London, the fascinating capital city of England, is a tourist and student hub. Students wanting to study in London are offered a diverse range of options when it comes to educational institutions. Known as one of the besit student cities in the world there sre qround 18 best universities in London. This means, along with housing the top universities in London, the city is friendly, welcoming and empathetic towards students from around the globe.
In this blog, we take you through the best universities in London along with all the relevant details you need to know before making a choice for the one that matches with your needs. If you are aspiring to study at the best colleges in London, this blog will surely guide you in the right direction.
5 Awesome Reasons To Study In London
Apart from the best colleges in London, the city is famous for a great many reasons including job opportunities, entertainment, culture and diversity. While these are some of the advantages, let us look at some other perks of studying at the best universities in London:
- Brilliant Architecture: Studying in London is like walking into a classic British movie. The architectural brilliance of London escapes no one.
- Diversity: Students across the world travel to London for higher education. You will definitely have great cultural exposure while studying in London.
- Language: If you study in London, you would not have to face a language barrier since the mode of communication and instruction in London is British English.
- Excellent student life: London is ranked 1st as the best student city in the world 2021-22 according to QS global ranking. London offers the best student life, be it providing quality education, a friendly environment or even, a number of travel opportunities.
- Networking: Studying in London gives students the opportunity to network with a wide range of professionals in your chosen field. This can help boost your future career prospects.
The endless list of advantages of studying at the top colleges in London goes on. Hence, let’s check off the essentials of the London university list by discussing the types and top universities in London.
Types of Universities in London
London houses 18 top ranked universities of the World. Each one of the universities in London for international students are unique from the other and cater to the brightest of students in the world. Broadly, there are 5 types of universities in UK. That are:
- Ancient Universities
- Russell Group universities
- Red Brick universities or civic universities
- Plate glass universities or 1960s universities
- New universities (polytechnic/metropolitan universities)
London houses a few of these types of universities that ensures imparting the best quality education and exposure to students. Therefore, thinking of studying in any type of university on the British land, will be a great choice.
Let’s now take a look at the top 10 universities in London:
10 Best Universities In London
London’s education system has upgraded itself with time. The historic London universities stand upright offering the best quality education to their students. Championing on every front the top London university list of universities include:
London Universities | QS World Ranking 2022 |
Imperial College London | 7 |
University College London (UCL) | 8 |
King’s College London | 35 |
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) | 49 |
Queen Mary University of London | 117 |
City, University of London | 330 |
Birkbeck, University of London | 332 |
Royal Holloway University of London | 334 |
Brunel University London | 351 |
SOAS University of London | 391 |
The above list comprises the best colleges in London to study in 2022. Let’s discuss each of the top 10 universities in London in detail.
Imperial College London
Ranked 7th in the world, Imperial College London is considered to be the best university to pursue any STEM specializations. Focused on the subjects of science the university has greatly contributed to the development of fields such as Medicine, Engineering, Finance etc. If you aspire to be a revolutionary scientist, this is the university you should go to!
Type | Public research university |
Average Tuition Fees | £31,500 |
Student/Faculty Ratio | 5 |
International Students | 11,143 |
Popular Courses | Mechanical Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, Neurosciences, Ophthalmology, Material Sciences, Immunology |
University College London (UCL)
The University College London is renowned for its overall development approach. Top-class infrastructure, best courses, entertainment centres, meditative rooms and highly skilled educators, UCL has it all! The University is also popularly known as a problem solver. With an intuitive approach to education, the university encourages students to find their paths rather than just follow the one served to them.
Type | Public research university |
Average Tuition Fees | £28,000 |
Student/Faculty Ratio | 5 |
International Students | 21,824 |
Popular Courses | Education, Architecture and the Built Environment, Archaeology, Anatomy and Physiology, Anthropology, Geography, Life Sciences and Medicine, Pharmacy and Pharmacology and Psychology. |
King’s College London
Established in 1829, King’s College is one of the most ancient colleges in the world. Speaking about its history, the university played a crucial role in contributing towards research advancements that led to the discovery of the DNA structure, telephone etc. Ranked among the best universities in the world, studying at King’s will ensure you are provided with enormous learning and growth opportunities.
Type | Public research university |
Average Tuition Fees | £27,000 |
Student/Faculty Ratio | 11 |
International Students | 15,075 |
Popular Courses | Humanities, Law, Medicine, Psychiatry, Nursing, Dentistry, International affairs |
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
If there is one thing that runs the world, it is Finance. London School of Economics and Political Science is one of the top institutes of the world educating young minds about money and politics. Known for its concentration on teaching and research, this is the best university for students interested in an MBA, Business studies, Finance, etc.
Type | Public research university |
Average Tuition Fees | £30,000 |
Student/Faculty Ratio | 10 |
International Students | 8,274 |
Popular Courses | Accounting & Finance, Business and Economics, Business & Management Studies, Marketing, Strategic Communications, Finance and Private Equity, Economics and Management, Financial Mathematics |
Queen Mary University of London
Research and teaching go hand-in-hand at Queen Mary. The university proactively contributes towards robotics, AI research and innovation. The groundbreaking gene therapy trial into a haemophilia cure was also conducted at this university. And as for the literary laurels, Queen Mary University also played a part in the success of the award-winning biography of Charles de Gaulle.
Type | Public research university |
Average Tuition Fees | £25,000 |
Student/Faculty Ratio | 9 |
International Students | 8,625 |
Popular Courses | Medicine, Dentistry, Healthcare, Drama, dance & cinematics, Linguistics and Russian & East European languages. |
City, University of London
Established in 1894, City, University of London is another prominent ancient university of London. The university is located in the heart of London and is popular among the student community for its student support services and networking opportunities. City, University of London holds a strong reputation in the field of Business and Sustainability.
Type | Public research university |
Average Tuition Fees | £19,000 |
Student/Faculty Ratio | 16 |
International Students | 7,362 |
Popular Courses | Law, Mathematics and Finance, Business Studies, Biomedical Engineering, Nursing |
Birkbeck, University of London
Located at the heart of London, Birkbeck is a constituent college of the federal University of London. The college is known for its high academic standards and attracts many students across the world. The university’s approach of thinking out of the box has impacted the outlook of the students greatly. Birbeck also offers evening classes to working professionals, therefore, encouraging education and networking opportunities.
Type | Public research university |
Average Tuition Fees | £21,500 |
Student/Faculty Ratio | 14 |
International Students | 3,214 |
Popular Courses | Psychology for Education, Biomedicine with advanced pathways, Chartered Management, Marketing, Applied Accounting and Business |
Royal Holloway University of London
The Royal Holloway University is known to have one of the most beautiful campuses in the world housing a number of study spaces, sports facilities, cafes, etc. The university offers multiple courses in various disciplines through its advanced teaching methods. The university was inaugurated by Queen Victoria and has grown ever since. Students of humanities and arts should prefer studying here.
Type | Public research university |
Average Tuition Fees | £26,200 |
Student/Faculty Ratio | 13 |
International Students | 3,705 |
Popular Courses | Creative Writing, Geography, Drama, Psychology, Mathematics, Music, Media Arts, Modern Languages |
Brunel University London
Brunel University London is a campus-based university situated in West London. The university is home to nearly 13,000 students from all over the world. Founded in 1966, the university combines teaching and research with a practical and entrepreneurial approach. This is the main reason for the success of this university.
Type | Public |
Average Tuition Fees | £18,000 |
Student/Faculty Ratio | 351 |
International Students | 5,305 |
Popular Courses | Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, Anthropology, English and Creative Writing |
SOAS University of London
SOAS University hosts change makers. Learning within the four walls isn’t where they stop at SOAS. The university empowers them with the knowledge that allows them to stand up for various developmental issues such as human rights, development, migration, identity, legal systems, poverty, religion, and social change etc. Hence, if you are interested in making the world a better place, then this university is the right place for you!
Type | Public research university |
Average Tuition Fees | £21,750 |
Student/Faculty Ratio | 11 |
International Students | 2,398 |
Popular Courses | Anthropology and Sociology, Arts, International Studies, Cultural, Literary and Postcolonial Studies, Development, Environment and Policy, Development Studies, Economics |
Now that you have more information about the top universities in London, we’d like to answer a few frequently asked questions before we wrap up.