Is having free evenings important when comparing engineering departments?
Yes. If you want to balance study with extracurricular activities, part-time work, rest, or other commitments, how easily you can keep evenings free is a useful comparison point. However, workload varies by year, courses, laboratory or practical classes, and assignments. Do not judge a department on free evenings alone; check official timetables, course information, and any available indication of laboratory frequency or assignment workload.
Key points
- Evening availability affects how easily students can combine study with activities, work, rest, or independent study.
- In engineering, laboratory or practical classes, courses taken, and assignments can change the workload and time students finish for the day.
- Compare this factor alongside the curriculum and academic support, rather than treating it as the only criterion.
Things to check
- Actual free time differs by university, department, year, course choices, and each student's study pace, so the relevant official timetables and syllabi should be checked.