Imperial College London Acceptance Rate: Trends and Statistics

Imperial College London Acceptance Rate: Trends and Statistics

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Shahid Mustaq Murshed

Study Abroad Content Specialist | Updated 3+ months ago

Imperial College London continues to be one of the UK’s most competitive universities, especially for international and postgraduate applicants. In 2024, the overall Imperial College London acceptance rate for undergraduate programs stood at 25%, while for international undergraduates, it was notably lower at 17.57%. Among Indian UG applicants, the rate dropped further to just 16.63%, reflecting the university's highly selective nature.

The scenario is equally challenging at the postgraduate level. The Imperial College London acceptance rate for Masters programs in 2024 was approximately 30.12%, with Indian applicants securing admission at a much lower rate of 20.17%. Programs in high-demand disciplines like Computer Science are even more competitive—ICL’s acceptance rate for Computer Science in 2024 was just 15.93% for undergraduates and 11.48% for postgraduates, showing consistent selectivity across years.

As of the QS World University Rankings 2026, Imperial College London ranks #2nd globally, reinforcing its position as an elite institution. For international students, meeting the academic standards is just the beginning. Imperial College London requirements for international students include excellent academic performance, strong English language proficiency (e.g., IELTS 7.0+), and relevant experience or portfolio work. The Imperial College London fees for international students generally range between 37,900 to 76,500 GBP per year (44.07 to 88.95 lakhs INR), depending on the course.

Must Read: Imperial College London Admissions 2025-26

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Imperial College London Acceptance Rate for Undergraduates

In 2024, ICL received 32,887 applications and offered admission only to 8,264 of them. It portrays that ICL acceptance rate is around 25% overall. In the same year, Imperial College London received 22,402 applications from international students for undergraduate programs and offered admission to 3,937. Hence, ICL acceptance rate for international students is around 17.57% for undergraduate programs.

1,942 Indian students applied to undergraduate programs at ICL in 2024. Out of these, ICL offered admission to 323 Indian students. This shows, Imperial College London acceptance rate for Indian students is only 16.63% for undergraduate programs.

Explore the last 3-year ICL acceptance rate trends for undergraduate programs in the following table.

Particulars 2024 2023 2022
Total Apps 32,887 30,739 28,877
Admission Offered 8,264 7,948 7,616
Overall Acc Rate 25% 25.85% 26.37%
Intl Apps 22,402 21,383 19,279
Admissions Offered (Intl) 3,937 3,915 3,836
Intl Acc Rate 17.57% 18.30% 19.89%

Note:

  • Apps= Applications
  • Intl= International
  • Acc Rate= Acceptance Rate

Imperial College London Acceptance Rate for Masters

In 2024, Imperial College London received 42,170 applications for its postgraduate programs (across all the Faculties and Departments). Out of them, admissions were offered to only 12,704. This shows, Imperial College London acceptance rate for masters is around 30.12% overall. Among this massive number of applicants, 2,389 were Indians. Among them, only 482 were offered admission, resulting in ICL acceptance rate for masters is around 20.17% for Indian students.

The following table contains a 3-year trend of Imperial College London acceptance rate for masters.

Particulars 2024 2023 2022
Total Apps 42,170 40,210 41,734
Admission Offered 12,704 10,994 10,327
Overall Acc Rate 30.12% 27.34% 24.74%
Indian Apps 2,389 2,134 2,139
Admissions Offered (Indian) 482 378 326
Indian Acc Rate 20.17% 17.71% 15.24%

Note:

  • Apps= Applications
  • Intl= International
  • Acc Rate= Acceptance Rate

Also Read: Imperial College London Master Courses and Fees


Imperial College London Acceptance Rate Computer Science

Computer Science is among the most sought after stream at ICL. Be it MSc Advanced Computing, B.Eng Computing, or MSc Computing, thousands of students apply to these computing courses at ICL.

In 2024, ICL received 3,816 undergraduate applications and 5,110 postgraduate applications for admission to its Department of Computing. Out of these applications, ICL offered admission to 608 undergraduate applicants and 587 postgraduate applicants. Hence, Imperial College London acceptance rate Computer Science is 15.93% for undergraduates and 27.81% for postgraduates.

Explore Imperial College London acceptance rate for computer science in the tables below.

ICL Acceptance Rate for Computer Science: Postgraduate

Particulars 2024 2023 2022
Total Applications 5,110 5,253 5,407
Admission Offered 587 530 438
Acceptance Rate 11.48% 10% 8.1%

ICL Acceptance Rate for Computer Science: Undergraduate

Particulars 2024 2023 2022
Total Applications 3,816 3,576 3,613
Admission Offered 608 573 554
Acceptance Rate 15.93% 16.02% 15.33%

Imperial College London Acceptance Rate for Engineering

Explore Imperial College London acceptance rate for Engineering programs across undergraduate and postgraduate study levels, mentioned in the tables below.

ICL Acceptance Rate for Engineering: Postgraduate Programs

Particulars 2024 2023 2022
Total Applications 14,041 13,165 13,472
Admission Offered 4,014 3,351 2,967
Acceptance Rate 28.58% 25.45% 22.02%

ICL Acceptance Rate for Engineering: Undergraduate Programs

Particulars 2024 2023 2022
Total Applications 15,068 13,498 13,545
Admission Offered 4,054 3,897 3,662
Acceptance Rate 26.90% 28.87% 27.03

Explore: Imperial College London Engineering Courses and Fees


Imperial College London remains one of the most selective universities in the world, with overall acceptance rates ranging from 11% to 30%, depending on the program and level of study. Courses like Computer Science and Engineering are especially competitive, with acceptance rates as low as 11.48% at the postgraduate level. For international students—particularly those from India—the admissions landscape is even more challenging, highlighting the need for a strong academic profile and competitive application. With its top-10 global QS ranking, rigorous entry requirements, and high tuition fees (up to £42,000 annually), Imperial continues to attract and admit only the most exceptional candidates.


FAQs

Ques: Is it difficult to get into Imperial College London?

Ans: Yes, it is quite difficult. In 2024, the overall undergraduate acceptance rate was 25%, but for international students, it dropped to 17.57%. Some popular courses like Computer Science had even lower acceptance rates, especially at the postgraduate level (as low as 11.48%).

Ques: What GPA do you need to get into Imperial College London?

Ans: Imperial doesn’t use GPA directly, but international students should aim for the equivalent of a First Class Honours degree in the UK, which is roughly a 3.7+ GPA on a 4.0 scale. Strong academics and good English proficiency (e.g., IELTS 7.0+) are important

Ques: Is Imperial better than MIT?

Ans: MIT generally ranks higher than Imperial in most global rankings, particularly in science and technology. However, Imperial College London ranks #6 in the QS World University Rankings 2025 and is one of the top universities in the world, especially for STEM.

Ques: Is Imperial or Cambridge harder?

Ans: Both are very competitive, but Cambridge typically has a slightly lower overall acceptance rate. That said, Imperial is especially tough for programs like Engineering and Computer Science, where acceptance rates can be very low. It depends on the course you're applying for.

Ques: Is Imperial College London Tier 1?

Ans: Yes, Imperial is a Tier 1 university. It is consistently ranked among the top 10 universities globally and is well known for its strengths in science, engineering, business, and research.

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