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IB Requirements for Engineering: UK and European Universities (2027 Entry)
2 min readBy Renzo DiazLast reviewed October 7, 2026
Engineering asks more of the IB than any other subject here: Mathematics and Physics, almost always at Higher Level, with high grades in both. Cambridge asks for 41–42 points with 776 at HL and Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches (AA); Oxford for 40 with 7s in HL Mathematics and Physics; Imperial for a minimum of 40 with Mathematics and Physics at HL. The Mathematics course varies: Cambridge and Edinburgh ask for AA, Imperial prefers it, Oxford and UCL Mechanical Engineering accept Applications and Interpretation (AI). In continental Europe, TU Delft's English-taught Aerospace Engineering requires AA and Physics at HL, while ETH and EPFL teach engineering in German and French.
This page gathers what nine UK engineering programmes and five continental universities ask of an IB Diploma student entering in 2027, from each university's own pages. The pattern is consistent enough to plan around: two sciences at Higher Level, a Mathematics course that some universities name, and an admissions test at most of the UK's most selective.
Each row is a starting point. Read the course page for your own programme and year before choosing subjects, and note that the continental rules apply to the whole university, not to engineering alone.
For engineering, Physics at Higher Level is as much a part of the offer as Mathematics.
Key takeaways
- Maths and Physics, both: every UK programme checked requires Physics, except UCL Electronic and Electrical Engineering, where it is preferred.
- AA is safest: 2 of 9 UK programmes ask for AA, 4 prefer it, 2 accept AI with no preference and 1 states no rule.
- A test for most: the ESAT at Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial and UCL Electronic and Electrical Engineering; the TARA at UCL Mechanical Engineering.
- Language decides in Europe: ETH teaches in German, EPFL in French; TU Delft and TUM teach Aerospace in English.
Nine UK engineering programmes, side by side
The IB requirement, the Mathematics and Physics conditions, the A-level offer for comparison, and the admissions test of each programme, as the course page states them for 2027 entry.
| University | Programme | IB requirement | Mathematics | Physics | A-level offer | Test |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge | Engineering | 41–42 points, 776 at HL | AA asked for, at HL | At HL; Colleges often ask for a 7 | A*A*A, Maths and Physics | ESAT |
| Oxford | Engineering Science | 40 with core, 776 at HL | AA or AI, 7 at HL | 7 at HL | A*A*A, Maths and Physics | ESAT and interview |
| Imperial | Mechanical Engineering | Minimum 40; typical 40 with 7s | AA preferred, 6 at HL | 6 at HL | A*A*A or A*AAA | ESAT and interview |
| Imperial | Aeronautical Engineering | Minimum 40; typical 43–44 | AA preferred, 7 at HL | 7 at HL | A*A*A or A*AAA | ESAT |
| Imperial | Electrical and Electronic Engineering | Minimum 40; typical 41 | AA preferred, 7 at HL | 7 at HL | A*A*A or A*AAA | ESAT |
| UCL | Mechanical Engineering | 39; 19 at HL | AA or AI; 7 and 6 in Maths and Physics, either order | At HL, with Maths | A*AA, Maths and Physics | TARA |
| UCL | Electronic and Electrical Engineering | 39; 19 at HL | AA preferred, 7 at HL | Preferred at HL | A*AA, A* in Maths | ESAT |
| Warwick | Engineering and Mechanical Engineering (MEng) | 38 with 6,6,6 at HL | 6, HL or SL; course not stated | 6; Maths or Physics at HL | A*AA, Maths and Physics | None |
| Edinburgh | Mechanical Engineering | Recent offers 37 (666) to 32 (655) | AA only, 5 at HL | A science at HL, Physics preferred | AAA to ABB | None |
Sources: each university's course page for 2027 entry, read 7 October 2026 (Oxford's AA/AI rule from its international qualifications page). Imperial's typical offers are based on its 2025 entrants. Edinburgh publishes the range of recent offers, not a fixed offer. Contextual offers are left out.
What the UK offers have in common
Three things repeat. Physics is required at every programme except UCL Electronic and Electrical Engineering, and at Higher Level almost everywhere. A grade is named in Mathematics and Physics, often a 7, not only the total. And at the most selective, an admissions test sits beside the grades: the ESAT at Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial and UCL Electronic and Electrical Engineering, the TARA at UCL Mechanical Engineering; Warwick and Edinburgh set none.
The Mathematics course is where the programmes differ. Cambridge asks for AA, and a student whose school does not teach it is told to contact a College; Edinburgh's engineering degrees take AA only; Imperial and UCL Electronic and Electrical Engineering accept AI but prefer AA; Oxford and UCL Mechanical Engineering accept either. Warwick's page names no course. The wider count, across 30 programmes, is in IB Math AA or AI: what universities require.
Minimum and typical
Imperial publishes both
Imperial's Aeronautical Engineering sets a minimum of 40 points, with 7s in HL Mathematics and Physics, and reports a typical offer of 43–44. A published minimum is a floor; the typical offer is closer to what recent entrants achieved.
Engineering in continental Europe
On the Continent the IB condition is usually set for the whole university, and the language of teaching narrows the choice before the grades do. Among the programmes checked, TU Delft and TUM teach Aerospace Engineering in English and Politecnico di Milano has four engineering bachelors in English; ETH teaches in German and EPFL in French.
| University | Programmes | IB condition | Teaching language | Selection |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ETH Zurich | Mechanical and Electrical Engineering | 38 of 42 without bonus; Maths (AA or AI), a science and a Language A at HL | German, C1 certificate | Admission on the IB rule; otherwise a reduced entrance exam |
| EPFL | Mechanical and Electrical Engineering | 38 of 42; Maths and Physics at HL with at least 6; chemistry, biology or computer science at HL | French, B2 required | Places capped, ranked by IB points |
| TUM | Aerospace; Mechanical Engineering | German IB rule: Maths at HL for engineering, at least 4 in every subject | Aerospace in English (German A2); Mechanical in German | Aptitude assessment; Aerospace weights Maths three times |
| TU Delft | Aerospace Engineering; Mechanical Engineering | AA at HL and Physics at HL | Aerospace in English; Mechanical in Dutch | Aerospace: selection, applications by 15 January 2027 |
| Politecnico di Milano | Civil Engineering (English track), Engineering Science, Industrial and Process Engineering | Italian rule: the Diploma with 24 points, 12 at HL | Four engineering bachelors in English | Admission test (the TOL or an alternative such as the SAT) |
Sources: ETH's country list for 2026/27, EPFL's current admission criteria, the German agreement on the IB Diploma (KMK, 2023) and TUM's programme pages, TU Delft's diploma requirements and selection pages, Politecnico di Milano's admission call and the Italian ministry's circular; read 7 October 2026. ETH and EPFL publish their 2027 rules later.
How to plan the IB for engineering
Four decisions, in order
Take Mathematics and Physics at Higher Level
Every programme above treats them as the core of the offer, and the continental rules need HL Mathematics too.
Choose AA if any shortlisted course names it
AA keeps Cambridge, Edinburgh and TU Delft open; AI closes them. Where AA is only preferred, AI still meets the requirement.
Plan for the test
UAT-UK runs the ESAT in October and January of the final year, alongside the IB. What it covers beyond the IB syllabus is set out in ESAT for IB students.
Check the language early
ETH needs a German C1 certificate by its 31 March deadline and EPFL French at B2; those take longer to reach than an IB grade.
Terms used in this article
- AA and AI
- The two IB Mathematics courses: Analysis and Approaches, built around algebra, calculus and proof, and Applications and Interpretation, built around modelling and statistics.
- 776 at HL
- Grades of 7, 7 and 6 in the three Higher Level subjects.
- ESAT
- The Engineering and Science Admissions Test, used by Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial and UCL for some science and engineering courses.
- TARA
- The Test of Academic Reasoning for Admissions, used by UCL for Mechanical Engineering and some other courses.
- Numerus fixus
- A Dutch programme with a fixed number of places and its own selection procedure, such as Aerospace Engineering at TU Delft.
Questions about IB requirements for engineering
What IB score do you need for engineering at Cambridge?
41–42 points with 776 at Higher Level. Cambridge asks for Mathematics (AA) and Physics at HL, sets the ESAT, and its Colleges often ask for a 7 in Physics or another science.
Can I study engineering with IB Math AI?
At some universities. Oxford Engineering Science and UCL Mechanical Engineering accept AI at HL; Imperial accepts it but prefers AA; Cambridge asks for AA, and Edinburgh and TU Delft take AA only.
Is IB Physics HL required for engineering?
At almost every programme checked. Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial and UCL Mechanical Engineering require it at HL, as do EPFL and TU Delft's Aerospace Engineering; Warwick needs Maths or Physics at HL, and UCL Electronic and Electrical Engineering prefers it.
Which engineering degrees in Europe are taught in English?
Among those checked: Aerospace Engineering at TU Delft and at TUM, and four bachelors at Politecnico di Milano. ETH teaches its bachelors in German and EPFL in French.
Do I need an admissions test for engineering in the UK?
At the most selective, yes. Cambridge, Oxford and Imperial set the ESAT, UCL sets the ESAT or the TARA depending on the programme, and Warwick and Edinburgh set none.
Written by
Teaching IB since 2016. Seven years of IB reviews you can check on Google — and named results with the documents behind them.
Last reviewed October 7, 2026
Sources
Every requirement comes from the university's own course or admissions page, or from the national body named, read on 7 October 2026 for entry in 2027 (ETH and EPFL: their current rules). Check the page for your programme and year before relying on it.
- University of Cambridge — Engineering, entry requirements
- University of Oxford — Engineering Science
- University of Oxford — International qualifications (IB)
- Imperial College London — Mechanical Engineering MEng
- Imperial College London — Aeronautical Engineering MEng
- Imperial College London — Electrical and Electronic Engineering MEng
- UCL — Mechanical Engineering MEng
- UCL — Electronic and Electrical Engineering MEng
- University of Warwick — MEng Engineering
- University of Edinburgh — Mechanical Engineering, entry requirements
- ETH Zurich — Admission requirements, non-Swiss certificates
- EPFL — Bachelor admission criteria
- TUM — Aerospace BSc
- KMK — Agreement on the recognition of the IB Diploma (as of 15 June 2023)
- TU Delft — Specific diploma requirements
- Politecnico di Milano — New undergraduate programmes in English