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.
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Imperial Engineering ESAT at a Glance
- Do you need the ESAT?
- Compulsory: Imperial's official ESAT page lists it as required for all six MEng courses in this group
- Modules (H401 Aeronautical, H201 & H202 Civil, H301 Mechanical)
- Mathematics 1 + Mathematics 2 + Physics, three modules over 120 minutes
- Modules (H801 Chemical, 28G3 Design Engineering)
- H801 replaces Physics with Chemistry, also 120 minutes; 28G3 sits only Mathematics 1 + Mathematics 2, 80 minutes
- Test dates (mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau)
- 12 to 13 October 2026, or 6 January 2027; Imperial accepts both sittings but counts only your first attempt in each cycle
- Booking deadlines
- Sitting 1: 28 September 2026, 18:00; sitting 2: 21 December 2026, 18:00 (both UK time)
Module requirements and the compulsory status follow Imperial's official ESAT page; the dates and deadlines above are the fixed 2027 entry arrangements, so check your exact course entry on the official page before booking.
4 sections1,151 words6 min read1 official sources
01
01 Imperial's Official Requirements: Courses, UCAS Codes and Modules
The 2027 entry ESAT requirements across Imperial's engineering departments are set out below, with module requirements per Imperial's official ESAT page. 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.
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
| H401, H201, H202, H301 (Aeronautical, Civil, Civil with a year abroad, Mechanical) | H801 (Chemical Engineering) | 28G3 (Design Engineering, Dyson School of Design Engineering) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Module 1 | Mathematics 1 | Mathematics 1 | Mathematics 1 |
| Module 2 | Mathematics 2 | Mathematics 2 | Mathematics 2 |
| Module 3 | Physics | Chemistry (replacing Physics) | No third module; marked “Not applicable” in the official module table |
| Total test time | 120 minutes | 120 minutes | 80 minutes |
| Format | 27 multiple-choice questions per module in 40 minutes, scored 1.0 to 9.0 | 27 multiple-choice questions per module in 40 minutes, scored 1.0 to 9.0 | 27 multiple-choice questions per module in 40 minutes, scored 1.0 to 9.0 |
| How it is used | Compulsory | Compulsory | Compulsory |
Module requirements per Imperial's official ESAT page.
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 Imperial's engineering departments specifically, Imperial's own page sets out the ESAT requirement, so check your exact course entry on the official page before booking.
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.
2026 – 2027Timeline
Sep 26
Oct 26
Nov 26
Dec 26
Jan 27
Sitting 1 deadline28 Sep 2026, 18:00 UK
Sitting 1 deadline
28 Sep 2026, 18:00 UK
Booking deadline for sitting 1: 28 September 2026, 18:00 UK time.
Sitting 1 window12 to 16 Oct 2026
Sitting 1 window
12 to 16 Oct 2026
Imperial accepts results from this test sitting (12 to 16 October 2026).
Sitting 1: CN / HK / Macau12 to 13 Oct 2026
Sitting 1: CN / HK / Macau
12 to 13 Oct 2026
For candidates in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, sitting 1 runs on fixed dates: 12 to 13 October 2026 only. Applicants who are also applying to Oxford or Cambridge must take the October test.
Sitting 2 deadline21 Dec 2026, 18:00 UK
Sitting 2 deadline
21 Dec 2026, 18:00 UK
Booking deadline for sitting 2: 21 December 2026, 18:00 UK time.
Sitting 2 window4 to 8 Jan 2027
Sitting 2 window
4 to 8 Jan 2027
Imperial accepts results from this test sitting (4 to 8 January 2027).
Sitting 2: CN / HK / Macau6 Jan 2027
Sitting 2: CN / HK / Macau
6 Jan 2027
For candidates in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, sitting 2 runs on a fixed date: 6 January 2027 only. Applicants who are also applying to Oxford or Cambridge must take the October test, which removes sitting 2 as an option.
Hard deadline Event WindowImperial accepts both sittings but counts only your first attempt in each application cycle.
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.
NSAA/ENGAA archive papers
31 papers
2015 to 2023, reorganised into the current ESAT modules
Mock papers
26 papers
Including Frontier Original full ESAT-format mocks
Questions in total
2,345
Each with a worked explanation and a Chinese translation
Free to try
The two most recent archive papers
In the ESAT practice hub at /papers/esat
01Step 1
Start with the two free archive papers
The two most recent NSAA/ENGAA archive papers are free to try in the ESAT practice hub.
02Step 2
Fix your modules by UCAS code
H401, H201, H202 and H301 work on Mathematics 1, Mathematics 2 and Physics; H801 swaps the third module for Chemistry; 28G3 practises only the two maths modules.
03Step 3
Train against the clock: 27 questions in 40 minutes
Finishing 27 questions in 40 minutes is the core challenge of the ESAT; the time management guide covers pacing.
04Step 4
Work backwards from test day
The revision plan guide covers how to structure the weeks between now and test day.
05Step 5
Learn to read the 1.0 to 9.0 scale
The scoring guide explains how the scale works and what the results statement looks like.
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.
See the time management guide for pacing, the revision plan for structuring the weeks before test day, the scoring guide for how the 1.0 to 9.0 scale works, and the ESAT practice hub for the archive and mock papers.
04
04 Points Specific to Imperial Applicants
Four points where Imperial engineering applicants most often go wrong; open each for the detail.
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.
Start preparing for the ESAT for Engineering (Aeronautical, Mechanical, Civil, Chemical, Design)
72 ESAT papers and 2790 questions on FrontierVUE, every one with a worked solution. The 2 most recent papers are free to try.