What is the Best University in London?
- Originally published
- Last updated on August 23rd, 2024 at 06:02 pm
Table of Contents
Oxford and Cambridge aren’t your thing. The bright lights of London are. So, What are the Best Universities in London?
Want a world-class education close to the nearest tube stop?
Looking for an A+ academic ranking to rival Oxford and Cambridge?
Want a cozy spot where you can get involved in the arts community and see amazing West End shows on the regular?
Every (brand new) Londoner is unique.
No matter what your higher education goals, we got you covered. Because London is a category of its own, and if you know you want to take advantage of the city, you may have no idea which is the best university in London — particularly if you’re international.
Our Call: University College London is our fav university in London. It’s prestigious, well-rounded, in the center of the action, and internationally-minded.
Keep reading for winners in all our categories.
If you’re new to London and the UK, check out differences in the UK grading system and the basics of how to go to college in the UK. You can also venture outside the capital and look into the cheapest universities in the UK.
Let’s get started on London schools. We looked at the following London universities:
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- Birkbeck University of London (Guide, Review)
- Brunel University of London (Guide, Review)
- City University of London (Guide, Review)
- Coventry University London (Guide, Review)
- Goldsmith’s University of London (Guide, Review)
- King’s College London (Guide, Review)
- Kingston University (Guide, Review)
- Imperial College London (Guide, Review)
- London Metropolitan University (Guide, Review)
- London School of Economics and Political Science (Guide, Review)
- Middlesex University (Guide, Review)
- Queen Mary University of London (Guide, Review)
- Ravensbourne University London (Guide, Review)
- Regents University London (Guide, Review)
- Royal Holloway University of London (Guide, Review)
- Royal Veterinary College (Guide, Review)
- SOAS University of London (Guide, Review)
- Staffordshire University of London (Guide, Review)
- St. Mary’s University Twickenham (Guide, Review)
- University College London (Guide, Review)
- University of East London (Guide, Review)
- University of Greenwich (Guide, Review)
- University of Roehampton (Guide, Review)
- University of the Arts London (Guide, Review)
- University of West London (Guide, Review)University of Westminster (Guide, Review)
We ignored London Film School, Newcastle University London, Royal College of Art, Glasgow Caledonian University in London, London Institute of Banking and Finance, National FIlm and Television School, and London Business School which didn’t seem to offer undergraduate, on-site degrees when we visited their websites in August 2024.
Major Differences Between London Unis
We pounded the Instagram pavement until we had survey responses from at least 15 students from all 26 universities on the list. That’s a survey pool of just 390 people, but it still felt like we’d get a baseline idea of what people who attend those schools are thinking about:
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- Campus Life
- Social Life
- London Vibes
We added in
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- Prestige according to QS World Rankings
- Costs: Based on 3 years of international tuition, 1 year of dorm accommodations (when applicable), and the remaining 2 years in market rent in the school’s primary campus postal code, according to Home.co.uk.
Average grades were converted to 4 (D), 6 (C), 8 (B), and 10 (A) for this chart showing the results.
Category winners don’t reflect overall grades, but instead take into account that sometimes, an A in academics is a MUCH MUCH MUCH bigger A than someone else’s B. Category winners are our more intuitive picks after having spoken to all the students and assessed costs and academics.
Our Overall Best University in London: University College London
Students at UCL must be super hard on their university as its scores don’t reflect its overall sky-high academic prestige, charming corner of London, diverse student body, and cool-sister persona.
We think that University College London is the best university in London overall.
It’s got a central location, a wide range of non-specialized course offerings, caters to a diverse array of students, is internationally minded, and rocks a cool local weekly market for cheap student eats. Its social scene is a slam dunk compared to other high-prestige London universities. Want to have it all? UCL does a great job of being an all-arounder.
The Times ranks UCL #6 in the UK, but it snags higher student satisfaction scores than its London rivals, Imperial and LSE.
Its gargantuan size also makes UCL an inclusive choice that caters to many types of students.
A student told us, “I opted out of Durham for the cliquiness and came to UCL partly because it was so large and diverse. It’s like London, and I wanted my university to reflect that.”
UCL is a live-and-let-live place that tones down the competitive atmosphere of other highly ranked universities and more easily includes outsiders than other universities. Students told us that, as Brits, they felt like outsiders here since the school was so international.
If your vibe is “global smartie,” head to iconic Bloomsbury, in the shadow of Charles Dickens’ home, and close to Camden Market. UCL is exactly your ticket.
Which University is Highest Ranked? Imperial College London
In 2024, The Times ranked Imperial College London highest in the capital (it’s #4 among UK universities overall, losing out to the University of Cambridge, Oxford, and St. Andrews).
The QS World University Rankings 2025 paint an even more prestigious picture of Imperial, giving it the #2 spot in the world behind M.I.T.
While the university rolls in at a scandalous #12 in the US News and World Report rankings, it makes their top ten subject rankings in:
- Cardiac and cardiovascular systems
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
- Public, environmental, and occupational health
- Immunology
One student told us, “I came for the business school, which is strange in a university known for maths and science. Yet the business school is very highly ranked, and it makes a lot of sense for someone who wants to be part of the tech world or wants to bring scientific or medical products to market and learn how to do that. I have been very happy at Imperial because it’s perfect for my needs.”
If you’re a budding physician, biologist, or even business mogul, Imperial is your runaway winner with its high university ranking.
Best Ranking for Right-Brained Students: University College London
In addition to being an awesome all-arounder, UCL is a fab place for budding social scientists and humanities students to land.
With University College London’s #2 global ranking from US News in Arts and Humanities, it’s ranked highest for non-STEM subjects like archaeology, languages, and performing arts. But the reality is that these are very different subjects! Here’s how UCL stacks up:
It’s 3rd in the world on archaeology according to QS World Rankings.
It’s 4th for anthropology.
It’s 6th for geography.
It’s 10th for philosophy.
It’s 17th for linguistics.
A student told us, “The reputation of my exact field of study wasn’t the #1 thing that decided it for me. I wanted somewhat of a campus, but not just locals who are living at home and commuting. I wanted to be in the heart of London. I wanted a social life with societies and other students. And it just so happens UCL is great for my programme.”
Social sciences students rejoice, and classics and philosophy students find a lot to love about UCL, too. More hardcore humanities fields, like music or religion, may find more specialized schools pull ahead in the rankings.
Best Campus University in London: Royal Holloway University of London
Royal Holloway’s got a pretty face. It’s often voted “most beautiful” university in the UK, even surpassing the historical facades of Oxford and Cambridge for its iconic Victorian Founder’s Building, featured in “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and Netflix’s spooky thriller series “You”.
Pay no attention to the edits in “You”: you definitely won’t walk out the gates of Royal Holloway into the throngs of London. The university is the farthest afield of all our London campuses, a 45-minute Southwest Railay ride from Waterloo Station in London’s center.
One student told us, “The campus feels more like a boarding school. It’s small and beautiful and there’s a really tight-knit aspect to it. It’s safe. It’s very well taken care of. I love going through the woods to get to class.”
Sure, you’re a long way from central London.
But if you’re looking for a cozy Victorian castle a 10-minute Uber ride from Heathrow, this hilltop hideaway might be your next home.
The Best Vibes in London: Greenwich University
Want to live and walk where Henry VIII did?
Are rankings less important to you than vibes?
Head out University of Greenwich. Not only will you get to straddle the prime meridian, but you’ll also get tons of naval history, stunning architecture, and a huge park with sweeping views of the entire city.
Spread out in a park that feels like it’s bigger than most other London uni campuses in their entirety. The cafés, vintage markets, and boutique shopping are also convenient, human-sized, and cater to the local student population, not the workforce of London. It all feels more manageable than being dropped into the center of a global city with no income. You know, all student-friendly, with more of a community than central London schools can muster.
A Greenwich student said, “I liked that it was both London and not London. It’s so steeped in London life, and you can easily get into London for work placements and to get experience, but it is still more personalized and small.”
In short, Greenwich just feels comfortable. Overall, it’s great for first-time independent students.
Best University in London for International Students? London School of Economics and Political Science
LSE’s the tops for international students.
Its giant, upside-down globe is one clue that LSE tries to see the world from a global perspective. Its long history of hosting the world’s students is another. According to students we speak to, that existing international community makes all the difference in the university’s ability to counsel international undergrads through a foreign system and all its quirks. It’s not just about the global cohort — it’s also about the university’s experience guiding them.
With 70% of students coming from outside the UK, this university darn well knows Harvard style isn’t the norm for social sciences at Harvard. Or in Massachusetts high schools. And that’s a breath of fresh air.
Add central London’s diverse neighborhoods, cultural events, foods, and vibes, and LSE students find they’re at home at LSE.
While Imperial rakes in even more international students, social scientists know where it’s at when it comes to bringing together ways of learning, writing, and understanding the world — with inclusion.
The Best University in London for London Vibes: London School of Economics and Political Science
Look into LSE for an urban campus with
- Truly gorgeous nooks and crannies, like the Old Building’s 6th-floor library, where a velvet reading chair awaits you
- Lincoln’s Inn Fields as your personal “quad”
- The once-infamous church where parishioners were frequently sickened until it was discovered that the church stood atop a mass burial site
- And oodles of Londinium history underfoot, all in the shadow of modern London, with architectural giants like the Shard towering over historical halls of justice.
- Rooftop eateries with Thames views
- Stomping grounds close to some of London’s best theater
Sure, LSE is right next to King’s, which makes it tough to distinguish these non-campus blocks and deem one “better” than the other. While King’s abuts the Thames, it’s not a sit-and-enjoy location, and its main building doesn’t mesh quite as seamlessly with the goings-on of regular Londoners as students just a few blocks north do. Want to be in the middle of the action? LSE is your place.
The Best University in London for Keeping Costs Down: University of Roehampton
The University of Roehampton London is a median-priced university from a UK perspective but a smoking deal from a London point of view. It’s our cheapest university in London.
At the University of Roehampton, market rent in the postal code is $887 per month, a social science degree costs $14,800 annually for internationals, and the lowest-cost down will run a first-year student $5,708 if they’re lucky enough to score a low-cost room.
Add it up, and an international student will spend $67,848 for a degree at Roehampton.
That doesn’t sound like an amazing deal, but it’s 77% less than the $150,465 you’ll pay for tuition and rent to get your degree at the most expensive London uni — the University of the Arts London.
For the record, 3 years (international tuition + 1 year in a dorm if available + 2 years market rent in the uni’s postcode) cost most at:
- University of the Arts London: $150,465
- Imperial College London: $135,248
- Coventry University London: $115,153
- University College London: $114,915
- Queen Mary University of London: $108,100
The Best LGBTQIA University in London: Queen Mary University
In the mid-2010s, Stonewall UK put out an LGTBQ guide to UK universities and gave no university in London 10/10. they seem to have dropped the practice in recent years, opting for partnerships with UCAS and YouGov to count the number of incoming gay students and to ask about acceptance (not broken down by university) instead. Perhaps because so many comments came from students who didn’t care whether Warwick or other semi-rural universities had bullying policies, they felt safer in London.
(I’m reminded of day 1 of graduate school in Iowa, when one New York student, looking rather sick, whispered, “I think they must have meant ‘progressive’ for the Midwest“).
In general, larger, less elitist universities are mentioned as LGBTQ+ favs. SOAS’ anthropological and activist outlook grabs student votes, as does LSE.
Students say that King’s is more “traditional” in its social science approach and that City and Queen Mary are more diverse and accepting, not only across sexuality but also class and race issues. Bonus: Queen Mary is over by Soho (alongside London’s lesbian bar) and near some gay hotspots like Hackney.
One student said, “QM has a reputation for scholarship that’s very progressive and for community. And those two things have been great for me as a gay student.”
Because of diversity, access, and its high number of student endorsements, we back Queen Mary.
The Best University for Life-Work Balance: King’s College London
For those dedicated to a central-city lifestyle, head to King’s College London. A Russell Group university with strong ties to local business recruiters, King’s is where A+ students who want a life go to network without forgetting to party.
One student told us, “The life-work balance is good for a school that’s so international. And you’ll find a place for what you enjoy doing. There’s a place for you. The societies are a good way to make friends and get involved; there are so many opportunities for all kinds of people so it feels really inclusive.”
The Safest University in London: St. Mary’s University Twickenham
We overlaid a map of knife crime in London with a map of London universities. The winners?
- St. Mary’s Twickenham, in Richmond, with 50 reported incidents since June 2022
- Kingston University’s Penrhyn Rd. Campus, in Kingston, with 53 incidents since June 2022
- Imperial College London, located in Kensington, with 89 incidents since June 2022
- Royal College of Art, next door to Imperial, in Kensington, with 89 incidents since June 2022
St. Mary’s Twickenham is a hop, skip, and a jump from affluent Richmond, home of the fictional Ted Lasso, and has been dubbed the “happiest place to live in Great Britain.” Further afield, Twickenham sports some of the lowest crime rates in an already low-crime area.
A student said, “I have never felt unsafe in Twickenham! If anything, students here are likely to say they’re bored rather than unsafe. It’s not an exciting town.”
Note that Royal Holloway is on the train line beyond St. Mary’s and probably brings the same safe energy — it just didn’t make the boundaries of London in the violent crime maps.
What College in London is Right for You?
If you’re set on studying in London, there are tons of high-ranking, super prestigious, job-offer-grabbing universities in London.
But there are also some really cool spots where a degree from the university you choose in London could launch you into your own future, in your own community, with your own vibe. Don’t listen to the rankings when you could listen to your own drummer. There are tons of ways to interact with this dynamic city, and if you start thinking there’s a “best” or a “right” way to interact with London, you’re already doing it wrong.
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Jessica Share
Jessica is the writer, Ph.D., and mom-of-an-abroad-student-in-the-UK at the helm of College Abroad Guides. When she's not asking college students where the coolest place to hang out in their city is, she's figuring out how she can make $60 imported Greek oregano potato chips and £50 British bacon potato chips appear on her doorstep for the cost of a local bag of Lay's.
