Student city guide to London

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Studying in London is great for students who want to live in a bustling, vibrant city with plenty of activities, and there are so many reasons why it’s a great city to study in. Being the capital of the UK, it’s also well-connected to other towns and cities across the UK and even further afield. It’s no secret that the capital has a wide range of nightlife and cultural activities you can get involved in during your studies, but you might be wondering what exactly there is on offer, how you’ll be able to get around, and how much everything costs. No matter what it is you want to know about student life in London, we’ve got it covered right here in our student guide to the city.

Student activities in London
Nightlife in London
Student accommodation in London
Transport in London
Student costs in London
Universities in London

Student activities in London

Luckily for you, London offers loads of free activities you can get involved in as a student. Across the city, you’ll find loads of free-to-enter museums and art galleries to check out, such as the Tate Modern, Camden Art Centre and the Natural History Museum. While there might be the occasional paid exhibition in galleries or museums, tickets are usually quite affordable, and many also offer student priced tickets.

If those aren’t for you, then you might want to visit one of the city’s many parks and make the most of the green space amongst all the hustle and bustle. If it’s sights you’re after, the Walkie Talkie is one of the best places for a free view across the city. You can book a free ticket to visit the Sky Garden, which not only allows you to see all of London’s major landmarks, but you can also spend some time exploring the exotic plants and landscaping of the city's highest public garden.

As well as these amazing free opportunities, there are countless more things to do for students if you’re able to spend a bit of cash on tickets. From pottery painting, to bouldering, to yoga, to sports games, there’s something to cater to everyone’s interests across the city. Some of these events also offer student discounts on tickets, so make sure you check websites before you buy a ticket to see if you can knock a bit off the standard price!

Read our list of the top 10 things to do for students in London.

Nightlife in London

Students from across the South East of England and even further afield travel to London for the occasional night out – that’s how great the nightlife is. Whether you’re looking for a club, a pub, or live music, there’s events across the city every single night.

For music lovers, you might want to check out venues such as the O2 Academy Brixton and the Roundhouse, or you might prefer more intimate venues such as the 100 Club on Oxford Street. For non-drinkers, checking out live music events is a great way to get involved in the city’s nightlife. Ticket prices to live music events can vary greatly. For smaller venues with up-and-coming bands you can often get tickets for under a tenner, but for larger venues or for acts with a more established following, you can expect to pay around £25 as a minimum, but you could be paying over £100 for tickets to see some of the most famous acts.

If you’re after a boogie, then you might want to check out some of London’s clubs. Popular student clubs include Fabric, Koko and Infernos. The clubs across London cater to loads of different music tastes, so whether you want house music, pop throwbacks or rock and metal, you’ll be able to find something that matches your taste. Admission prices vary in London clubs, but you can expect to pay around £10 for entry to a regular club night and around £7 for a pint.

Student accommodation in London

Most first year students in London choose to live in university halls, which allow you to meet other students. In halls, you also have the benefit of all-inclusive rent, which means your internet and utility bills are included in the cost of your rent, making budgeting far easier! At some London unis, you’ll have the option to choose catered or self-catered accommodation. Catered accommodation means most of your meals will be included, and usually costs an extra £2,500-£3,000 a year compared to self-catered accommodation. You can also expect to have the choice between shared bathroom or en-suite, with en-suite options costing roughly an extra £100-£200 per month.

If you opt not to live in uni halls, your options will include private halls (which operate in a similar way to university halls with all your bills included) or renting privately. If you rent privately, you may choose to rent a room in a shared house, or you may wish to rent a studio or one-bed flat and live alone. With these options, your utility bills and wifi may not be included in your rent, so be sure to check this carefully and budget. Living in a shared house means you may be living with professionals, or students from other universities. If you opt to live on your own, you can expect to be paying considerably more than if you were in a shared house or uni halls, as you’ll have exclusive use of your cooking and living spaces. When you’re looking for private accommodation, SpareRoom is a popular site for rooms to be advertised, and you can often connect with the current tenants as well to get an idea of the atmosphere in the house. In some cases, you might even get to chat with the other tenants you’d be living with.

There are accommodation options available for students right across the capital, from flats right in the heart of the city to shared houses in the suburbs. Wherever you live, make sure you factor in your transport costs when you consider your budget. And speaking of transport…

Transport in London

You’re in luck – London has one of the best (if not the best) public transport networks in the UK. You can get a student Oyster card as well, so you can get discounted tube rides. As well as the famous tube network, there are plenty of bus routes across the city, as well as the Overground, the DLR and National Rail trains. The amount of options on offer makes transport across the city easy.

For students with disabilities, accessible tube stations are clearly marked on maps of the train network. All London buses are accessible for wheelchair users, and you can receive support from Transport for London staff right across the travel network.

Student costs in London

Aside from rent and tuition fees, you can expect to spend the following per month in London:

£250 on essential groceries and hygiene products
£100 on utilities if your rent isn’t inclusive (based on shared housing)
£100 on transport

Everyone is different, so these figures are intended as a guide only. As well as these essential costs, you’ll need to think about any costs associated with your course, for example textbooks. If you’re in halls, you’ll likely also need to pay to use the laundry facilities. You’ll also need to consider the following costs associated with going out and socialising:

£6 for a pint
£10 for a cinema ticket
£20 for a two-course meal in an inexpensive restaurant

Read our detailed breakdown of the cost of living in London for students.

Universities in London

There are over 20 different unis in London, offering a massive variety of courses. You’ll find internationally recognised institutions with a range of courses from different academic disciplines as well as small and specialist institutions with a focus on a single discipline.

The unis on offer in London are:

Find out what the best universities in London are.

If you’ve got more questions about what it’s like studying in London after reading all our guides, then why not chat to a current student, or attend an open day at one of London’s unis? If you’re already set on studying in London, then start searching for courses in London now.