Course starts: September 2027 Location: London, Bloomsbury

Biochemical Engineering MEng

Get hands-on experience in engineering and biotechnology on the four-year Biochemical Engineering MEng at UCL. This degree is ideal for those who would like to explore careers in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical or bioenergy sectors.

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Key information

Study mode
Full-time
Duration
4 academic years full time
Fees (2026/27)
UK: £9,790 per year
International: £42,700 per year
Application deadlines
13 January 2027. Applications close at 6pm UK time.
Applications may stay open after this UCAS Equal Consideration deadline, please check UCAS for details.
Course starts
September 2027
View 2026 entry
UCAS code
H813
Location
London, Bloomsbury
Department
Biochemical Engineering
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Entry requirements

Grades
AAA
Subjects
Mathematics plus one from Biology, Chemistry or Physics
GCSEs
English Language and Mathematics at grade C or 4

Contextual offer

Grades
ABB
Subjects
A in Mathematics, B in one of Biology, Physics, or Chemistry
GCSEs
English Language and Mathematics at grade C or 4

At least two A level subjects should be taken from UCL's list of preferred A level subjects.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 1

Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.

A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages and International Education.

UCL is committed to widening access to higher education. Access UCL is our contextual offer scheme for applicants from groups that are underrepresented at UCL. We assess your eligibility for Access UCL based on the information contained within your UCAS application. We review and update our Access UCL eligibility criteria and datasets every year, so please check the requirements for the year you plan to apply.

The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) prepare international students for a UCL undergraduate degree who do not have the qualifications to enter directly. These intensive one-year foundation courses are taught on our central London campus.

Typical UPC students will be high achievers in a 12-year school system which does not meet the standard required for direct entry to UCL.

For more information see: ucl.ac.uk/upc.

About this course

The Biochemical Engineering MEng is an interdisciplinary degree that blends applied biology, mathematics and engineering thinking. It is ideal for those who enjoy using science to solve real-world issues.

Throughout the course, core modules will introduce you to the foundations of biochemical engineering. You’ll attend lectures, use our state-of-the-art practical training facilities, and engage in scenario-based learning activities to get hands-on experience in a diverse range of fields, from tackling biopharmaceutical process development to evaluating the sustainability of biofuels.

The degree culminates in the Design Project in Year Three. This is your opportunity to apply your acquired knowledge to a case study, where you are tasked with creating a process for the manufacture of a biopharmaceutical product – from facility design to techno-economic evaluation.

The additional year over the BEng enables you to gain research independence and to build specialisation and breadth to your core interdisciplinary knowledge from the BEng degree. The Year in Industry and Study Abroad options also offer exciting possibilities for four-year MEng students.

While you register for Biochemical Engineering as your core discipline, you’ll also engage in activities spanning departments via the UCL Integrated Engineering Programme. Our degrees encourage professional development by emphasising design and collaboration. We challenge our students to apply their knowledge to complex problems.

Biochemical Engineering is offered as both a three-year BEng or a four-year MEng degree. You may reassess your choice of BEng/MEng route towards the end of the second year when you have gained a deeper understanding of what the subject involves.

We’re seeking applicants who have a strong desire to create positive societal change and tackle complex problems. You’ll be expected to embed sustainability in the solutions you design, continually assessing their impact on society, the environment and the planet. 

You’ll possess an innate curiosity about the world around you. You’ll need strong mathematical skills, but from day one, you should also be ready to acquire a wide range of new technical and professional skills.  

Your application must show how you’ve developed your interest in engineering, and the steps you’ve already taken towards exploring your interests in mechanical engineering.

Course structure

In Year One, you’ll enjoy eight compulsory modules, which cover introductory material on biochemistry, biochemical engineering, fluid flow, and thermodynamics, among other topics. Students will also participate in the Integrated Engineering Programme (IEP), a project-based module shared by students from across the UCL Faculty of Engineering Sciences. 

In Year Two, you’ll take six compulsory modules and two optional modules covering more advanced material that builds on the previous year’s courses. You will also start your Engineering IEP minor courses which continue into Year Three. 

In Year Three, you’ll take six compulsory final year modules and two optional modules. These include a group design project and a lab project. Your chosen IEP minors in Year Three are defined by your Year Two choices. 

In Year Four, you’ll enjoy a final integrated Master’s year with a choice of MSc in Biochemical Engineering, Year Abroad, Year in Industry or Business and Management. Your module options will depend on your final year chosen pathway.

Modules

In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Compulsory modules

All degrees at UCL Biochemical Engineering use innovative teaching and assessment methods, e.g., blended learning, problem-based learning, e-learning, and peer assessment. You will be taught through a combination of lectures, case studies, team-based projects and laboratory and pilot-plant-based practicals.

Engineering practice is taught by short laboratory activities on a range of analytical devices and unit operations, and by external visits to industrial sites. A series of teamwork activities embedded in the taught modules from Year One, e.g. scenarios, challenges, design projects, introduce our students to the design cycle and test a range of communication skills.

Leading industrialists and researchers regularly visit the department to provide guest lectures. Our degrees offer regular opportunities for students to put their learning into practice through the use of scenarios. Case studies and the Design Project are conducted in small teams, with your tutors offering individual support.

Diverse forms of assessments linked to learning outcomes are designed to test a broad range of skills. Modules at the start of the degree are assessed via two to three pieces of coursework and an unseen examination at the end of the year. Problem-based activities may be assessed by individual or group reports, oral or poster presentations.

You can expect to have contact with academic staff for the purposes of learning, teaching, and assessment, either online or in person, for approximately 12 to 18 hours a week. This will be split between approximately 10 to 14 hours of lectures, tutorials and workshops, and two to four hours of term and year-dependent laboratory classes.

Please note that the exact number of contact hours and composition varies throughout the term and at different points throughout the degree.

Overall, full-time study is equivalent to a 35-hour working week, which means you are expected to engage in up to 15 to 17 hours of self-directed study in an average week. This may involve additional reading or preparing for assessments.

The degree comprises 360 credits in total; 315 credits gained from compulsory modules and 45 credits from elective modules. This means the overall ratio is 87.5% compulsory and 12.5% elective.

The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you are unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.

Fees and funding

Study mode UK fee (2026/27) Overseas fee (2026/27)
Full time £9,790 £42,700

UK undergraduate fees for 2026/27 are subject to parliamentary approval and are for the first year only. Fees for subsequent years may be subject to increase: Student Terms and Conditions. UK fees are in line with the Government announcement on fee cap increases. Fees for 2027/28 entry will be published in August 2026.

International undergraduate students benefit from a cohort guarantee unless indicated below, meaning that their tuition fees will not increase during the course of the programme, but UCL reserves the right to increase tuition fees to reflect any sums (including levies, taxes, or similar financial charges) that UCL is required to pay any governmental authority in connection with tuition fees.

International fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2026/27 entrants.

Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.

Additional costs

The degree has no additional costs beyond purchasing books or stationery, printing, thesis binding, or photocopying. Indicative prices for printing can be found here, and UCL poster printing prices can be found here.

This degree is based at UCL’s Bloomsbury campus, but some sessions may take place at UCL East in Stratford. Please refer to the TfL website for up-to-date fares.

For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in Zone 1 (Bloomsbury) and Zones 2/3 (UCL East). You could be eligible for a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card through TfL. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL’s cost of living guide. If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc., please get in touch with the department.

The department has established a trust fund that supports five bursaries per year. Each is worth at least £1500. These are open to all applicants accepted into undergraduate degrees.

For in-person teaching, UCL's main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1–2 is £119.90. This price was published by TfL in 2026. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide. If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc., please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).

The department has established a trust fund that supports five bursaries per year. Each is worth at least £1500. These are open to all applicants accepted into undergraduate degrees.

Why study this course at UCL?

Based at our Bloomsbury campus in the heart of London, UCL Biochemical Engineering is part of the Faculty of Engineering Sciences, which brings together 10 cutting-edge departments.

UCL Biochemical Engineering is the only biochemical engineering department in a UK university, incorporating the Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering (ACBE). Our world-class facilities include a fully functional pilot plant and industrial manufacturing facility used to bring products to commercialisation, and a mechanical workshop providing engineering support to research staff and students. Our facilities attract leading industrial collaborators, such as the Cytiva Centre of Excellence. 

Through innovative teaching methods, including problem-based learning and peer assessment, we aim to equip our graduates with the confidence and adaptability to apply their knowledge to real-life challenges.

Our staff are at the forefront of research in biochemical engineering areas such as regenerative medicine, biopharmaceuticals and biofuels. We are committed to research-based teaching through UCL’s Connected Curriculum. This means that our students gain first-hand exposure to the newest developments in these fields.

You also have the opportunity to join the Crook Society, the official UCL undergraduate society for biochemical engineering, which organises careers and social events for students. 

London is consistently ranked in the top three cities for students worldwide (QS Best Student Cities, 2022-26). As a student in London you’ll have access to world-class venues and nightlife, as well as exceptional career opportunities.

Discover Uni

To see official information about this course and others visit Discover Uni.

What this course will give you

The course prepares students for careers in the biotechnology, bioprocessing, and wider engineering and business sectors. It provides a strong foundation in scientific and engineering principles, and business, leadership, and translational skills. They develop digital fluency, creativity, and teamwork, enabling them to address real-world challenges in bioprocesses, new medicines, and sustainable technologies.

Employability is further supported through entrepreneurial thinking and commercial awareness developed via real-world case studies, industry-led seminars, and optional interdisciplinary minors. These experiences culminate in the final-year plant design project, where students appraise the design of a commercially relevant biopharmaceutical or cell and gene therapy facility. This dissertation project builds decision-making under uncertainty, understanding of business or innovation strategies, and the ability to evaluate technical, economic, and regulatory considerations.

The pace of development of new medicines and greener sustainable processes is creating an ever-growing need for biochemical engineering graduates in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, biofuels, chemical, environment and food industries. 

According to the most recent UCL Graduate Outcomes Survey data (2017-2023), our students have graduated into roles that include biochemists, biomedical scientists, management consultants, programmers, software developers, engineers, and financial analysts and advisers at companies including Eli Lily, Sartorius Stedim, Barclays Bank, and McKinsey. Others have gone on to further study and research roles at universities.

Professional accreditation

This degree is accredited by the IChemE as satisfying the academic requirement for registration as a Chartered Chemical Engineer.

In order to meet the Engineering Council requirements for an accredited degree, which apply to all degrees professionally accredited by the Engineering Council, across all universities, students on this course must pass all modules, with some possible specific exceptions for a limited number of optional modules. If a student fails a module, two attempts are permitted, and they may be eligible to transfer to a related non-accredited degree.

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How to apply

Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.

If you live outside the UK, or travel distance is a problem, we will arrange for a telephone or online VoIP chat to assist with any questions you may have.

We are happy to consider your application if you wish to defer entry and take a gap year before taking up your place on the course, especially if you have constructive plans for your time. Please note that our Year in Industry scheme also provides suitably qualified students with work placements, allowing them to gain relevant work experience whilst earning money.

If we have made you an offer, you will be invited to an offer-holder open day. This provides an excellent opportunity for you to visit the departmental facilities and meet current students and staff before making a final decision.

Selection

For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.

Apply for this course

You are applying for the Biochemical Engineering MEng course. Please note that the course options presented as post-enrolment specialisms will be available for you to choose once your enrolment is confirmed. For application guidance please visit Application guidelines.

Course starts: September 2027

UCAS applications open for 2027 entry on 12 May 2026.

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Biochemical Engineering

Biochemical Engineering

Click to email. biochemeng@ucl.ac.uk

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