Student body For the academic year, Imperial had a total full-time student body of , consisting of undergraduate students and postgraduates. 50.7% of the student body is from outside of the UK. 32% of all full-time students came from outside the
European Union in 2013–14, and around 13% of the International students had Chinese nationality in 2007–08.
Imperial College Union Imperial College Union is the
students' union and is run by five full-time
sabbatical officers elected from the student body for a tenure of one year, and a number of permanent members of staff. It is split into constituent unions aligned with the faculties of the college, carrying on the association with the original constituent colleges of Imperial, the
Royal College of Science Union,
City and Guilds College Union,
Royal School of Mines Students' Union and
Imperial College School of Medicine Students' Union. The union is given a large subvention by the university, much of which is spent on maintaining over 300 clubs, projects and societies.
Student societies Imperial College London has over 350 student clubs, societies and projects.
The Techtonics, Imperial's all-male contemporary a capella group, won the
International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella in 2016. Other notable student groups and projects include
Project Nepal, which sends Imperial College students to work on educational development programmes in rural Nepal, and the
El Salvador Project, a construction based project in Central America.
Facilities The union operates on two sites, with most events at the Union Building on Beit Quad in South Kensington, with most
Imperial College School of Medicine events at the Reynold's Bar at
Charing Cross Hospital. There are two student bars on the South Kensington campus, one at the
Imperial College Union and one at Eastside. There are a number of pubs and bars on campus and also surrounding the campus, which become a popular social activity for Imperial's students. The
Pewter tankard collection at Imperial College Union is the largest in Europe, with the majority of clubs and societies having tankards associated with their clubs.
Student media Student media at Imperial includes
Felix, the university newspaper, and
Imperial College Radio.
Sports Sports at Imperial are organised by Imperial Athletes, run as a collaboration between Imperial College Union and the university's Move Imperial programme. This sports over 90 sports clubs, many of which participate in
British Universities and Colleges Sport leagues or the London University Sports Leagues. The Imperial Leagues offer
intramural sports at the university within the Imperial Athletes organisation. Notable sports clubs include
Imperial College Boat Club. Sports facilities at Imperial's London campuses include four gyms, including the main Ethos gym at the South Kensington Campus, two swimming pools and two sports halls. Imperial has additional sports facilities at the Heston and Harlington sports grounds. On the South Kensington campus, there are a total of six music practice rooms which consist of upright pianos for usage by people of any grade, and grand pianos which are exclusively for people who have achieved Grade 8 or above.
The Bottle Match The annual
Bottle Match, a varsity
rugby fixture between Imperial's
Royal School of Mines and the University of Exeter's
Camborne School of Mines, is the second oldest in the world. The first recorded match took place in 1902. The Bottle Match is traditionally held in February, normally on the third weekend of the month. The match reflects a long-standing rivalry between the two mining schools.
Exploration Board Imperial's Exploration Board was established in 1955 and funds student expeditions as well as recognising them as official Imperial projects. It also maintains an archive of past expeditions.
Drinking societies While many Imperial student activities are inclusive and run by the Imperial College Union, Imperial is also home to several highly exclusive social clubs often referred to as "tie clubs" or "
drinking societies". Historically centered around students from the
constituent colleges, the three most prominent clubs are The 22s, The Links, and The Chaps. These invite-only societies, dominated by alumni who were active in the student union and sports (particularly rugby) maintain strong connections to the university. Their existence has been a source of controversy within the student community, with critics pointing out their "
elitist" and often secretive nature. For instance, the historically all-male The 22s and accusations of "tokenism" against The Links have led to calls for Imperial College Union to enforce stricter equal opportunities standards, especially since members of these tie clubs have traditionally held highly influential positions within the union's sabbatical and governance structures.
Mascotry Imperial has a tradition of mascotry, a unique and historically intense custom of rivalry, theft, and ransom between the student bodies of its founding constituent unions. This practice involves two main categories of
mascots. First, there are violable mascots, the ceremonial objects that are traditionally the targets of theft and ransom demands, often for RAG (Raising and Giving) charity. Examples include the
Royal College of Science's seven-foot-long thermometer Theta and the
City and Guilds Union's heavy bronze Spanner and Bolt. This tradition of competitive stealing is still ongoing, though it has seen a reduction in activity in recent years and is subject to official Imperial College Union rules to prevent violence or property damage. Second, the four famous antique motorised vehicles such as the 1916 Dennis N-Type Fire Engine Jezebel and the 1902 car Boanerges are classified as inviolate (protected from theft). These motorised mascots are meticulously maintained and regularly paraded by student motor clubs at ceremonial and public events, ensuring that the engineering and historical pride of the constituent unions remains an active part of student life.
Music and arts in South Kensington, the venue for many Blyth Centre public performances The Blyth Centre for Music and Visual Arts offers resources such as music scholarships, art classes and practice rooms. The centre organises the university's regular series of public performances, many of which take place off-campus at the nearby
Holy Trinity Church on Prince Consort Road. These run during term time and feature both professional artists and Imperial students, including Ash Music Scholars and ensembles such as the Imperial College Chamber Choir. The programme also includes a lunchtime concert series and formal college
evensong services. The rock band
Queen performed one of their first gigs in the
Union Concert Hall. The band was formed when
Brian May placed an advert on the noticeboard in the union looking for a '"
Mitch Mitchell/
Ginger Baker type" drummer' and
Roger Taylor responded. Each year
Imperial Business School organises a major annual social event, often referred to as the "Winter Party" or "Winter Ball," at the adjacent
Natural History Museum. This exclusive, after-hours event transforms the museum's Hintze Hall into a grand venue for hundreds of students to celebrate and socialise under the iconic 25-meter
blue whale skeleton. Imperial is a key partner in the Great Exhibition Road Festival, a free annual celebration of science and the arts held in South Kensington, in collaboration with neighboring institutions like the Natural History Museum,
Science Museum,
V&A, and
Royal Albert Hall. The festival, which succeeded the annual Imperial Festival, draws over 50,000 visitors with a weekend of talks, interactive exhibits showcasing Imperial's research, and performances.
Commemoration Day The university's main
graduation ceremony, Commemoration Day, takes place annually in early summer at the
Royal Albert Hall, a tradition that has been in place for over 60 years. The naming of Commemoration Day dates back to a 1945 visit by
King George VI and
Queen Elizabeth to mark the centenary of the
Royal College of Science. ==Notable alumni, academics and other staff==