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Department of Chemical Engineering | University of Hull

MS in Chemical Engineering in UK is mostly a year-long course costing around 20,900 GBP to 32,500 GBP annually ~22 to 32 LPA INRUniversities of UK, deliver MS in Chemical Engineering as Masters of Science (MSc.) and Masters of Research (MRes) degrees. The general eligibility criteria for MS in Chemical Engineering in the UK is bachelor’s in Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Life sciences, or another relevant subject with a percentile score of 60-70%

Since the costs involved are extremely high, a student looks forward to earning better returns. Chemical engineers in the UK earn around 30,000 GBP ~29 LPA INR at the beginning of their careers. Starting in 2021, there will be a two-year stay back policy in UK, which is an added advantage for international students, planning to pursue a degree from this country.

Why Study MS in Chemical Engineering in UK?

  • According to QS Ranking 2020 for Chemical Engineering, 3 universities of the UK offering chemical engineering degrees, rank in top 50 universities around the world.
  • Two-fifths of chemical engineering graduates are employed within six months after graduation. Of these, 21% are working as production and process engineers.
  • Salary survey report (2018) by IChemE, indicates that despite the slight decline in median salary for chemical engineers, the early career median salary remains steady at 30,000 GBP.
  • Starting salary for chemical engineers in the UK in various industry sectors:

Salaries of Chemical Engineers in Various Sectors in UK

MS in Chemical Engineering in UK: Top Universities

Some of the universities for masters in engineering in UK offering Chemical Engineering ranks in the top 20 universities in the world according to QS ranking for chemical engineering. Tabulated below are popular universities in UK offering MS in Chemical Engineering:

UniversityQS Ranking (Chemical Engineering, 2020)Course NameCourse Fee/ Annum (in GBP)
Imperial College London#10MSc Advanced Chemical Engineering32,500
University College London#18Chemical Process Engineering MSc29,260
University of Manchester#22MSc, Advanced Chemical Engineering25,000
University of Nottingham#51-100Chemical Engineering, MSc24,390
University of Birmingham#51-100Advanced Chemical Engineering, MSc23,310
Chemical Engineering Science, MRes22,500
University of Edinburgh#51-100MSc, Advanced Chemical Engineering28,150
University of Leeds#51-100Advanced Chemical Engineering, MSc24,000
Loughborough University#151-200MSc Advanced Chemical Engineering23,500
University of Strathclyde#151-200MSc, Advanced Chemical & Process Engineering20,900
University of Aberdeen#251-300Advanced Chemical Engineering, MSc23,000

Note: Other than the courses listed above the universities of UK also offer chemical engineering related courses such as Advanced Process Integration and Design, Chemical Engineering and Bio-Processing, Applied Process Engineering, Sustainable Chemical Engineering, Chemical Engineering with Energy, Chemical Engineering with Formation, etc.

MS in Chemical Engineering in UK: Highlights

The interdisciplinary degree, MS in chemical engineering helps students utilize the knowledge of chemistry and mathematics for processing materials and chemicals. The typical employers for students with masters in chemical engineering in UK include the fiber & polymer industry, plastic & metal industry, food & drink industry, and pulp & paper industry. 

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Degrees offeredMSc in Chemical Engg, Advanced Chemical Engg,
MRes in Chemical Engg Science,
MSc in Chemical Process Engg
DurationFull time- 1 year
Part-time- 2โ€“3 years
EligibilityUG in a relevant field.
Entrance Exam CutoffIELTS- 6.0-6.5
TOEFL iBT- 80-92
PTE- 51-64
Annual Course Fee20,900 GBP-32,500 GBP
Starting Salary30,000 GBP
Job ProfileChemical engineer, Biochemical engineer, Petrochemical engineer, Chemical process engineer, Chemical engineering consultant

MS in Chemical Engineering in UK: Admission

International students are required to meet certain eligibility requirements in order to pursue masters from colleges in the UK. Given below is the basic eligibility for MS in chemical engineering in UK:

  • UG in Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Life sciences, or biomedical sciences.
  • The previous UG degree must be recognized by UK universities and a minimum of 50-60% is required for admissions.
  • English language proficiency: IELTS, TOEFL (iBT), PTE scores not older than 2-years can be submitted. 

MS in Chemical Engineering in UK: University Specific Eligibility Criteria

Each university has its own UG and English language test score cut-off requirement. These are tabulated below for MS in chemical engineering from UK:

UniversityUG Academic RequirementIELTS (min)TOEFL (iBT)Intake Season
Imperial College London75% or
CGPA- 8.5+/10
6.592September
University College London60% or
CGPA- 7.75/10
6.592Application closes- August
University of ManchesterFirst-class in UG6.590September
University of Nottingham60% or
GPA- 6/10
6.0September
University of BirminghamFirst-class in UG6.080Application closes-July
University of Edinburgh60% or more6.592September
University of Leeds60%6.592Application closes-July
Loughborough University65%-70%6.592September
University of Strathclyde60%6.5 (with no component below 5.5)Application closes- August
University of Aberdeen60-80%6.590September or January

Documents Required: Academic transcripts, CV/Resume, Reference/ Letter of recommendation(2), ATAS(Academic Technology Approval Scheme) Certificate, IELTS/ TOEFL iBT/PTE score, passport, UK student visa

Note: The UK Governmentโ€™s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) operates a scheme called the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS). If you are an international applicant and require a student visa to study in the UK then you may need an ATAS certificate to study this course in Universities of the UK.

To apply for an ATAS certificate online, you will need your program details and the relevant Common Aggregation Hierarchy (CAH) code and descriptor. Which can be found on the university website.

Cost of MS in Chemical Engineering in UK

There are three types of costs that international students need to take in account for studying abroad: Pre-arrival Cost, Tuition Fees, and Cost of Living.

Pre-arrival Cost

Pre-arrival Cost is the kind of expense that you need to take care, while you are still in your home country planning your studies. Which include application fees for universities, student visa, and entrance exams required to study in the UK.

Type of ExpenseCost (in GBP)
UK Student Visa Application Fees348
IELTS Registration Fee150
TOEFL Registration Fee140
PTE Fee141
Application FeeVariable

Tuition Fees for MS in Chemical Engineering in UK

For most engineering colleges in UK, the master’s in chemical engineering is a one-year program. The tuition fees for the program ranges from 20,000 GBP to 32,000 GBP. This will roughly cost around 18 lakh to 30 lakh INR for an Indian student. This hefty amount can be covered with the help of scholarships available to study in UK. Though the cost may seem high on comparing it with countries like Canada, the USA, etc, it can be considered that UK offers a rather cheap chemical engineering degree than other popular study-abroad destinations. 
(exchange rate: Aug 2020)

Cost of Living in UK

The cost of living in the UK depends on your lifestyle. It also depends on your choice of location and university. The average cost of accommodation in UK is 400 GBP. The basic annual cost of living in UK is tabulated below:

Types Of ExpensesAverage Annual Cost (in GBP)
One-Bedroom apartment8,976
Meals1,965
Utilities(gas, electric, water)147
Local transport665
Internet20
Miscellaneous1,875

Cities like Cardiff, Manchester, Birmingham, and Glasgow are economically cheaper to live in the UK. Whereas, the cost of living in London is a little higher than in other places.

MS in Chemical Engineering in UK with Scholarships

Pursuing a master’s in UK can become a burden on your pockets. But fortunately, there is the availability of various funding for international students in UK. Tabulated below are a few university-specific scholarships you can opt for while pursuing your MS in Chemical Engineering in UK.

UniversityScholarshipApplicable forAward
Imperial College LondonGreat ScholarshipMasters in Engineering, Medicine or Natural Sciences10,000 GBP
Department of Materials – MSc Academic Excellence ScholarshipMSc Advanced Materials Science and Engineering applicants.12,500 GBP and A stipend of 6,000 GBP
University College LondonIOE Centenary Masters ScholarshipsPG taught coursesAccommodation for a year, tuition fees.
Commonwealth ScholarshipPG taught courses20% of the tuition fee
University of ManchesterIndia Scholarship for Masters StudyIndian students in PG courses of Science and Engineering5,000 GBP
University of NottinghamSouth Asia Postgraduate Excellence AwardPG courses4,000 GBP of tuition fees
University of BirminghamChevening ScholarshipPG coursesFlight fares, accomodation and course fees.
University of EdinburghThe Kenneth Denbigh ScholarshipMSc in Advanced Chemical Engineering1,000 GBP
University of LeedsInternational Masters Engineering and Computing Scholarship-
School of Chemical and Process Engineering
PG Chemical Engineering courses2,000 GBP
Loughborough UniversityChemical Engineering Bursary and ScholarshipsChemical Engineering courses20% of tuition fees
University of StrathclydeFaculty of Engineering International ScholarshipsEngineering courses3,150 GBP
University of AberdeenAberdeen Global ScholarshipMasters programs2,000 GBP
Scotland’s Saltire ScholarshipsMasters programs8000 GBP

Scope of MS in Chemical Engineering in UK

Students with masters in chemical engineering are employed by major employers in gas and oil extraction, oil refining, nuclear and other power generation and process industries, including pharmaceuticals, fine and heavy chemicals, and agrochemicals in the UK. 

Many chemical engineers can also find jobs in UK for engineering consultancy and contracting firms. There are opportunities to work in pollution control, environmental protection, energy conservation, recycling, and alternative energy too. Some of the popular sectors where the graduates of the program are absorbed are depicted below:Sectors where Chemical Engineering Graduates in UK Work

Post completion of the masters degree over 58% of students choose to be employed, while over 23% choose to study further. In the UK, you can pursue further study too in order to gain professional status as a chartered engineer (CEng) or incorporated engineer (IEng), for boosting career prospects. Salaries for chartered chemical engineers can be significantly higher, around 78,500 GBP.

Table given below contains job roles and average salary information for students with chemical engineering degrees.

Job DesignationAverage Salary/Annum(in GBP)
Chemical engineer40,000
Chemical engineering consultant65,000
Biochemical engineer33,150
Petrochemical engineer38,000
Chemical process engineer42,500
Energy engineer40,000
Process development engineer40,193
Nuclear engineer50,000
Materials engineer35,000

The UK is one of the top study abroad destinations for chemical engineering studies with 3 of the universities ranking in the top 20 universities around the globe. Adding to that, the growing need of skilled chemical engineers in the UK makes this country an ideal place to pursue your MS in Chemical Engineering degree. You will not only bag a handsome salary with an MS in chemical engineering in UK but will also get a variety of doctoral options to study further in the field. 

Top Engineering Schools In The UK In 2021

  • The recent QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021 includes 520 top engineering and technology schools around the world โ€“ 39 of which can be found in the United Kingdom. 
  • The ranking covers six different branches of engineering โ€“ chemical, civil and structural, electrical, mechanical, mineral and mining and petroleum engineering.  

The recent QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021 covers the best universities for 51 different subjects, including 520 top engineering and technology schools around the world โ€“ 39 of which can be found in the United Kingdom. 

The ranking covers six different branches of engineering โ€“ chemical, civil and structural, electrical, mechanical, mineral and mining and petroleum engineering.  

The rankings are compiled using four indicators: academic reputation, employer reputation, research citations per paper and the H-index (a way of measuring the productivity and impact of published work). 

Top 10 universities for the Engineering and Technology subject area in the UK Based on the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021 
UK Ranking World Ranking Institution Location 
University of Cambridge Cambridge 
University of Oxford Oxford 
Imperial College London London 
43= The University of Manchester Manchester 
48 UCL (University College London) London 
75= University of Edinburgh Edinburgh 
102 University of Southampton Southampton 
9= 111= The University of Sheffield Sheffield 
9= 111= University of Bristol Bristol 
10 129= University of Leeds Leeds 

The University of Cambridge is the best UK university to study engineering and technology of the 39 UK schools featured in the rankings. The University of Cambridge ranks in third place globally once again this year, earning an impressive score across each of the indicators.  

Notable movements for UK universities in the engineering and technology index this year include UCL, down nine places to 48th. Meanwhile, the University of Edinburgh falls 11 places down to joint 75th.  

Outside of the top 10, Heriot-Watt University has the biggest climb this year, up 17 positions to 220th. The largest drop in the index outside of the top 10 is claimed by the University of Birmingham, which drops 11 places to joint 150th.  

Top Universities for Chemical Engineering 

Top Five Universities for Chemical Engineering in the UK Based on the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021 
UK Ranking  World Ranking Institution Location 
University of Cambridge Cambridge 
University of Oxford Oxford 
10 Imperial College London London 
24= University College London (UCL) London 
28 The University of Manchester Manchester 

There are currently 401 chemical engineering schools in the rankings, with 22 of these located in the UK.  

The UKโ€™s top school for chemical engineering is the University of Cambridge, ranking in fifth place globally after dropping two places this year. The university achieves a near perfect score in the employer reputation ranking indicator (98.2 out of 100). Elsewhere in the UK top five, UCL moves out of the global top 20, down six places to joint 24th.  

Outside of the global to 50, the University of Nottingham falls 50 places from 51-100 to 101-150, as does Newcastle University. Loughborough University also has a significant drop this year, down 50 places from 151-200 to 201-250. 

Top Universities for Civil and Structural Engineering 

Top Five Universities for Civil and Structural Engineering in the UK Based on the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021 
UK Ranking  World Ranking Institution Location 
University of Cambridge Cambridge 
Imperial College London London 
16= University of Oxford Oxford 
44= University of Leeds Leeds 
48 The University of Manchester Manchester 

There are 202 schools featured in the civil and structural engineering rankings this year, including 22 universities in the UK.  

The highest ranked programme in the UK can once again be found at the University of Cambridge, placing third worldwide and down two positions this year. 

Most of the top 10 UK universities take a dip in the index this year. The biggest movement in the UK top 10 is from University of Sheffield and UCL, both of which move out of the top 50, from joint 47th to 51-100.  


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