JL
Curated and written by
Joseph Lock
AFS City Guide Content Creator
Studying at University College London
The complete student guide to London
8 min read·Last updated: 8 April 2026
"A historic yet cosmopolitan capital, famous royal heritage (Buckingham Palace), iconic landmarks (Big Ben, Tower Bridge, London Eye), and world-class museums like the British Museum."
Why study in London
Opportunities on your doorstep
Known for being the top UK city for job opportunities, London is a global hub for all careers – especially for students looking to specialise in finance, technology, and media. The city offers unrivalled access to internships, placements, and top employers which provide higher graduate starting salaries than other cities. The area also allows you to branch out and work with firms that are famous elsewhere in the world e.g. big American companies that have London city branches. Opportunities aren’t just for graduates though; every day students can attend a workshop of some kind to network and build contacts early.
Known worldwide for high education quality
London has universities dotted all over the city allowing you to attend an institution no matter where you live in the district. The city is home to some of the global top-tier institutions, notably including four of the world’s top 40 universities. People travel from all over to specialise in certain areas of study hence why the capital of the UK is a centre for academic excellence in fields like business, law, and medicine. Famous people including Mahatma Gandhi, Christopher Nolan and David Attenborough have studied at various universities in London.
Effective transport links
With trains, Eurostars, airports, buses, and the Underground – whatever form of transport that you fancy, London has it. The larger number of city connections allows students to use public transport system easily and they can navigate anywhere within the city at a pretty cheap price. Not only is transport easily accessible within the city but the systems also allow for travel to the rest of the UK and Europe, allowing students from outside of London (including internationals) to travel home easier.
You'll never get bored
London is full of history and culture with over 1,000 museums and galleries, as well as 350 live music venues – there is always something to do. For art fans, the Royal Academy of Arts and the Tate Britian are a must see. The Columbia Road flower market is a stunning sight, a bright display of colour to brighten your day! For football fans, the Oof Gallery in the Tottenham Hotspur stadium is a contemporary art gallery focused on football.
Key facts about London
Student life in London
Life in the city: Student highlights
Cost of living in London
Wondering how much it costs to live in London as a student? We’ve broken down typical monthly expenses and compared them to the national average, so you can plan your budget with confidence.
| Expense | London average | National average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent (monthly) | £1690 | £907.91 | £782.0986% more |
| Utilities (monthly) | £125 | £111.91 | £13.0912% more |
| Bus pass (monthly) | £67 | £62.64 | £4.367% more |
| Groceries | £17.75 | £15.26 | £2.4916% more |
| Gym pass (monthly) | £56.23 | £35.63 | £20.6057% more |
| Takeaway coffee | £3.99 | £3.62 | £0.3710% more |
Rent (monthly)
- London average
- £1690
- National average
- £907.91
- Difference
- £782.0986% more
Utilities (monthly)
- London average
- £125
- National average
- £111.91
- Difference
- £13.0912% more
Bus pass (monthly)
- London average
- £67
- National average
- £62.64
- Difference
- £4.367% more
Groceries
- London average
- £17.75
- National average
- £15.26
- Difference
- £2.4916% more
Gym pass (monthly)
- London average
- £56.23
- National average
- £35.63
- Difference
- £20.6057% more
Takeaway coffee
- London average
- £3.99
- National average
- £3.62
- Difference
- £0.3710% more
“London has the best transportation system!”
Universities in London
Arden University
Arden University is a private establishment that offers online and blended courses to students across the world. Find out more here.
Read guide →
BPP University
BPP University is a private for-profit university, it was not until 2013 that it became the BPP university, as it is known today.
Read guide →
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is the only university in the UK to focus entirely on engineering, science, medicine and business.
Read guide →
London Metropolitan University
London Metropolitan University has roots going back to 1848, making it one of the oldest institutions in London.
Read guide →
London South Bank University
London Southbank University is based in Elephant and Castle, near the South Bank of the River Thames.
Read guide →
Ravensbourne University London
With a committed green Students’ Union and a high employment rate, Ravensbourne University allows students to develop key skills for their future.
Read guide →
Regent's University London
With a diverse range of societies, Regent’s University London allows students to expand their knowledge and also their skills.
Read guide →
Roehampton University
With an inclusive student union and several funding options, the University of Roehampton ensures that students will have a great chance at an education and a bright future.
Read guide →
St Mary's University, Twickenham
St Mary’s Universities caters to student needs, providing each one with individual opportunity and support to ensure the best future possibilities.
Read guide →
University of East London
With a high employability rate and a long history, the University of East London strives to provide the best opportunities for its students.
Read guide →
University of Greenwich
The University of Greenwich is situated in London and Kent, with three campuses which can be reached by public transport. Greenwich Campus is the largest and is set in a World Heritage Site on the banks on the River Thames.
Read guide →
University of London
The University of London is one of the largest, most diverse universities in the UK with over 12,000 students in London, and a further 50,000 studying across 190 countries for a University of London degree.
Read guide →
University of the Arts London
Ranked second in the world for Art and Design, the University of Arts London gives its students brilliant opportunities to develop and showcase their skills.
Read guide →
University of West London
The University of West London is based over three campuses, two of which are in London and one in Reading.
Read guide →
University of Westminster
The University of Westminster is over 180 years old and attracts over 20,000 students every year from 169 different countries.
Read guide →Getting around London
London’s extensive transport system gives it the reputation of having the best city links in the UK.
Buses
Buses are the most popular option amongst students due to affordability and regularity. If students use an Oyster card (which costs £25 to apply for online) they can get 30% off travelcards and bus tickets. You can also find some 24-hour services such as night buses that run and will help you get home safely from a night out.
Some campuses also run free shuttles such as the service that runs from Stratford station to UCL East Campus.
Top tip: travelling during off-peak times will be cheaper.
Some campuses also run free shuttles such as the service that runs from Stratford station to UCL East Campus.
Top tip: travelling during off-peak times will be cheaper.
Cycling
Students can cycle safely through the city, with most of the university campuses having bike storage facilities available.
You can also hire plenty of bikes across the city including Lime Bikes or Santander Cycles.
You can also hire plenty of bikes across the city including Lime Bikes or Santander Cycles.
Walking
If you would prefer to save money or just prefer to walk, London is considered to be a walkable city, you’re never too far away from a campus, a form of student accommodation, or a supermarket. You won’t struggle to get your steps in as a student here, but if you do get tired you won’t have far to go to hop on a bus or get the Underground.
Metrolink
Most trams were phased out in the 1950s as they were seen as old-fashioned and instead the city made room for more bus routes. However, the Tramlink does still serve certain parts of the city mainly in Croydon and South London.
Similar to the bus service, can use their Oyster card to get money off tram tickets. The Hopper Fare can also be applied to both bus and tram journeys: allowing unlimited bus/tram journeys within one hour for £1.75. Most central universities, such as LSE, UCL, and King's, are located near key tube stations like Holborn, Euston, or Temple, making this an easy option for students.
Night Tube and Overground also operate on Friday/Saturday nights, allowing for later services to help students get home from nights out.
Similar to the bus service, can use their Oyster card to get money off tram tickets. The Hopper Fare can also be applied to both bus and tram journeys: allowing unlimited bus/tram journeys within one hour for £1.75. Most central universities, such as LSE, UCL, and King's, are located near key tube stations like Holborn, Euston, or Temple, making this an easy option for students.
Night Tube and Overground also operate on Friday/Saturday nights, allowing for later services to help students get home from nights out.
Trains
London's major railway stations include: Waterloo, Paddington, King's Cross, St Pancras, Euston, Victoria, Liverpool Street, London Bridge, Charing Cross, and Marylebone. St Pancras is particularly crucial due to its Eurostar service allowing travel through to Europe. Rail passes are also available which will save you a third off tickets (16-25 Railcard), costing just £35 for one year of £80 for the full three years of your study.
Life after uni
London is the city with the most job prospects in the UK but it is still highly competitive for graduate schemes. There are a wide variety of opportunities for careers in financial and professional services (banking, law and accounting etc.), as well as creative industries, life sciences and tourism.
Here are some key facts about employment prospects in London:
Employment sectors
There are a wide variety of opportunities for careers in financial and professional services (banking, law and accounting etc.), as well as creative industries, life sciences and tourism.
Accommodation for every student
halls
111 properties
Avg. £340/week
houses
91 properties
Avg. £226/week
flats
381 properties
Avg. £338/week
studios
550 properties
Avg. £426/week
Latest properties in London
JL
Curated and written by
Joseph Lock
AFS City Guide Content Creator
Studying at University College London
Joseph is a fourth year MSci Physics student at UCL, where he is researching energy management in the built environment for his master's project. He is also a City Guide Content Creator at AFS, drawing on his own student experience to create the London city guide.
