Economics, fundamentally a social science, plays a crucial role in shaping modern societies. It examines human behaviour and decision-making, while also analysing and forecasting issues related to production, distribution, and resource allocation. As such, it is an essential discipline across a wide range of social, business, and political contexts.
An economics-related degree also offers strong earning potential and has become one of the most sought-after fields of study in the UK – and consequently, one of the most competitive to gain entry into.
This guide provides a comprehensive overview of the Imperial Economics entry requirements, detailing the key steps needed to submit a strong application for this relatively new but highly competitive degree.
Economics at Imperial
Although there’s a wide range of economics and economics-related undergraduate courses in the UK to choose from, Imperial’s offering in this subject is pretty unique.
Imperial Economics Courses
Imperial College London does not offer a standalone economics degree. Instead, it provides a distinctive programme that combines economics and finance with data science, reflecting the growing importance of quantitative and analytical skills in the field.
This relatively newly-launched course (first cohort welcomed in 2023) is delivered by the Imperial Business School.
- Duration: 3 Years
- Location: On campus in London
- Language: English
- Study Mode: Full-time
Who Is Imperial Economics Best Suited For?
It is therefore particularly well suited to students who are eager to build strong analytical capabilities alongside problem-solving and critical thinking skills – all essential for career pathways such as economist, policy expert, business leader, quant trader, or researcher.
Imperial Economics, Finance and Data Science Fees
For 2027 entry, the Economics, Finance and Data Science BSc programme at Imperial College London is expected to align with the maximum tuition fee (fee cap) set by the UK government, which is currently projected to be £10,050 per year for Home students.
International fees have not yet been confirmed. However, as a guide, the fee for the 2026–27 academic year was £42,700 per year.
Home students from households with an annual income below £70,000 may be eligible for an Imperial bursary of up to £5,000 per year, subject to their household income remaining below this threshold throughout the duration of the course.
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Imperial Economics Entry Requirements
Now that you know what makes economics at Imperial special and who’s this degree best suited for, let’s detail the steps you need to take to secure an offer.
GCSEs
For Economics, Finance and Data Science at Imperial no specific GCSE requirements are stated.
Although no specific number is mentioned, applicants are generally expected to have mostly Grades 7-9. With the average number of GCSEs being eight, this means achieving Grades 7-9 in at least five of these qualifications.
A-Levels
A-Levels hold significantly more weight than GCSEs and typically play a key role in your application.
Like any UK degree, you’ll need to meet specific grade requirements after receiving an offer to secure your place on the course. Offers are largely influenced by predicted grades, meaning applicants with lower predicted grades are less likely to be considered.
At Imperial College London, the minimum requirement for Economics, Finance and Data Science applicants are as follows:
Minimum A-level Requirements for Imperial Economics, Finance and Data Science
A*AA, including A* in Mathematics.
The two remaining As can theoretically be in any two other subjects, however, bear in mind that Imperial recommends these to be in Further Mathematics and/or Economics. General Studies and Critical Thinking are not accepted for this course.
While the above grade combination is the minimum, at least 50% of applicants will actually receive an offer with higher grades. This is called a typical offer, and according to Imperial this is:
Typical A-level Offers for Imperial Economics, Finance and Data Science
A*AA / A*A*A, including an A* in Mathematics
Alternative UK Qualifications
3. Scottish Advanced Highers
If you’re an international applicant, you can find country-specific accepted qualifications in Imperial’s website.
Personal Statement
As is standard for any UCAS application in the UK you’ll need to provide a Personal Statement. This statement is submitted online and has a maximum character limit of 4,000.
The Personal Statement provides important context for your application through three different questions. It’s your chance to explain why you want to study Economics, Finance, and Data Science, share your relevant experiences both in and outside of school, and highlight what you can contribute to the university if accepted.
Imperial doesn’t have formal scoring or specific requirements for Personal Statements, but their selection criteria emphasise factors such as your motivation, community involvement, work experience, leadership skills, and extracurricular activities.
If you can clearly and concisely showcase each of these factors in your statement, you should have a strong chance of being invited to interviews, provided you meet the next set of requirements. Discover more tips for crafting your Personal Statement in our Ultimate Guide.
TMUA
Starting in 2024, Imperial College London implemented a pair of new admissions tests from Pearson VUE for applicants of certain subjects. One of these tests was the Test of Mathematics for University Admissions (TMUA), which is required for all Economics, Finance and Data Science applicants.
The TMUA is a two-part multiple-choice exam that tests applicants on key mathematics principles. This is crucial for Economics applicants due to how dependent the course is on maths ability.
The test can be sat in either September or January, with each testing period having a two-day window available. It’s essential that you register to sit your test before the deadline date, otherwise you will not be able to complete your Computing application.
Imperial TMUA Cut Off Score
Imperial hasn’t set a specific TMUA theshold score for applicants, so all applicants will be considered regardless of their TMUA performance.
According to published data for the 2025 entry cycle, successful applicants typically achieved TMUA scores of around 5.5 and above. These scores are highly competitive, especially considering that most applicants fall below this range (3.5 – 4.5).
Interviews
All aspects of your application will be carefully assessed to determine whether you will be invited to interview.
For the Economics, Finance and Data Science programme at Imperial College London, only shortlisted candidates are invited to interview. The interview is conducted online with an academic and typically lasts between 20 and 30 minutes.
Unlike some other courses, where interviews focus heavily on subject knowledge, this interview is primarily designed to assess your motivation, analytical thinking, and communication skills, as well as your overall interest in the degree.
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imperial economics finance and data science acceptance rate
The Economics, Finance and Data Science BSc at Imperial College London is one of the most competitive undergraduate degrees in the UK and the second most competitive Imperial degree according to Imperial’s latest available admissions statistics.
2024 Acceptance Rate
For 2024 entry, there were 3,036 applicants, but only 226 offers were made, resulting in an offer rate of 7.4%. Ultimately, just 117 students enrolled, giving an overall acceptance rate of 3.9%. This highlights the extremely selective nature of the programme, with fewer than 1 in 25 applicants securing a place.
2023 Acceptance Rate
A similar trend can be seen in 2023, where 2,882 students applied, with 188 offers made (an offer rate of 6.5%) and only 78 acceptances, leading to an acceptance rate of 2.7%.
Key Takeaway
While there has been a slight increase year-on-year (due to more places becoming available), the data shows that competition for this course is exceptionally high, requiring applicants to demonstrate outstanding academic achievement, strong analytical ability, and a well-prepared application.
Conclusion
That’s everything you need to know about the entry requirements for Economics, Finance and Data Science at Imperial College London. International students must also provide an English Language Proficiency Test result if English is not their first language; however, there are no other significant requirements beyond this.
Imperial College London supports widening participation applicants. If you meet Imperial’s eligibility requirements for contextual offers, you might get a guaranteed minimum offer, be guaranteed an interview, or receive help to transition from school to uni life.
There are a lot of steps to applying for this course, but remember that these steps are all standard for economics-related degrees in the UK. Writing a great Personal Statement and performing well in the TMUA will help you stand out from the competition.
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Applying to Imperial College London is tough, so let UniAdmissions give you the best chance of success. We will guide you to craft the perfect Personal Statement and achieve a highly competitive TMUA score – covering all areas of your Imperial application.
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