Imperial College London Summary
Imperial College London is a public university established in 1907. Originally part of the University of London, it gained full independence in 2007. This science-centered institution has several campuses spread across London and its outskirts, with the main one in South Kensington—a bustling area in Central London that also houses famous cultural and educational landmarks like the Natural History Museum.
The university welcomes over 15,000 students, with tuition fees higher for those outside the European Union. First-year undergrads are guaranteed housing, while returning students have limited room options. Graduate students at the Silwood Park campus (about 25 miles west of Central London) also have access to on-campus accommodation.
Imperial is structured into four key academic divisions: engineering, medicine, natural sciences, and business. The academic year is divided into three terms—autumn, spring, and summer—and all teaching is in English. Among its many research centers are the Data Science Institute, the Institute of Global Health Innovation, and the Centre for Hedge Fund Research.
Each year, around 400 students gain hands-on research experience through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme. Additionally, the International Research Opportunities Programme sends Imperial undergrads to partner universities worldwide—like MIT in the U.S. and Seoul National University in South Korea—for at least eight weeks of summer research.
The university has a rich legacy of groundbreaking research, including Alexander Fleming’s 1945 discovery of penicillin, the life-saving antibiotic now widely used to treat bacterial infections.
Imperial College London Data
- Total students: 21,065
- International students: 12,565
- Academic staff: 1,770
- International staff: 760
- Undergraduate degrees awarded: 3,030
- Master’s degrees awarded: 5,285
- Doctoral degrees awarded: 835
- Research-only staff: 2,240
- New undergrad students: 3,145
- New master’s students: 4,290
- New doctoral students: 680
Imperial College London Rankings
Imperial College London holds #11 in the Best Global Universities ranking, assessed based on key indicators of academic excellence.
Global & Regional Rankings
- #11 in Best Global Universities (tie)
- #4 in Best Global Universities in Europe
- #4 in Best Global Universities in the United Kingdom
Subject Rankings
- #276 in Agricultural Sciences
- #44 in Artificial Intelligence (tie)
- #26 in Biology and Biochemistry
- #31 in Biotechnology and Applied Microbiology
- #3 in Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems
- #36 in Cell Biology
- #35 in Chemical Engineering (tie)
- #48 in Chemistry (tie)
- #48 in Civil Engineering
- #11 in Clinical Medicine
- #39 in Computer Science
- #49 in Condensed Matter Physics
- #30 in Ecology
- #67 in Economics and Business
- #30 in Electrical and Electronic Engineering
- #13 in Endocrinology and Metabolism
- #27 in Energy and Fuels
- #25 in Engineering (tie)
- #133 in Environmental Engineering
- #39 in Environment/Ecology
- #18 in Gastroenterology and Hepatology
- #44 in Geosciences
- #51 in Green and Sustainable Science and Technology
- #11 in Immunology
- #6 in Infectious Diseases
- #47 in Materials Science
- #32 in Mathematics
- #20 in Mechanical Engineering
- #41 in Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences
- #11 in Microbiology
- #49 in Molecular Biology and Genetics
- #68 in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
- #29 in Neuroscience and Behavior (tie)
- #35 in Oncology
- #51 in Optics
- #49 in Pharmacology and Toxicology
- #65 in Physical Chemistry (tie)
- #45 in Physics
- #99 in Plant and Animal Science (tie)
- #100 in Polymer Science (tie)
- #25 in Psychiatry/Psychology
- #6 in Public, Environmental and Occupational Health (tie)
- #6 in Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Medical Imaging
- #32 in Social Sciences and Public Health
- #67 in Space Science
- #17 in Surgery
- #55 in Water Resources (tie)
2025-2026 Indicator Rankings
Imperial’s #11 spot in Best Global Universities is based on 13 performance indicators:
- Global score: 85.2
- Global research reputation: #18
- Regional research reputation: #34
- Publications: #32
- Books: #181
- Conferences: #32
- Normalized citation impact: #45
- Total citations: #17
- Top 10% most cited publications: #19
- Percentage of top 10% cited publications: #45
- International collaboration (relative to country): #358
- International collaboration: #146
- Top 1% most cited papers: #11
- Percentage of top 1% most cited papers: #32