London Universities
Completely different lifestyle. Although it may be expensive to experience some of the amazing stuff that London has to offer, it is still worth it.
Student review: 4 /5
By member1164262 on 25th November 2021
Study in London
With more things to do around you than time to do it, studying in London offers so many opportunities and benefits. There are 27 universities that stretch across the length and breadth of the city and beyond. Use our links below to find out more about a uni that interests you.
What to expect from studying in London
Students are choosing to study in London for all sorts of reasons, so here are some top tips to make the most of your experience.
#1 So much to do! There are endless options for eating and nights out and idling away the weekends. Make the most of it.
#2 Get around easily. With excellent transport links right across the city, you have the opportunity to explore some varied and wonderful places, as well as being perfectly placed to travel further afield in the UK and Europe.
#3 Meet some new people. There are lots of people from lots of different places in London, so make the most of meeting people from as many different countries, cultures and backgrounds as possible. Expand your horizons as well as your taste buds!
#4 Work it. Being in the heart of one of the most influential cities in the world creates great opportunities for placements and part-time jobs. See our article on placements to find out how to nail a university placement.
#5 Expand your mind (not just in class). With wonderful opportunities for cultural engagement and an extensive supply of fascinating museums and galleries (quite a few of which are free) there is no excuse to stay at home.
#6 Keep your eye on your budget. Without doubt the main downside of studying in London is cost. With higher-than-average costs, particularly for big ticket items like accommodation, make sure you are money-savvy and have worked out all your expenses to make sure you're not stressing about money.
Universities in London
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Birkbeck University is located in Central London (Zone 1) in the neighbourhood of Bloomsbury. The university was founded in 1823 originally named London Mechanics’ Institute and is make up of over 11,000 students. Their main campus is located in Central London but there is also a large campus in Stratford. Birkbeck has a TEF Silver rating and offers around 200 grad programmes with lots of lectures taking place in the evening.
Brunel University London, located in the Uxbridge area of London (Zone 6), was founded in 1966 and named after the famous Victorian engineer. Brunel has 15,520 students organised into three colleges: the College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences, the College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences and the College of Health and Life Sciences. Brunel is especially know for their top research within engineering, public health, sports science and art and design, and has been awarded a TEF silver rating for teaching.
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City, University of London was founded in 1894 as the Northampton Institute and is made up of around 20,000 students. It is located in Central London (Zone 1) in the neighbourhood of Clerkenwell and has a TEF Silver rating. The university has five specialist schools and courses focused on business and the professions. City, University of London has a global outlook as a large proportion of students are from outside the UK.
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Courtauld Institute of Art is located in Central London (Zone 1) near The Strand. The university was founded in 1932 and is made up of 545 students. It is the largest community of art historians and conservators in the UK and has a TEF Silver rating. Courtauld Institute of Art only offers one undergraduate course but offers several postgraduate courses.
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Goldsmiths, University of London was founded in 1891 and is made up of over 10,000 students. It is located in South East London (Zone 2) in the neighbourhood of New Cross. The university specialises in arts, design, humanities and social sciences and has a TEF Bronze rating.
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Founded in 1907, Imperial College London is located in Central London (Zone 1) in the neighbourhood of Kensington. The university is made up of around 19,000 students and is part of the Russell Group with a world class reputation for science, engineering and medicine programmes. Imperial College London is focused entirely on STEM subjects and has a TEF Gold rating.
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King’s College London is made up of 5 campuses and is located in Central London (Zone 1) near The Strand. It was founded in 1829 and is made up around 33,000 students. King’s College London is part of the Russell Group, specialising in Life Science and Medicine and has a TEF Silver rating.
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Kingston University was founded in 1899 and has around 18,000 students. It is made up of 4 campuses located in South West London (Zone 6) in the neighbourhood of Kingston upon Thames. Kingston University has a Bronze TEF rating and is an extremely diverse and multicultural uni, specialising in arts, design, fashion, science, engineering and business.
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London Metropolitan University is located in Zone 2 in the neighbourhood of Holloway. Founded in 1848 and now made up of over 10,000 students, this public research university has a TEF Bronze rating.
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London School of Commerce was founded in 1999 and is located in the South East of London (Zone 1) in the neighbourhood of Southwark. The university is made up of 285 student and currently offers a handful of programmes at all levels with a TEF Silver rating.
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London School of Economics (LSE) is made up of around 12,000 students and is part of the Russell Group. Founded in 1895, LSE is located in Central London (Zone 1) in the neighbourhood of Holborn. The university has a TEF Bronze rating and is a well recognised for its social science and management subjects.
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London South Bank University is located in South East London (Zone 1) in the neighbourhood of Elephant and Castle. Founded in 1892, the university is made up of around 16,000 students and has a TEF Silver rating.
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Middlesex University is located in Hendon (Zone 3/4) in North West London. Boasting over 20,175 students, Middlesex has a TEF Silver rating. It is comprised of six schools: Art and Design, Business, Law, Health and Education, Media and Performing Arts and Science and Technology. They also have a hugely diverse staff and student body, representing 165 nationalities.
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Queen Mary University of London has 5 campuses located in East London (Zone 2) in the neighbourhood of Mile End. The university is in the Russell Group, has around 21,000 students and a TEF Silver rating. It was established in 1785 as London Hospital Medical College and was England’s first medical school.
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Regents University London was founded in 1984 and is made up of around 2,200 students. The non-profit private university has a TEF Bronze rating and is located in Zone 1 with its campus based in the heart of Regent’s Park.
Richmond American International University of London is a private liberal arts university founded in 1972 made up of 2 campuses, one in Richmond Hill (Zone 4) and another in Kensington (Zone 1). The university has around 880 students and a TEF provisional rating.
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Royal Holloway, University of London is a public research university founded in 1879 and located in West London in the neighbourhood of Egham, situated outside the M25 orbital motorway. The university is well recognised for its Founder’s Building and is made up of around 11,000 students and has been awarded a TEF Silver rating.
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School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) was founded in 1916 and is one of the world leading universities for the study of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. It is a public research university located in Central London (Zone 1) in the neighbourhood of Bloomsbury, is made up of around 5,800 students and has a TEF Silver rating.
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St George’s, University of London is located in South West London (Zone 3) in the neighbourhood of Tooting, has around 4,300 students and a TEF Bronze rating. The private medical school was founded in 1722 and was the second institution in England to provide formal training for doctors.
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St Mary’s University, Twickenham is located in West London (Zone 5) in the neighbourhood of Twickenham. The university was founded in 1850, is now home to around 5,500 students and has a TEF Silver rating.
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University College London is a globally recognised university founded in 1826 and home to around 41,000 students. The university is located in Central London (Zone 1) in the neighbourhood of Bloomsbury. UCL is the second largest university in the UK by total enrolment and has a TEF Silver rating.
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University of East London has two campuses in East London (Zone 2) in Stratford and London Docklands. The university was founded in 1898, is home to around 15,000 students and has a TEF Bronze rating.
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The University of Greenwich, founded in 1891, has two London-based campuses and one in Kent. The Greenwich campus (Zone 2), located mainly in the Old Royal Naval College, is renowned for its Painted Hall and stunning architecture. The university is home to a total of 19,825 students and has been awarded a Silver in the TEF.
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Roehampton is a public university located in South West London (Zone 3) and is made up of 4 colleges based around 3 sites in Roehampton. The university was founded in 1975 and has a TEF Silver rating.
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University of the Arts London (UAL) was founded in 1986 and is a globally recognised university for art and design. It is currently made up of around 20,000 students and has 6 colleges located in Central London (Zone 1) in the neighbourhood of Holborn. UAL is Europe’s largest speciality university for art and design and it has a TEF Silver rating.
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University of West London (UWL) is made up of 8 schools across 2 campuses located in West London (Zone 3) in the neighbourhood of Ealing. The university was founded in 1860, is home to around 12,000 students and has a TEF Silver rating.
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University of Westminster has 4 main campuses located in Central London (Zone 1) in the neighbourhood of Westminster. The university was founded in 1838 and was named the most internationally diverse university in the UK in the HDI. The University of Westminster is home to around 19,400 students and has a TEF Bronze rating.
