The stream of mechanical engineering deals with designing, construction, and the use of machines which helps in the easy running of industries and the development of technologies. The UK has been one of the most opted countries for international students to study mechanical engineering since it is one of the most popular branches of engineering and also promises well-paid employment after the degree. The UK universities also provide state-of-the-art facilities, a great learning environment and a world-class level of education in each subject discipline. The graduates have enough knowledge to boost the start of their careers. The starting salaries of mechanical engineers are also high compared to other fields in the UK.
The scope of mechanical engineering is also wide. Depending on their interest and career ambition, students can select their choice of discipline. The common career options that are available for mechanical engineers are in aerospace, automotive, biomedical, energy, and manufacturing. In the most field, they are dissolved in the development of machines and high-technology equipment. Starting from planes, rockets, Formula 1 cars, pacemakers, artificial limbs, power industries, and streamlined machines, mechanical engineers are required everywhere.
Some of the top universities for mechanical engineering to studying in the UK are:
In the UK, Manchester has the largest industrial base compared to any other city in the UK. Thus, most of mechanical engineering have higher chances of developing a career in this city after completion of their course.
There are various branches of mechanical engineering. The most common courses in this engineering are the B.Eng and M.Eng in mechanical engineering. The UK is mostly famous for masters in mechanical engineering for international students like those from India. Most of the famous universities in the country provide a range of undergraduate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering. The academic requirements for each university vary. On this, the admission of students depend.
University |
Requirements |
English Proficiency scores |
Imperial College London |
Undergraduate degree in engineering with 60-70% |
IELTS: 6.5 TOEFL: 92 PTE: 62 |
Queen Mary, University of London |
Undergraduate degree in engineering with 50-60% |
IELTS:6.5 TOEFL: 92 PTE: 62 |
Lancaster University |
Undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering 60% |
IELTS: 6.5 TOEFL: PTE: |
University of Nottingham |
B.Sc with 60% |
IELTS: 6.0 TOEFL: 79 PTE:65 |
Newcastle University |
Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or mechanical-related engineering with 58-63% |
IELTS: 6.5 TOEFL:90 PTE: 62 |
University of Liverpool |
Undergraduate degree with 60% in Engineering or Science
|
IELTS: 6.5 TOEFL:88 PTE: |
Undergraduate Students – Most of the mechanical engineering courses available in the universities of the UK are bachelor’s or masters. However, in some universities, a shorter degree or diploma course is available in engineering which is usually two years.
Graduate Students – mechanical engineering for graduation degree takes three years.
Post-graduate Students – the post-graduation or MEng degree in the UK is of four years or five-year sandwich. There are also part-time day release programmes available for over seven years.
Undergraduate Students: Generally diploma courses in the UK cost about 9500 to 13,000 GBP. However, this is not a fixed amount and may vary based on the course and institution providing it.
Graduate Students: on average, to study abroad bachelor’s in mechanical engineering, international students need to pay about 27,200 pounds per course.
Post-graduate Students: For master’s degree, the amount required for international students is about 35,000 pounds.
The tuition fees of international students are always higher than those of home or residential students. For example, at the University of Manchester, for the bachelor’s degree, the tuition fees of home students are about 9,250 pounds per annum while international students need to pay about 30,000 pounds per annum for the same course, getting the same facilities. Since the amount is huge and may not be possible for everyone to afford, it is always suggested to apply for scholarships that are provided by various universities.
The cost of living is one of the biggest concerns in the UK. London is considered one of the costliest cities to live in. The biggest issue that most students and people working in the UK face is housing rents. Most of the people living there for employment or students living there take half of their salary on scholarships to pay their rent. The average rent in the UK as observed in 2021 is 1007 pounds per month. This is not a fixed rent. It mainly varies depending on the type of house being rented and the number of people living. For example, for a single person, the average cost is 725 pounds which is still less than for those living with families. Single people sharing rooms are still pocket friendly compared to single living.
For international students, the average cost of living single person is about 859 pounds, which is about 10,308 pounds per year. In Edinburg, this cost 684 pounds and 8,208 pounds respectively. In Cardiff, it is 662 pounds and 7,944 pounds respectively. The most affordable cities in the UK are considered Durham, Belfast, Leicester, Stirling, Lancaster, Cardiff, Newcastle, Coventry, Warwick, and Lincoln. In order to pay rent and afford other vital daily requirements, most students indulge themselves in part-time jobs like in restaurants and cafes.
Transportation cost is also fairly high. In the UK, all transportation is owned by a private organization and the government has no control over them. Thus, there are no passes for students. A public bus ride in London costs up to 1.50 pounds per hour. On average, the monthly commuting cost in London is about 186 dollars, considered higher than all cities in the world. Trains are also owned by private organizations thus, are costly. Thus, overall all students must try to stay near universities or try to maintain cards and passes to save money.
The average cost of electricity in the UK is about 34 pounds per month. The water bill varies with the place but it is also high. However, the estimated water and sewage bill cost is about 400 pounds per year. Thus, students are bound to save on water and avoid unnecessary spending on electricity to save money. The average cost of broadband in the UK is 27.50 pounds, including internet services as TV services.
Since the living cost of the UK is overall very high, the common practices that should be adapted by international students are sharing and renting since sharing apartments have very high rent. The transaction becomes easier with a local bank account. Thus, they should open one after settling there for studies. Students should try to minimize their extra money wastage by saving electricity, saving water, eating home cooer foods rather than ordering from outside daily, and creating a sustainable living system. they should also practice some smart commuting services like developing various cards like the contactless card and oyster card. Uber is cheaper compared to taxis.
The most economical way of travelling long distances is by coaches in the UK. If travelling by plane, the students should plan earlier and try to book tickets as early as possible since the price of flight tickets tends to rise higher with time. Many students often plan to stay in the outskirts rather than stay in the main city like London and Edinburg. This saves them the cost of high rents which are lower in the outskirt areas compared to the cities.
The mechanical engineering scholarships that are identified in the UK are:
Scholarship Name |
Course |
Funding |
E fellows scholarship programme |
Bachelors, masters |
Partial funding, GBP 5550 to 30% of tuition fees |
Postgraduate scholarships at Manchester Metropolitan University |
Masters, PhD |
Partial Funding, 3000 pound in the first year |
Oxford Brookes University – John Henry Brookes Scholarships |
masters |
Partial funding, GBP 1000 to 2000 |
Vice Chancellor’s International Scholarships |
masters |
Partial. 2600 pounds payable towards rge first year of tuition fees |
Liverpool John Moores University PhD Scholarship |
PhD |
Partial. Annual stipend of GBP 16,062; GBP 1600 per year towards running costs and covers full tuition fees |
Nottingham Trent University International Undergraduate Scholarships |
bachelors |
Partial funding of 2000 pounds per year |
London South Bank International Merit Scholarships |
Bachelors, masters |
Partial funding of 5000 pounds |
While applying for the scholarship, the candidates need to check whether it is applicable to their country or not since some scholarships are only applicable to certain countries. Along with that, to get the scholarship, the students should have high academic excellence and the will to perform well in the universities. Since the scholarships are available in a limited number, all universities aim to provide them to the student who deserves them the most.
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Yes, the UK is an excellent destination for mechanical engineering education and career opportunities. The UK has a long-standing reputation for excellence in engineering, with many top-ranked universities offering mechanical engineering degree programs.
The cost of studying Mechanical Engineering in the UK can vary significantly depending on several factors such as the level of study, the institution, and your status as a domestic or international student.
For undergraduate study, the tuition fees for mechanical engineering programs for the 2022/2023 academic year range from around £9,250 to £58,600 per year for international students. The tuition fees for UK/EU students are usually lower than those for international students.