Study Aviation in the UK

“Aviation” covers two genuinely different things, and it’s worth being clear which one you mean before applying: university degrees in Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering or Air Transport Management (academic study, applied through UCAS like any other subject), and pilot flight training (learning to fly, leading to a pilot’s licence, regulated separately by the UK Civil Aviation Authority through approved flight training organisations, not a standard university degree). This page is about the first. If you’re specifically looking to become a pilot, read the note below before going further.

University Aviation Degrees

Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering is an engineering degree focused on how aircraft are designed, built, and maintained — physics- and mathematics-heavy, and a genuine engineering qualification rather than pilot training. Air Transport Management is a business-focused degree covering the aviation industry — airlines, airports, logistics, and regulation — without a technical engineering or flying component. Both are studied through standard UK university applications, the same way as any other subject.

Typical Entry Requirements

Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering typically requires strong school-level Mathematics and Physics, in line with other engineering degrees. Air Transport Management requirements are generally closer to a Business degree, without a specific science-subject requirement. Check the specific course, since requirements vary by university.

Career Opportunities

Aeronautical/Aerospace Engineering graduates commonly work in aircraft design, manufacturing, maintenance engineering, and the wider aerospace and defence sectors. Air Transport Management graduates commonly move into airline operations, airport management, and aviation logistics roles.

A Note on Pilot Training

If what you actually want is to become a pilot, that’s a genuinely different, separately regulated pathway — flight training in the UK happens through Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)-approved flight training organisations, not through a standard university degree application, and typically involves substantially different costs and timelines than a university course. It’s important to be clear about which route you’re pursuing before applying, since a university Aviation degree alone doesn’t include flight training or a pilot’s licence. Tell us honestly which one you’re aiming for, and we’ll be equally honest about whether it’s something our University Application Support service actually covers.