How to Apply to Engineering at the University of Sheffield: Three-Year BEng and Four-Year MEng Courses by UCAS Code, A*AA for Mechanical and Aerospace, AAA or AAB for Most Others, Foundation-Year Versions, and Entry Routes and Prerequisites for UK Applicants, International Applicants (Including China) and Second-Year Entrants

The University of Sheffield is in the north of England. Its engineering degrees are taught by the Faculty of Engineering across the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, the School of Chemical, Materials and Biological Engineering, and the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Computer Science and Software Engineering belong to the School of Computer Science and have their own article on this site, so they are not covered here. This guide follows Sheffield’s official information for September 2027 entry and is written for UK applicants (A-Level, Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers, BTEC and others), international applicants (with a separate section for applicants from China) and applicants seeking entry to the second year.

1. Engineering degrees and how you are admitted

• Degree types: every subject has a three-year BEng and a four-year MEng, with different UCAS codes. The Mechanical Engineering BEng page describes it as an alternative to the MEng: you can graduate, continue to an MSc, or switch to the MEng depending on performance.
• Subjects and codes (BEng / MEng): Mechanical Engineering H302 / H300; Aerospace Engineering H402 / H400; Civil Engineering H202 (BEng) and Civil and Structural Engineering H210 (MEng); Chemical Engineering H810 / H800; Biomedical Engineering H673 / H675; Materials Science and Engineering JH51 / J500; Electrical and Electronic Engineering H628 / H629; Mechatronic and Robotic Engineering H361 / H360; Computer Systems Engineering H130 / G500 (linked to Computer Science, not covered here); General Engineering H103 / H100.
• Direct entry to a subject: you choose a specific course code on UCAS. General Engineering is a broader route: years 1 and 2 cover modules across the engineering disciplines, after which you choose one of six specialisms or continue with a variety of subjects; year 3 follows your chosen stream, with an industry-led final-year project.
• Foundation-year versions: each subject above has a “with a Foundation Year” version, five years for the MEng and four for the BEng, with A-Level requirements of BBB or BBC (for Mechanical Engineering, BBC including Maths and a science). The course page says the foundation year is for students without the usual scientific or mathematical background and leads on to the BEng or MEng. The progression conditions (grade threshold, whether progression is guaranteed) are not stated on the course pages we read; ask the school.
• Changing course: the engineering pages do not give grade thresholds or place limits for changing course; the overseas fee page warns that changing course may mean a higher fee in later years.
• Accreditation (as stated): Mechanical Engineering is accredited by IMechE, with the MEng meeting all the academic requirements for Chartered Engineer (CEng) and the BEng meeting them in part, with further learning needed; Aerospace Engineering by the Royal Aeronautical Society, IMechE, IET and IOM3; Civil Engineering by the Joint Board of Moderators (JBM); Chemical Engineering by IChemE; Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Mechatronic and Robotic Engineering BEng by the IET, partly meeting CEng (the MEng versions of both meet it fully); Computer Systems Engineering by the IET; Biomedical Engineering by IPEM and the IET; Materials Science and Engineering fully by IOM3. The General Engineering course pages say nothing about accreditation; ask the school.
• Placement year and year abroad: an industrial placement year can be added to all engineering courses (after year 2 for a BEng, after year 3 for an MEng) and the degree title then carries “with Placement Year”; a year abroad is also possible, usually between years 2 and 3, with over 250 partner universities. For students starting in 2027/28 the placement year costs 20% of the full-time fee and a year abroad 15%.
• Computer science: it is taught by the School of Computer Science and has its own article here.

2. Prerequisites and typical offers (2027 entry)

Mathematics is required for every engineering course. These are the standard offers on the course pages, with BEng and MEng separated where they differ.

• A*AA: Mechanical Engineering (Maths and one of Physics, Chemistry or Biology), Aerospace Engineering (Maths and a science) and General Engineering (Maths and Physics or Further Maths), the same for BEng and MEng. Lower combinations are listed for applicants with a fourth Level 3 qualification on each course page. IB: 38 points with 6 in HL Maths and a science; the Mechanical and General Engineering pages also list 36 with 6 in HL Maths and an A in a science-based Extended Essay. Scottish Advanced Highers AA (Maths and a science) plus AAAAB at Higher.
• AAA: Civil Engineering (including Maths; BEng and MEng the same) and Chemical Engineering (including Maths and a science or technology subject; BEng and MEng the same); the Biomedical, Electrical and Electronic, Mechatronic and Robotic, Materials Science and Engineering, and Computer Systems Engineering MEng courses are also listed at AAA. IB 36 points with 6 in HL Maths (Materials: 6 in two HL subjects), as on each of these course pages, including the Mechatronic and Robotic and Computer Systems MEng pages.
• AAB: Biomedical, Electrical and Electronic, Mechatronic and Robotic, Materials Science and Engineering, and Computer Systems Engineering BEng courses, including Maths and a science (for Materials, two of Maths, Physics and Chemistry). IB 34 points with 6 in HL Maths and 5 in a science (Materials: 6 and 5 in two HL subjects).
• Other subject requirements: Civil Engineering asks for GCSE Physics (or Combined Science) grade 6; Materials Science and Engineering asks for GCSE Maths grade 6 and, if Physics and Chemistry were not taken at A-Level, grade 4 in each.
• English: GCSE English Language grade 4/C.
• Other qualifications (Mechanical Engineering as an example): BTEC Extended Diploma D*DD in Engineering or Applied Science plus an A in A-Level Maths; Welsh Baccalaureate plus two A-Levels, an A plus A*A in Maths and a science; Access to HE Diploma with 45 credits at Level 3, 42 at Distinction including Maths and Physics units, plus an A in A-Level Maths. T Levels have their own requirement on each course page.
• Interviews and entrance tests: Sheffield says interviews are not a prerequisite for most courses, with Medicine, Dentistry and some other subjects interviewing and “other schools may also interview”. The engineering course pages do not mention interviews or an entrance test; check the course page or ask the school.
• AP: not mentioned on the course pages.

3. UK applicants

• Sheffield normally expects three full A-Levels or accepted equivalents; the course pages list typical offers and different offers may be made in some cases.
• Contextual offers (Access Sheffield): applicants from groups under-represented in higher education, or who took part in a Sheffield outreach programme, may receive an offer one or two grades below the standard. For Mechanical Engineering, the Access Sheffield offer is AAB (an A in Maths and a B in Physics, Chemistry or Biology), with IB 34.
• Fees: the standard fee for home fee-paying students starting in 2027 is £10,050 a year, which may rise with inflation (RPIX) in later years; government loans are available to eligible students. The pages do not set separate engineering requirements for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland beyond listing qualification types.

4. International applicants

• English: the engineering course pages ask for GCSE English Language grade 4/C, or IELTS 6.5 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in each component, or another acceptable qualification. The China page gives a general undergraduate minimum of IELTS 6.0 and says some departments require more; for engineering, use the course-page figure of 6.5.
• Foundation: international students who do not meet the entry requirements can take the International Foundation Year in Science and Engineering at the University of Sheffield International College and then progress to the degree.
• Fees: for 2027/28, new overseas undergraduates pay between £27,650 and £34,670 a year (Medicine and Dentistry excepted), and the first-year fee stays the same each year if you stay on the same course. The exact figure for each engineering course is not shown on the course pages; use Sheffield’s fee lookup tool. The 2026/27 range is £25,000 to £32,100.
• Scholarships: the pages currently show the September 2026 version: an International Undergraduate Scholarship of £2,500 a year, up to £10,000 (continuing years need a 60% average and 120 credits), awarded automatically with no separate application to self-funded students classified as overseas who are not sponsored by a government or organisation covering the full fee; students on a non-USIC foundation year are not eligible. The 2027 version has not yet been published.
• Proof of funds and credential verification: not stated on the pages we read; see Sheffield’s international and visa pages.

5. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: Sheffield accepts the Gaokao for direct entry. For courses asking for A-Level AAA or above, you need an overall score equivalent to at least 75% of the total marks; for AAB to ABB courses, at least 70%; for BBB to BBC courses, at least 65%. Where there are individual subject requirements (typically Maths and/or a science), A equals 75% of the marks in that Gaokao subject, B 70% and C 65%. The pages do not say which of those levels applies to each engineering subject; ask the school.
• Senior high school certificate only: you cannot go straight into year 1; you need a recognised foundation programme such as the International Foundation Year at the University of Sheffield International College, or the NCUK International Foundation Year (completing it at the required grades allows consideration for year 1). Contact the China team to confirm that your foundation programme is acceptable.
• Chinese university students: those who have completed the first year of a standard four-year Chinese bachelor’s degree are considered for year 1; those with a three-year university diploma (dazhuan) are considered for direct entry to year 2.
• A-Level and IB: applicants with a minimum of three A-Levels, or IB diploma holders, are considered for direct admission.
• Interviews, accreditation bodies and graduation exam (huikao) materials: not stated on the China page.

6. Entry to the second year and internal transfer

• Direct entry to Year/Level 2: Sheffield will consider applications. You should normally have met the course’s standard A-Level requirements (or equivalent) and show that you have successfully completed a programme equivalent to the first year of the course; you may be asked for syllabuses. Some academic schools do not accept any transfers into Year 2; whether the engineering schools do is not stated, so ask the relevant school.
• Process: the “Submitting your application” page describes this route but gives no separate process; ask the school.
• Chinese applicants: see section 5; a three-year university diploma can be considered for year 2.
• Credit transfer rules and internal transfer into the Faculty: not stated; ask the school or the admissions office.

7. Documents and timeline (September 2027 entry)

• Route: UCAS. Sheffield’s UCAS institution code is S18 SHEFD, with no campus code.
• Deadlines: applications for September 2027 entry submitted between 1 September 2026 and 13 January 2027 are guaranteed equal consideration; those submitted between 14 January and 30 June 2027 receive further consideration, though they may not be considered if the course is full. Check the UCAS website.
• Assessment: mainly qualifications completed and predicted grades, with the personal statement, reference and contextual data also considered. Some schools do not begin considering applications until after the January deadline. Sheffield emails its decision and, for offers, includes a formal PDF offer letter with course and fee information.
• Application fee and personal statement format: set by UCAS; please check the UCAS website. The Sheffield pages do not state them and we did not visit UCAS. Any engineering supplement is not published.
• Deferred entry: welcomed and treated equally; it is assessed under the entry conditions of the year you apply, and you must meet them within that application year.

Checklist

UK applicants:

• Pick the course code: BEng three years, MEng four years; Maths is required and most courses also want a science
• Check section 2 for A-Level and Highers; fee £10,050
• Apply through UCAS by 13 January 2027

International applicants:

• A-Level and IB as in section 2; IELTS 6.5 (6.0 in each component)
• Check your exact fee with the lookup tool; the 2027 scholarship terms are not yet published

Applicants from China:

• Gaokao: 75% for AAA and above, 70% for AAB to ABB; ask the school which level applies to your engineering subject
• Senior high school certificate only: take a science and engineering foundation programme first

Second-year entry:

• Meet the course’s A-Level requirements and have completed an equivalent first year; ask whether the school accepts transfers

Sources: University of Sheffield, Faculty of Engineering undergraduate degree courses; Mechanical Engineering courses; School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering courses; Mechanical Engineering BEng; Civil Engineering BEng; General Engineering BEng; Mechanical Engineering with a Foundation Year; Submitting your application; How we assess your application; Entry requirements: China; Undergraduate tuition fees 2027; Overseas undergraduate tuition fees; International Undergraduate Scholarship. Information is for September 2027 entry. Check the UCAS website for the application fee and portal, and check Sheffield for the latest details.