Have you ever gotten bored during breakfast and started reading the ingredients on a cereal box? Have you ever wondered how everyday products are made, such as shampoo, toothpaste, or perfume? Maybe you have seen factory videos about these products online. But let’s go on a bigger scale. Have you ever wondered how sugar is produced? How drinking water is treated? Or how plastic is made for use in almost everything? These are just some of the things you can learn about when you study chemical engineering.
Chemical engineering is the study of using science, mathematics, and engineering principles to turn raw materials into practical products and processes. Chemical engineers work with chemical reactions, process design, manufacturing, safety, sustainability, and product development. In a fast-changing world with growing demand for cleaner production and efficient manufacturing, this field continues to evolve. If you are interested in becoming a chemical engineer, here are some of the best schools to study in Europe!
Top Chemical Engineering Schools in Europe
1. University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is among the strongest universities for chemical engineering and biotechnology in Europe. Its Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology offers an accredited undergraduate Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology course, with a three-year BA route and a four-year MEng route. The department also offers postgraduate study through taught master’s programs, MPhil by research, Ph.D. opportunities, and doctoral training.
Students at Cambridge study chemical engineering and biotechnology through a mix of scientific principles, process engineering, sustainability, health care, and research-led teaching. The department’s research covers areas such as reactions and processes, materials, biotechnology, sensors, and sustainable technologies, giving students access to a broad academic environment.
2. ETH Zurich
ETH Zurich, also known as the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, is one of Europe’s leading universities for science and technology. Its chemical engineering programs connect molecular science with engineering, preparing students to design, produce, and improve chemical and biochemical processes.
The university offers a bachelor’s program in Chemical Engineering and a Master of Science in Chemical and Bioengineering. The master’s program is a 90-ECTS degree that normally takes 1.5 years and includes areas such as process design, bioengineering, biotechnology, catalysis, polymers, safety, and environmental technology. Students can also benefit from ETH Zurich’s Chemistry | Biology | Pharmacy Information Center and the research environment of the Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences.
3. University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is one of the most prestigious universities in the world and a strong option for students interested in chemical engineering within a broader engineering science framework.
Oxford teaches engineering through its Engineering Science course. Students study core engineering topics in the first two years and then choose specialist courses later in the program, including Chemical Engineering and Chemical and Process Engineering options. At the postgraduate level, Oxford’s Department of Engineering Science offers research degrees and has research activity across major branches of engineering, including chemical and process engineering.
4. Imperial College London
Imperial College London is consistently among the strongest institutions in Europe for chemical engineering. In the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject for Chemical Engineering, Imperial is ranked fourth in the world.
The Department of Chemical Engineering offers an integrated four-year MEng, one-year master’s programs in Advanced Chemical Engineering, and Ph.D. study. Imperial also emphasizes hands-on learning through major teaching and research facilities, including its four-story Carbon Capture Pilot Plant, which is used to train students in real process engineering and carbon capture technologies.
5. Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology Lausanne
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, better known as École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne or EPFL, is a public science and technology university in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is among Europe’s strongest institutions for science, engineering, and research.
EPFL’s Chemistry and Chemical Engineering section offers a bachelor’s program in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, English-taught master’s programs such as Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, and doctoral study through the Chemistry and Chemical Engineering doctoral program. Because EPFL is in French-speaking Switzerland, bachelor’s applicants should note that EPFL requires at least B2 French, while C1 French is strongly recommended. The Master in Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology is taught in English and covers areas such as innovative processes, separation technologies, bioengineering, biotechnology, catalysis, polymers, and process safety.
6. Delft University of Technology
The Delft University of Technology is a leading technical university in the Netherlands and a strong European option for chemical engineering. TU Delft’s chemical engineering education and research focus on developing solutions for societal challenges through chemistry, biotechnology, process technology, materials, and energy-related research.
The MSc Chemical Engineering program at TU Delft is a full-time, English-taught program that takes two years and consists of 120 credits. The university also supports doctoral research through its Graduate School. One notable feature is Pro2Tech, the Delft Process and Product Technology Institute, which connects researchers, students, and industry partners in process and product technology.
7. University College London
UCL offers students a wide range of programs and research opportunities. In chemical engineering, UCL offers undergraduate routes such as the BEng and MEng, postgraduate taught programs, and MPhil/Ph.D. study.
UCL also has major student facilities, including the UCL Student Center, which provides around 1,000 individual, group, and open-plan study spaces, as well as quiet contemplation areas. The Department of Chemical Engineering works with other UCL departments, academic partners, and industrial research groups, giving students access to a broad academic and professional network.
8. University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is one of the best-known universities for chemical engineering in Europe. Manchester is closely connected to the history of the discipline: George E. Davis helped create chemical engineering as an academic discipline in Manchester in 1887.
The university offers undergraduate chemical engineering routes, postgraduate study, and Ph.D./MPhil research opportunities. Students can benefit from Manchester’s position in the UK’s North West manufacturing region and from the department’s links with major companies such as Unilever and Siemens. Manchester’s chemical engineering graduates have gone on to roles in companies including Pfizer, Unilever, and Siemens.
9. Eindhoven University of Technology
The Eindhoven University of Technology, also known as TU/e, is a strong European option for students interested in chemical engineering, chemistry, and technology-driven research.
TU/e offers a bachelor’s program in Chemical Engineering and Chemistry and a master’s program in Chemical Engineering. The master’s program allows students to focus on areas such as chemical and process technology, molecular systems and materials chemistry, sustainable chemical processes, polymers, catalysis, and advanced materials. The bachelor’s program in Chemical Engineering and Chemistry and the master’s track in Chemical and Process Technology have also been reaccredited by the Institution of Chemical Engineers.
10. Technical University of Denmark
As a school of engineering, the Technical University of Denmark prepares students to work on industrial and sustainability challenges through innovation and research. DTU offers an MSc in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering that combines chemical and biochemical industrial technology.
The master’s program is a two-year, 120-ECTS degree. Students can choose from specializations such as Chemical and Biochemical Process Technology, Product Engineering, Energy and Environmental Engineering, Fermentation-Based Manufacturing, and Biomanufacturing Industry. DTU also emphasizes close cooperation with Danish industry, research-based international companies, and universities in areas such as chemistry, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, food, and energy.
FAQs about Studying Chemical Engineering
Does Chemical Engineering Require Extensive Knowledge of Mathematics?
Yes. Chemical engineering requires a strong foundation in mathematics. Students should expect to use mathematics in areas such as material and energy balances, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, transport phenomena, reaction engineering, process modeling, and process control. Software is widely used in modern chemical engineering, but it does not remove the need to understand the mathematics behind engineering calculations and models.
We hope this article on the best chemical engineering schools in Europe was helpful. Make sure to also check out the Available Programs in Europe!
