Program Overview

MEng Aerospace Engineering with Study Abroad

2026 entry

Course summary

This four-year course in Aerospace Engineering combines our taught course with an opportunity to spend your third year at an English-speaking partner university abroad. This course adds an overseas dimension that reflects the multinational nature of the modern aerospace industry.

There is no direct entry into this course. If you achieve the required grades in your first two years and are selected, you will spend your third year at a partner institution abroad, for example in Sweden, the Netherlands, the USA, Singapore or Australia. To find out more about studying abroad, visit Centre for Study Abroad.

You will study a wide range of subjects, organised across four main themes: aerodynamics, structures and materials, dynamics and control, and systems and design. You will apply your knowledge and professional engineering skills to diverse applications such as fixed and rotary wing aircraft, spacecraft and space missions, and renewable energy.

The first two years of the course are devoted to core concepts, which are taught via lectures, supported by practical experience through coursework, and computer and physical lab activities. In addition to core theoretical knowledge, you will develop wider skills, such as teamwork and presentation skills, as part of our design-build-test project.

Your third year will be spent at our partner university; the course content will be equivalent to the same year at Bristol. You will rejoin the course in Bristol for your final year.

In your final year, you will complete an industry-focused design project, working in groups to undertake the design of a whole aerospace vehicle and replicate processes commonly used in industry. You could be tasked with designing a hydrogen-powered civil aircraft, a future uncrewed aerial vehicle, or even an interplanetary science mission. You will also choose from optional units, allowing you to specialise in the areas that align with your interests and career plans. You can also choose to undertake a research project, tackling an open-ended challenge working closely with academics who are world-leading specialists in their research areas, and make use of our extensive facilities.

The city of Bristol is at the heart of aerospace engineering in the UK, and our Industrial Liaison Office organises company engagement through all years of the course, making the most of nearby aerospace companies.

The diversity of topics in aerospace engineering makes this a challenging degree, but the reward is a uniquely broad education which equips you for an exciting career in solving the problems of the future.

Accreditations

Our Aerospace Engineering with Study Abroad MEng is accredited by RAeS.

Overview

Programme duration

• 4 year(s) full-time.
• Part-time study is not available for this course

Application method

• Entry by transfer
• You must transfer to this course from MEng Aerospace Engineering (H410) or MEng Aerospace Engineering with Study Abroad in a Modern Language (H401). You cannot apply as an external candidate.

Location

• Clifton campus, Placements

Fees

• £9,535 per year, home students
• £32500 per year, international students
• More about tuition fees, living costs and financial support.

Fees quoted are for 2025 entry only. Fees for 2026 will be confirmed, subject to government approval, later in 2025.

Course structure

First year

• First-year students studying Aerospace Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, and Design Engineering all start their degrees with a shared foundation of technical knowledge and a command of the skills that underpin modern engineering.
• You will share common units with your peers in other disciplines and work on an interdisciplinary project.
• In addition, a dedicated unit will introduce you to the fundamentals of aerospace engineering.

Second year

• The second year will see you specialise in aerospace engineering.
• This involves demanding units on topics such as aerodynamics, structures and materials, dynamics and control, and space systems engineering.
• You will undertake a group design-build-test project that will see you get hands-on with tools and state-of-the-art test equipment.

Third year

• The third year of the degree concentrates on advanced topics in aerospace engineering, such as computational fluid dynamics, finite element analysis, and feedback control.
• This year will be spent at the partner university abroad.

Fourth year

• The fourth year consists of a capstone group design project, complemented by optional units on a range of specialist topics such as computational and experimental aerodynamics, aerial robotics, advanced composite materials, aircraft and rotor dynamics, space systems or renewable energy.
• You can also choose to apply your foundational knowledge to cutting-edge research in your individual research project, working closely together with academics who are world-leading experts in their fields.

Full details about the course structure and units for this course can be viewed in the programme catalogue.

Entry requirements

Qualifications

• This course is available by transfer only. View the MEng Aerospace Engineering entry requirements information.
• More about UK qualifications.

International qualifications

• The University of Bristol welcomes applications from international students, and we accept a wide range of qualifications for undergraduate and postgraduate study.
• Search international qualifications

GCSE profile requirements

• Further information about GCSE requirements and profile levels.

English language requirements

• If English is not your first language, you need to have one of the following:
  • IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.0 in all skills
  • GCSE English Language grade C or 4
  • an alternative qualification outlined in our Profile level E.
• Further information about English language requirements and profile levels

Related courses

• See a list of all Aerospace Engineering degrees at Bristol, and find more information about the course, assessment and career prospects.
• BEng Aerospace Engineering
• MEng Aerospace Engineering
• MEng Aerospace Engineering with a Year in Industry
• Related Subjects
• Civil Engineering
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering
• Engineering Mathematics
• Mechanical Engineering