieldwork, interdisciplinary approaches, and guest lectures to offer a practical and industry-relevant education.
- The curriculum equips students with critical thinking, policy analysis, and technical skills, preparing them well for sustainability and environmental management careers, with faculty often assisting in job placements through networks and references.
- My research mentor - Em. Prof Nigel Bell - for his support and encouragement.
Campus Life
10
- Imperial has multiple campuses, including:
- South Kensington (Main Campus) - Central hub for most programs and facilities.
- White City - Focus on innovation and research.
- Hammersmith and Charing Cross - Medical research and teaching facilities.
- Silwood Park - Dedicated to ecological and environmental studies.
- The campuses provide excellent facilities, including a well-stocked library, state-of-the-art laboratories, sports centers, medical services, and dining options. South Kensington, which was my campus, also houses the Imperial College Union, offering recreational spaces and support services.
- Students can engage in sports, cultural clubs, and over 300 societies, including environmental groups, music, and drama clubs. Annual events like the Imperial Festival and sports tournaments add to the lively atmosphere.
- Overall, Imperial College London offers a vibrant campus life with various academic events, cultural festivals, and active student societies. Popular events include Sustainability Week and departmental seminars, fostering a balance between academics and extracurriculars
Part Time Jobs
- Only A limited number of MSc students secure Teaching Assistant (TA), Research Assistant (RA), or Departmental Assistant (DA) roles, as these are usually competitive and prioritized for PhD students.
- The pay for TA/RA/DA positions typically ranges between £13–£20 per hour, depending on the role and responsibilities. This might also get changed with time.
- Students can work as library assistants, administrative staff, or support staff in student services or campus cafes. Hourly wages for these jobs range between £10–£15.
- International students on a Tier 4 visa can work up to 20 hours per week during term time, as per UK regulations.
- Securing on-campus part-time jobs can be competitive due to high demand, but students with prior experience, good networking, and strong applications stand a better chance.
- Depending on the role the hourly compensations were in the range of £10–£15 for the part-time jobs.
- Not many opportunities were available on-campus. I haven’t seen many students and specifically Indian students working on campus. However, there were a few usual off- campus options were available for students to work part time in restaurants, hotels etc.
- Informal jobs would be more based on networking. However, many organisations will also have job listings/portals. Hence, the process will be something similar to the Internship which includes – applying along with a CV and then cracking interviews.
Placement
8
- Not many of my classmates got jobs from the campus. Most of the students who got employment was through their own efforts.
- It’s hard to tell. My batchmates explored various opportunities through - through networking events, online job portals, and a few campus recruitment drives. Few could manage it through alumni connections, and as pre-placement offers during internships. Imperial’s career services also play a significant role in job placements.
- My classmates have joined very diverse kind of roles such as sustainability consultants, environmental analysts, and energy policy advisors in different geographies.
- I have seen a lot of Asians returning to their home-countries including myself. Companies where they are placed include – Bain & Company, McKinsey, Blackrock, UN etc. A few opted for further studies like PhD.
- Major companies would be Arup, UN, World Bank, Shell, BP etc.
Accommodation
Off Campus
10
- I found my accommodation through Google Search.
- Monthly rent depends on a lot of things - the type of accomodation, sharing, fooding etc. For me, a triple share room was costing about 650 UK pounds along with food.
- No specific challenge. It's been long after I passed. There might have been lots of new places now.
- My accommodation was about 1 km from college. Indian students live either apartments or hostels.
Exams
- Both TOEFL and IELTS were accepted.
- Statement of Purpose, LOR, CV along with transcripts from the undergraduate level were compulsory for the application.
- Interview was part of US colleges but not UK colleges at the time of my admission. However, the interview could be a step in admission as per the requirement of the course as well as the department.
Fees
- My fee was completely taken care of by Chevening Scholarship and it was directly paid to the college in 2-3 installments. There was a direct connect between the School and the Scholarship team.
- Hostel was on students as Imperial doesn't provide accommodation. Therefore, I arranged for a private accommodation for myself.
- Barring tuition fee, I used to get a stipend of about 1200 UK pounds per month to take care of all the expenses.
Scholarship
- Yes, as mentioned previously, I was awarded a Chevening Scholarship by UK government.
- Would recommend to go through - https://www.chevening.org/ for more information.
- This included Tuition fee, monthly stipend along with flight tickets from home country to place of education (in my case from Jaipur to London). In summary, my entire expenses were covered.
- Yes, a few others got other financial supports in terms of tuition fee waiver or college scholarships etc.
