London is an inclusive city where you’ll meet and share ideas with people from different backgrounds and cultures. A creative capital with excellent employer links, it's core to who we are.
It’s no surprise that London ranks in the top 3 student cities in the world (QS Best Student Cities 2027). And with sites across the city, we’re part of its fabric.
Discover our advice on living in London – from travelling around the city, accommodation, food and culture, to living in London on a budget. And meet our students to find out about their own London experiences.
Student life in London
Travel and transport
Transport for London (better known as TfL) run the transport network in London, one of the largest in the world. There are a wide range of travel options to get around the city.
- Underground (or Tube) – often the quickest way to get around London.
- Buses – they run across all areas of the city. You can travel on multiple buses within 1 hour for the same fare.
- London Overground – covers some areas of London not served by the Tube.
- Docklands Light Railway (DLR) – mainly serves east London.
- National Rail – trains cover some areas of London and also connect London to the rest of the UK.
- Boat – explore London via the River Thames with Uber Boat by Thames Clippers.
- Cycle – hire a bike from a docking station. Cycle rental companies include Santander bikes, Lime, Forest and Dott.
Learn more about all of the travel options on the TfL website.
To plan your journey around the city, use a website or app like Citymapper, Google Maps or TfL's journey planner.
Save 30% off the price of a Travelcard or Bus Pass with a TfL Student Oyster photocard.
Accommodation
Finding the right place to live is an important part of your university experience. Living in halls of residence, located across London near to our Colleges, means being part of a vibrant, supportive community. If you’d prefer private accommodation, we can offer advice on finding a flat and reviewing contracts.
- Halls of residence – check out our halls of residence and a useful map showing the location of our halls in relation to our College sites. Halls offer 24-hour support and security and an award-winning events and wellbeing programme.
- Private accommodation services – if you choose to live in private accommodation (a popular choice for students in second or third year), our accommodation team can support you. They can advise on how to search for private rentals, review contracts and give you expert advice.
Community and social life
Joining UAL also means joining a thriving creative community. But how do you settle in and make friends when you first start uni? Coming along to events, saying yes to opportunities and seeking out your interests and hobbies are some of the best ways of meeting new people and making London and UAL feel like home.
Arts Students’ Union
Arts Students’ Union (Arts SU) helps give all students the best possible university experience. You automatically become an Arts SU member once you enrol. This means you’ll be part of a ready-made community giving you the opportunity to:
- Attend events such as the Welcome Fair, Arts Awards, Varsity and more.
- Join a society or sports team to make friends & explore your interests – with over 50 on offer from Yoga and Ballroom Dancing to the Astronomical or K-Pop Society, there’s bound to be a team or society to suit your interests.
- Express your views about your learning experience and interests and have them represented across all levels at UAL.
- Get confidential and independent academic and housing advice.
Halls Life
Halls Life is an award-winning programme for UAL students living in halls of residence. The programme is designed to help you settle in and make friends from day one. The Halls Life team work alongside UAL students to run free and low-cost events and activities and to provide peer-to-peer support. Events include:
- pop-up food festivals
- puppy therapy and yoga
- cultural celebrations
- arts and crafts nights
- themed parties and games
- low-cost theatre and UK day trips
- visits to galleries and exhibitions.
Post-Grad Community
A fantastic existing community that you can join as a UAL postgraduate student. The Post-Grad Community is Europe’s largest art and design postgraduate network. The platform allows postgraduate students to share work, find opportunities and connect with UAL’s wider creative network.
Black Creatives Hub
The Black Creatives Hub is an innovative online space dedicated to showcasing and celebrating the exceptional talents, achievements and contributions of our Black creative community. Sign up to the newsletter to learn more about all the events and opportunities available, including meeting
Arts and culture
You’ll have world-renowned arts institutions and independent cultural venues on your doorstep. Vintage stalls and textiles shops line the markets of Brick Lane, Shephard’s Bush and Camden. Independent galleries and studios pop in the most unlikely places. Whatever your style or interest – you’ll find it in London.
- Many of the big museums and galleries in London are free – the V&A, Tate Britain and Modern and National Portrait Galleries all feature on Visit London's free things to do in London list.
- Check out the Visit London website for the latest new exhibitions and shows.
- UAL also run a wide range of exhibitions and events across our Colleges. Visit our events page to see the full list.
- Take a walk around the area close to your UAL College and you’re likely to stumble across a whole host of independent cultural spaces.
Food and drink
London plays host to hundreds of countries through its food scene. There are hot spots for certain cuisines across the city.
- Edgware Road – known for its diverse range of Middle Eastern and Levantine cuisine.
- Chinatown – centred around Gerrard Street and Lisle Street in central London, you'll find traditional restaurants, dim sum and bao buns.
- Borough Market – food from across the globe all located in one space, near to London Bridge tube station.
- Brick Lane – famous for its South Asian food and beigel shops.
- Peckham – a diverse range of food but most famous for West African and Caribbean eats.
- Explore your local area of London to discover hidden food gems.
Check out Time Out’s London Food and Drink guide for their recommendations.
Parks and green space
There are over 3,000 parks and green spaces to explore in London. If you go for a walk around your local area, you’re likely to find a piece of green space ideal for thinking time, switching off or connecting with nature.
Some of the most central and well-known spaces include:
- The Royal Parks – Hyde Park, St James’s Park, Green Park and more beautiful, big green spaces.
- Hampstead Heath – a large, ancient park and heathland in north London.
- Victoria Park – London’s oldest public park, located in east London.
- Battersea Park – found in south London, also home to the Pump House Gallery.
Check out Visit London’s green spaces list for their highlights across the wider London area.
Stay safe in the city
London is generally a safe city. In the unlikely event that you become a victim of crime, support is available from UAL and the Metropolitan Police.
Check out our wide range of advice on staying safe at university and in London. Our advice includes how to stay safe while travelling in London, in your accommodation, online safety and staying safe when you’re out at night.
London on a budget
The cost of living and studying in London varies from student to student. Whatever your budget, our Money Management Hub will give you advice and information on funding and budgeting while at uni. And if you need more support, our Student Advice Service can help you plan or manage your money.
Here are some top tips around how to make the most of your time in London on a student budget.
Student discounts
- Student discount – with the TOTUM card, Student Beans or UniDays, you can get a huge range of discounts on clothes, entertainment, food and culture.
- Student Oyster PhotoCard – get an 18+ Student Oyster Card for discounted travel on London transport.
- 16-25 Railcard – the railcard will give you an average of 30% off train travel.
- Student Art Pass – run by Art Fund, buy a pass for just £10 a year and you can visit changing exhibitions for free or at a discount.
- Museums and exhibitions – as well as the Student Art Pass, there’s also the Tate Collective and Young Barbican offering low-cost prices for young people.
- Film and theatre – many cinemas including Picturehouse, Curzon, BFI, Odeon and the National Theatre offer student memberships and discounts.
- Experience London for free – Check out Visit London’s free things to do in London.
Work while studying
Not only can working part-time help you earn some extra cash, it gives you a fantastic opportunity to build valuable employment skills, experience and help develop your future career.
- Arts Temps – UAL’s very own recruitment agency. It connects UAL students and alumni with paid job opportunities both within UAL and across London’s creative industries.
- Creative Opportunities – UAL’s online jobs board, advertising up to 300 industry jobs and paid internships each month as well as creative volunteering and competitions.
If you have a Student Visa, check the restrictions as there are limits to the number of hours you can work each week.
Creative students in London
Watch our Creative Students in London films and catch a glimpse of life at UAL through the eyes of our students.
Rory's story: a creative student in London
Ishmael's story: a creative student in London
College area guides
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South London Gallery | Photograph: courtesy of South London Gallery
, Camberwell College of Arts, UAL | -
Wimbledon College of Arts.,
, Wimbledon College of Arts, UAL | Photograph: Wimbledon College of Arts. -
Gasworks Gallery.,
, Chelsea College of Arts, UAL | Photograph: Gasworks Gallery.
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Coal Drops Yard
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LCF East Bank Campus | Photography by Lorraine Johnson
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Image of LCC and the local area from above