Imperial College LondonUCAS H401 +5
Imperial College London Engineering: ESAT Requirements for 2027 Entry
Applicants to undergraduate engineering degrees at Imperial College London (Aeronautical, Mechanical, Civil, Chemical and Design Engineering) for 2027 entry must sit the ESAT, the Engineering and Science Admissions Test run by UAT-UK and delivered by Pearson VUE. All six MEng courses in this group make the ESAT compulsory, but the module combinations differ: most courses take three modules over 120 minutes, Chemical Engineering swaps Physics for Chemistry, and Design Engineering sits only the two mathematics modules. This page sets out each course's module requirements per the official wording, the fixed test dates and booking deadlines for candidates in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, and a practical preparation plan.
- 57
- Papers
- 2392
- Questions
- 2
- Free to try
01
01 Imperial's Official Requirements: Courses, UCAS Codes and Modules
The 2027 entry ESAT requirements across Imperial's engineering departments are as follows (module requirements per Imperial's official ESAT page):
| Course | UCAS code | ESAT modules | How it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEng Aeronautical Engineering | H401 | Mathematics 1 + Mathematics 2 + Physics | Compulsory |
| MEng Chemical Engineering | H801 | Mathematics 1 + Mathematics 2 + Chemistry | Compulsory |
| MEng Civil Engineering | H201 | Mathematics 1 + Mathematics 2 + Physics | Compulsory |
| MEng Civil Engineering with a year abroad | H202 | Mathematics 1 + Mathematics 2 + Physics | Compulsory |
| MEng Design Engineering | 28G3 | Mathematics 1 + Mathematics 2 (two modules only) | Compulsory |
| MEng Mechanical Engineering | H301 | Mathematics 1 + Mathematics 2 + Physics | Compulsory |
Imperial's official ESAT page for 2027 entry states: “You must take the ESAT if you're applying to our undergraduate courses in one of these departments.” The UAT-UK Course List 2027 labels these courses “either the ESAT or the TMUA is compulsory”; for the engineering departments specifically, Imperial's own page sets out the ESAT requirement, so check your exact course entry on the official page before booking.
Format: each module has 27 multiple-choice questions in 40 minutes, scored on a 1.0 to 9.0 scale. H401, H201, H202 and H301 sit three modules over 120 minutes; H801 replaces Physics with Chemistry, also three modules over 120 minutes; 28G3 (Dyson School of Design Engineering) sits only Mathematics 1 + Mathematics 2 (the third module is marked “Not applicable” in the official module table), for 80 minutes in total.
02
02 Key Dates and Booking (Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau)
Imperial accepts results from both test sittings (12 to 16 October 2026, or 4 to 8 January 2027), and only your first attempt in each application cycle counts. For candidates in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, the 2027 entry ESAT runs on fixed dates: sitting 1 on 12 to 13 October 2026 only, and sitting 2 on 6 January 2027 only.
Booking deadlines:
- Sitting 1: 28 September 2026, 18:00 UK time
- Sitting 2: 21 December 2026, 18:00 UK time
Three practical points:
- First attempt only: a retake within the same cycle will not be used by Imperial, so arrive fully prepared the first time;
- If you are also applying to Oxford or Cambridge, you must sit the October test, which removes sitting 2 as an option;
- Walk through the test day guide in advance for ID, logistics and what to expect, and see the ESAT exam overview for how the test works end to end.
03
03 How to Prepare with FrontierVue
There are no official ESAT past papers: UAT-UK does not release them. The ESAT replaced the NSAA and ENGAA from 2024, and the official papers from those predecessor tests are the closest match to the current question style. FrontierVue hosts 31 NSAA/ENGAA archive papers (2015 to 2023, reorganised into the current ESAT modules) plus 26 mock papers (including Frontier Original full ESAT-format mocks), 2,345 questions in total, each with a worked explanation and a Chinese translation; the two most recent archive papers are free to try in the ESAT practice hub.
Plan by module:
- H401, H201, H202 and H301 applicants should work through the Mathematics 1, Mathematics 2 and Physics module guides;
- H801 applicants swap the third module for Chemistry rather than reusing a Physics prep list;
- 28G3 applicants sit only the two maths modules, so concentrate all practice on Mathematics 1 and Mathematics 2.
Finishing 27 questions in 40 minutes is the core challenge of the ESAT: see the time management guide for pacing, the revision plan for structuring the weeks before test day, and the scoring guide for how the 1.0 to 9.0 scale works.
04
04 Points Specific to Imperial Applicants
- First attempt only, so choose your sitting deliberately: Imperial uses only your first result in each cycle, and a January retake after an October sitting will not count. Do not book October as a trial run; sit it when you are fully ready.
- Applying to Oxbridge removes sitting 2: applicants who are also applying to Oxford or Cambridge must take the October test, so plan your preparation backwards from 12 to 13 October 2026.
- 28G3 Design Engineering sits two modules only: no Physics, no Chemistry, 80 minutes in total, so all preparation goes into the two maths modules.
- H801 Chemical Engineering takes Chemistry: the only course in this group with Chemistry, a different combination from the other four three-module courses. If you are weighing module combinations across several universities, see the choosing modules guide.
- On cut-off scores: the official sources for this group publish no ESAT cut-off or average score figures, so this page cites none; any claim that a particular score guarantees an interview or offer has no official basis.
SAME UNIVERSITY
Other Imperial College London pages for the ESAT
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which ESAT modules do I need for Imperial Mechanical Engineering (H301)?
H301 requires three modules: Mathematics 1, Mathematics 2 and Physics, taken in 120 minutes, with 27 multiple-choice questions and 40 minutes per module. Aeronautical (H401) and Civil (H201/H202) use the same combination, while Chemical Engineering (H801) replaces Physics with Chemistry.
I'm in mainland China applying to Imperial engineering. When do I sit the ESAT, and can I take it twice?
For 2027 entry, candidates in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau sit on fixed dates: 12 to 13 October 2026, or 6 January 2027, with booking deadlines of 28 September 2026 and 21 December 2026 (18:00 UK time). Imperial accepts both sittings but counts only your first attempt in each cycle, so a retake will not be used; if you are also applying to Oxford or Cambridge, you must take the October sitting.
Are there official ESAT past papers? What should I practise with for Imperial engineering?
No, UAT-UK does not release ESAT past papers. The ESAT replaced the NSAA and ENGAA from 2024, and the official papers from those predecessor tests are the closest practice material: FrontierVue hosts 31 NSAA/ENGAA archive papers (2015 to 2023, reorganised into the current modules) and 26 mock papers, 2,345 questions in total, each with explanations and Chinese translations, with the two most recent archive papers free to try.
Do I need Physics for Imperial Design Engineering (28G3)?
No. The Dyson School of Design Engineering specifies only Mathematics 1 and Mathematics 2, with the third module marked Not applicable in the official module table, for a total of 80 minutes. It is the only course among Imperial's engineering departments that sits just two modules.
FrontierVUE is an independent practice platform. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by UAT-UK, Pearson, OCR, the University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, or any official admissions-test owner.
FrontierVUE 是独立的备考练习平台，与 UAT-UK、Pearson、OCR、剑桥大学、 帝国理工学院或任何官方入学考试主办方均无隶属或背书关系。
Start preparing for the ESAT for Engineering (Aeronautical, Mechanical, Civil, Chemical, Design)
57 ESAT papers and 2392 questions on FrontierVUE, every one with a worked solution. The 2 most recent papers are free to try.