Russell Group

Imperial College London — can you afford it?

London · 20,000 students · Est. 1907

£152/wk
Cheapest halls
+£519/mo
After halls
3 hrs/wk
Work to break even
96%
Graduate employment
31
Affordability score

The monthly maths

Maintenance loan (max — London rate)+£1,178
Cheapest halls (£152/wk × 4.33)£659
After halls+£519
Transport (city avg)−£185
Food (estimate)−£200
Monthly balance-£126

Work hours to break even: 3 hrs/week at £12.21/hr

Annual shortfall: -£1,512

Over 3 years: -£4,536

Typical (median) room: -£329/mo if not in the cheapest option

Based on maximum loan. Calculate your actual loan →

Halls vs private in London

🏠 Imperial halls

Cheapest£152/wk (£659/mo)
Median£199/wk (£862/mo)
Most expensive£425/wk (£1,842/mo)
BillsIncluded ✓
Contract40–51 weeks
Monthly surplus£519per month

🏢 Private rental in London

Average rent£1,200/month
Bills estimate+£180/mo
Total housing cost£1,380/mo
Contract12 months (summer risk)
BillsExtra ✗
Monthly deficit-£202per month

Imperial by the numbers

Total students20,000
Undergraduates9,000
International students58%
Student:staff ratio10.5:1
Graduate employment96%
Average graduate salary£45,000
TypeRussell Group
Founded1907

Student numbers: HESA 2024/25. Graduate salary: SalaryDex data for London. Graduate salaries in London

Notable Imperial alumni

B
Brian May
Guitarist, Queen; astrophysicist
→ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/brian-may
H
H.G. Wells
Author of The War of the Worlds
→ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/h-g-wells

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Compare Imperial with others

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£100/month better off at Imperial
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What happens after Imperial?

Newly qualified Software engineer in London
Entry gross: £35,000 · Take-home after rent: +£1,008/mo
Full salary breakdown →
Newly qualified Nurse (Band 5) in London
Entry gross: £30,959 · Take-home after rent: +£650/mo
Full salary breakdown →
Newly qualified Teacher in London
Entry gross: £31,650 · Take-home after rent: +£675/mo
Full salary breakdown →

Take-home estimates based on 2025/26 PAYE rates including student loan Plan 5 repayments.

Accommodation data source

Accommodation costs verified 2026-05-19 from Imperial College London official accommodation page. Monthly costs use the formula: weekly rate × 39 contract weeks ÷ 9 academic months. Bills included in all quoted rates.

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