Hey,
I’m an international IB student choosing between:
- Imperial College London — MEng Mechanical Engineering (4 years)
- University of California, Los Angeles — Mechanical Engineering (4-year bachelor’s)
Main concerns:
1. Flexibility
I don’t want to be locked into pure mechanical. I’m interested in AI, robotics, and tech.
Is Imperial actually restrictive, or is that exaggerated? How easy is it to pivot at UCLA in reality?
3. Career outcomes (as an international)
- US vs UK job markets
- visa situation after graduating
- global mobility
Does UCLA give a real advantage for tech/AI careers, or does Imperial’s MEng + reputation hold equal weight?
4. Workload vs opportunity
Imperial = very intense, structured
UCLA = more flexible
At Imperial, do you actually have time for side projects, internships, etc., or is it constant grind?
5. Overall experience
London vs LA, networking, student life — anything that genuinely matters long term.
My current thinking:
Imperial = stronger engineering depth, faster master’s, more rigid
UCLA = more flexibility, better for mixing into tech, stronger exposure to US ecosystem
Not sure if that’s accurate or oversimplified.
If you were in this position, what would you pick and why?
Would appreciate direct, honest answers.