Study at the Best Universities in London

A multi-cultural and vibrant city, London has been attracting students from across the world for centuries now. London, which has stood testament to thousands of pages of history, understands students' educational needs and hence offers institutions that provide specializations and multi-disciplinary courses.

Students studying in London universities are given the flexibility to choose college hours, which is extremely useful for working professionals or for students who want to study while working. Furthermore, a beautiful blend of multi-cultures and amazing city life brings out the best opportunities for students to explore, work, and learn.

If you are looking for the best of both worlds, then a college of your choice in London is the way to go. A list of the five best colleges in London has been curated below, giving you all the useful information.

Top 5 colleges in London

University College London (UCL)

At number 1, we have UCL. UCL was founded in 1826 and has been a public research university. UCL holds the prime position of being the first university established in London and the first varsity in England to be entirely secular.

It has ten constituent faculties with over 100 departments, research centers, and institutions. Courses are offered in historical and social sciences, life sciences, arts and humanities, physical sciences, mathematics, brain sciences, engineering, medicine, built environment, Slavonic and East European studies, which gives a path to all kinds of minds wanting to learn more.

General Information about UCL

• No. of staff as of 2020: 13,000
• No. of students as of 2020: 42,000

Fees structure of UCL

Undergraduate

• UK students: £9,250 (fixed)
• International students: £22,000 to £37,000 (fixed)
• Medical courses: £37,000

Postgraduate

• UK Students: Ranges from £9,250 to £34,000
• International Students: Ranges from £19,000 to £52,000

Note: From 2021, students of EU will not be eligible for the fees rate of UK students. They will have to pay the fees rate for international students.

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Imperial College London

Number 2 is the infamous Imperial College, another public research university. Imperial College London focuses on science, medicine, engineering, and business studies. It was formerly a Federal University of London constituent but became an independent entity on July 9, 2007.

It has four main faculties with over 40 departments, research centers and institutions. These include engineering, medical sciences, natural sciences, and business studies.

General Information about Imperial

• No. of staff as of 2020: 8,000
• No. of students as of 2020: 17,000

Fee structure for Imperial

Undergraduate

• UK Students: £9,250
• International Students: £34,000
• Medical courses: £45,000

Postgraduate

• UK Students: £15,000
• International Students: £34,000

Note: EU/EEA/Swiss students who would be starting their course before 31st July 2021 are eligible to pay the UK student's fees. Any EU/EEA/Swiss student starting their course on 1st August 2021 will be eligible to pay the international students fees.

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King's College London (KCL)

Taking the third position is KCL. KCL is England's third oldest varsity . It was founded by King George IV in 1829 and has as its teaching center the St. Thomas Hospital, offering medical expertise since 1173.

Organized into nine academic schools, King's College London is one of Europe's largest centers for graduate and post-graduate studies in biomedical research and medicine, with six centers of Medical Research Councils. Besides, King's College does not charge tuition fees for exchange program students.

General Information about KCL

• No. of staff as of 2020: 8,500
• No. of students as of 2020: 31,000

Fees structure of KCL

Undergraduate

• UK Students: £9,250
• International Students: £21,000
• Medical: £40,000

Postgraduate

• UK Students: £9,500
• International Students: £28,000

Note: The fees of KCL are NOT fixed for international students. They are subject to change as the academic year goes by.

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London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)

Securing the 4th position is another public research university of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) located in Bloomsbury and Camden. It is one of the leading universities involved in benefiting and enhancing healthcare and public health worldwide . As its name suggests, LSHTM is heavily involved in teaching and researching Tropical medicine.

With a research income of over £180 million, LHSTM is one of the UK's highest-rated research institutes.

The courses offered by LSHTM are only postgraduate and research-focused; it does not offer study abroad, part-time, or undergraduate courses. On the other hand, LHSTM offers online courses on a certification basis. They also provide online courses where people worldwide can learn about healthcare and public health.

General Information about LSHTM

• No. of staff as of 2020 (including researchers): 3,000
• No. of students as of 2020: 1,279

Fee Structure of LSHTM

Postgraduate

• UK students: £11,000
• International students: £26,000

Note: At LSHTM you can study a masters degree related to medicine. Most of the courses are related to health and tropical medicine. Still, the university has options for higher study in the medical field, and their fees are higher than the other courses.

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Queen Mary, University of London

On the 5th stand, famously known as QMUL, Queen Mary is a public research university established in 1882.

QMUL offers studies in three faculties - science & engineering, social sciences, and humanities. It also provides 21 departmental studies in medicine and dentistry at the London School of Medicine and Dentistry in Barts. Queen Mary does not charge tuition fees to Erasmus and non-EU exchange program students.

General Information about LSHTM

• No. of staff as of 2020: 4,400
• No. of students as of 2020: 28,000

Fees structure of QMUL

Undergraduate

• UK Students: £9,250
• International Students: £24,000
• Medical: £40,700

Postgraduate

• UK Students: Ranges from £12,000 - £13,000
• International Students: Ranges from £24,000 - £25,000

Note: The fee range for postgraduate students (UK & International) heavily depends on the type of course you would be applying for. The fees for the course of your choice will fall in the range mentioned above.

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Eligibility

Student visas and work permits

Students from abroad are offered two types of visas to study in the UK. One is the Student Visa (previously known as the Tier 4 General Visa), given to students studying courses extending beyond six months. Students with a Student visa can work 20 hours a week when the academic sessions are in swing and full-time during vacations. The other type of visa is a Student Visitor Visa, issued to students pursuing courses less than six months. Students on this visa are not allowed to work during their stay.

ATAS certificate and medical clearance

Students of certain non-UK countries must also submit an Academic Technology Approval Scheme or ATAS certificate to study at London's universities. Specific health certificates are required from students of certain countries, a list of which is often provided by the university concerned. Some universities would require you to submit a healthcare certificate that will correlate to your home country.

Course requirements

Undergraduate: In general, students intending to apply for undergraduate courses need to have completed 13 years of schooling. Furthermore, universities in London need you to have academic achievements equivalent to the UK grading system. Every university has its own "cut-off," so be sure to get your desired one beforehand.

But that is not all; your academic qualifications are the first step forward. UK universities might ask you to write an essay on a topic of their choice, provide your English language scores, and give an interview.

Your English language test acceptance scores would depend on what your desired university requires. Furthermore, an interview is optional, but most universities keep this as the final round of selection.

Postgraduate: Generally, a result of 2.1 or upper second-class honors is accepted for consideration for admission into London's colleges. Students must provide two letters of recommendation from people with whom they have been affiliated academically or professionally. Students must also submit their educational transcripts and standardized test scores, if any, like GMAT, TOEFL, IELTS, etc.

A postgraduate full-time degree is for one year in the UK. The duration will differ depending on the type of course you would be undertaking. Moreover, the requirements for a master's degree in the UK are not as extensive as an undergraduate degree.

English language requirements

Applicants who are non-native speakers of English are required to prove their English language communication competency. The simplest way is to provide scores for the TOEFL or IELTS examinations.

Most universities accept the IELTS band of 6.0 or above as the standard score, no matter your home country. Other universities would accept a higher band score, but it is rare. Additionally, universities such as Cambridge University have their own English proficiency test, which is also acceptable by the university taking the exam.

Other Top Universities in London

• London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
• St George's University of London
• London Business School
• City University London
• Birkbeck University London