2016/17 Applicants MSc Advanced Computational Methods for Aeronautics

Hey,
I applied for this course and got my admissions offer last week

I got mine too late January! So have you decided whether to take this course?
What is your background by the way?

Yeah, so I have done my undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering from Pakistan.
The course is my first preference, but I am really worried about the job prospects for international sudents after graduation.
What about you? What is your background and your view on the course?

I have a background in mathematics. I spoke to an alumnus and he said that this course is insanely demanding and students worked 24/7 for the entire year. His cohort was warned at the beginning that this is the hardest course in Imperial. I have offers from other institutions and still waiting for replies from others but for now Imperial is my first choice. The course is highly computational in its nature and apparently there is a few non-computational modules. I have no formal background in Fortran so I will aim to start learning it during the summer after my degree.
Also there is little fluid dynamics. I will ask the department for more details about the course structure before I pay for my deposit. I think if you graduate from Imperial you can find jobs easier (it will be tough still) given that you are an international student. If you can find a project with the industry then that should increase your chances of being employed (I was informed). There are some international students whom I found in LinkedIn who did this course and they are working here or in Europe so I all hope of being employed is not lost. You will particularly struggle looking for jobs in the defence-related sector as you will not meet the nationality or residence requirements. Nonetheless, I have a couple of international students friends who secured employments here in the UK after they did their MEng from a different uni.

Is there any particular reason why you decided to shift from mathematics to aerospace?
Yes I have heard about the difficulty of the program but I guess that is why Imperial is the best for aerospace across Europe. So much for our social life in London
Yeah Matlab and Fortran are the two programming languages that are predominantly used in the aerospace industry so you should work on learning them. I think the course website provides some useful links to learn Fortran so you can look them up for reference.
I am also waiting for replies from other institutes before I actually decide. I have applied mostly to universities in the States so I am expecting replies in a couple of weeks. I guess you are right about the employment situation. Plus I have also heard that brand name is really important in UK so if you graduate from a top university getting a job is easier (my siblings are LSE graduates). I am just worried about the new policy that was passed last August. I think international students can now only stay up to two months after graduation. I am just wondering if two months are enough to actually land a job after graduation.

Also, if you're an international student with an MSc from Imperial. Why the heck will you apply for a job that will only pay you less than 35K in 5 years? It sounds counterproductive financially. US is a dying country and I don't see myself living there apart from probably doing another graduate degree. Let me know if you are definitely going to Imperial as it will be nice to meet some people before starting the course as we might not have time to break the ice.

Sorry I didn't understand what you meant by applying for a job that pays you less than 35k in 5 years?
Yes definitely. Ill pm you once I finalize my decision.
Btw my name is Hamza.

Sorry that was not clear. I think what the government is doing is that if some international students wants to stay and work in the UK. Their salary should be no less than 35K per year after 5 years of working... otherwise they might face deportation.

Do not learn any Fortran ever... Stick with languages used in academia and industry, e.g C++/Python, the course is almost entirely Matlab (shamefully so) although I did a fair portion in Python. You will never be asked to know Fortran in your life, every solver has been moved to C++ by now and if it hasn't well there's a few reasons why and they're all bad. I highly recommend pushing for your thesis to be in C++ C# Python or something of the like as it gives you a real edge in industry when everybody else has a faint grasp of Matlab.

No, I graduated from the course just this year.
Job prospects are excellent. I have heard of no complaints with some going to work for Airbus doing satellites and some like myself heading to the City.
Yes, if you have the capacity.
That's not really the way to think about it, just take a safe number like 16.
Pretty good if you are obviously talented, know the professors and can get the funding, I have a few friends who are now PhD at Imperial and elsewhere.