Central London - Location Reviews - StudentCrowd

Study in Central London

Central London is the innermost part of London, made up of several boroughs. Here you will find LSE, King’s College London, SOAS, Birkbeck, City, UCL, University of Westminster, Imperial College, University of Arts London, Courtauld Institute of Art, Royal College of Music, Royal Veterinary College and IOE.

London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

London School of Economics (LSE) is made up of around 12,000 students and is part of the Russell Group. Founded in 1895, LSE is located in Zone 1 in the neighbourhood of Holborn. The university has a TEF Bronze rating and is a well recognised for its social science and management subjects.

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King's College London (KCL)

King’s College London is made up of 5 campuses and is located in Zone 1 near The Strand. It was founded in 1829 and is made up around 33,000 students. King’s College London is part of the Russell Group, specialising in Life Science and Medicine and has a TEF Silver rating.

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School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)

School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) was founded in 1916 and is one of the world leading universities for the study of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. It is a public research university located in Zone 1 in the neighbourhood of Bloomsbury, is made up of around 5,800 students and has a TEF Silver rating.

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Birkbeck, University of London

Birkbeck University is located in Zone 1 in the neighbourhood of Bloomsbury. The university was founded in 1823 originally named London Mechanics’ Institute and is made up of over 11,000 students. Their main campus is located in Central London but there is also a large campus in Stratford. Birkbeck has a TEF Silver rating and offers around 200 grad programmes with lots of lectures taking place in the evening.

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University College London (UCL)

University College London (UCL) is a globally recognised university founded in 1826 and home to around 41,000 students. The university is located in Zone 1 in the neighbourhood of Bloomsbury. UCL is the second largest university in the UK by total enrolment and has a TEF Silver rating.

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University of Westminster

University of Westminster has 4 main campuses located in Zone 1 in the neighbourhood of Westminster. The university was founded in 1838 and was named the most internationally diverse university in the UK in the HDI. The University of Westminster is home to around 19,400 students and has a TEF Bronze rating.

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University of the Arts London (UAL)

University of the Arts London (UAL) was founded in 1986 and is a globally recognised university for art and design. It is currently made up of around 20,000 students and has 6 colleges located in Zone 1 in the neighbourhood of Holborn. UAL is Europe’s largest speciality university for art and design and it has a TEF Silver rating.

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Courtauld Institute of Art

Courtauld Institute of Art is located in Zone 1 near The Strand. The university was founded in 1932 and is made up of 545 students. It is the largest community of art historians and conservators in the UK and has a TEF Silver rating. Courtauld Institute of Art only offers one undergraduate course but offers several postgraduate courses.

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Royal College of Music

The Royal College of Music opened in 1833. It is located opposite the Royal Albert Hall in South Kensington. At undergraduate level, students can work towards a Bachelor of Music (BMus) in their specialist instrument.

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Royal Veterinary College

RVC is the largest veterinary school in the UK, offering courses in veterinary medicine, veterinary science and biological sciences. In 2022, RVC ranked as the best veterinary school in the world (QS World Rankings).

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Institute of Education, University of London

IOE is the faculty of education at University College London. It has ranked number 1 for education in the QS World Rankings for 9 years running (since 2014). Courses include Education Studies, Teacher Training and Educational Research.

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Study in Central London? Review your location

Central London Student Life

Even though London is a huge city, if you are studying and living in Central London it will feel smaller than you think and you’ll find yourself even bumping into friends. There is so much to see and do! Our top tip would be to do activities during the week as the weekends get packed with tourists and visitors.

Nights Out

Whatever type of night out you are into, you’ll be sure to find it in Central London! A lot of the nightclubs are expensive as they are aimed at tourists and workers but once you get there you’ll be sure to find the top student nights which have pleasing entry and drink prices! The places to go can change quite quickly so stay up to date with the latest hot spots by keeping an eye on Design My Night and the Fatsoma app.

Public Transport

Getting around London via the tube and bus is easy to navigate, once you’ve understood how it works. The best piece of advice is to download the CityMapper app, it does all the work for you to find the quickest and easiest way to get from A to B. Make sure to get an 18+ Oyster Card to get 30% off public transport; every little helps! If you are living and studying in Central London it is also easy to get around by foot or by bike. Just remember to wear a helmet and brightly coloured clothes when cycling and to plan your route before you set off.

Eating Out

Shopping

Top 10 free things to do in Central London

National Gallery

Get ready to have your socks blown off at the home to one of the world’s most impressive art collections and you can view the permanent collection for absolutely nothing!

British Museum

Located in Bloomsbury, the British Museum holds a remarkable collection that spans over two million years of human history and culture. From Egyptian mummies to the Rosetta Stone, there are a huge amount of artefacts you can cast your eyes on.

Sky Garden

This skyscraper, known affectionately by Londoners as the walkie talkie (when you see the building in real life it will make sense), is London’s highest public garden. The views of the city are among some of the best and it’s all for free!

Hyde Park

Back on the ground, Hyde Park is the most famous and the largest park in London. Whether you fancy a stroll, jog or cycle, there is so much to explore you’ll never get bored of visiting, any time of the year.

Kensington Gardens

On one of your visits to Hyde Park head west to Kensington Gardens. It’s a beautiful part of the park which has Kensington Palace as its backdrop. There’s the Albert Memorial, The Serpentine Gallery, a temple and even a statue of Peter Pan.

Tate Modern

Fancy viewing some modern art? Head to the Tate Modern on the Thames, where it is free to view the permanent collection which includes Pollock, Warhol, Matisse and Picasso.

The Changing of The Guard

Outside Buckingham Palace on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 11am, you’ll be able to see one of the best ceremonies in London. The Queen’s Soldiers, dressed in tall bearskin hats, stomp around in time to music as they change roles.

The Thames

There’s no better way to get to know London and see some of the most iconic sites than to walk along the Thames in Central London. You’ll find pathways and can criss-cross over to either side using the famous London bridges.

Festivals & Events

There are a huge amount of festivals and events that you can watch, spectate and join in with! Some of the most well known are Pride in London, the London Marathon, Chinese New Year parade and the Boat Race.

Covent Garden

One of the most popular areas to visit in London. Even when you don’t have money to spend, it's a great place to be. There are always street entertainers, you can window shop and do some great people-watching. Also, make sure to head up to Neal’s Yard to marvel at this unexpected colourful square.

Top 10 Central London Accommodation

4.36 /5

(122 reviews)

Somerset Court 4.36 /5

We have very friendly receptionists, and the rooms are all nice and cozy. The location is also great with easy access to multiple underground stations...

4.28 /5

(18 reviews)

Grosvenor House 4.28 /5

The time I spent at Grosvenor house was absolutely wonderful. The administration team is amazing, especially Josh, he was very helpful throughout my w...

4.1 /5

(52 reviews)

Pavilion Court 4.1 /5

Pavilion court, is a great place. The location jis perfect especially for students who are not used to the area as they have many outlets and restaura...

4.07 /5

(58 reviews)

Elizabeth Croll House 4.07 /5

I’ve stayed in this accommodation for three years and the receptionists are nice and enthusiastic about their work, and they really help me with my he...

3.94 /5

(26 reviews)

Piccadilly Court 3.94 /5

Ver happy to be here,the accommodation is maintained very well ,the rooms are enough bigger, Good quality for the cost of the rent....

3.94 /5

(48 reviews)

St Pancras Way 3.94 /5

The 24/7 staff are always really nice and helpful, and go out of their way to make sure we are comfortable living here. On move out day, I left a bunc...

3.93 /5

(50 reviews)

Stapleton House 3.93 /5

Location is very good and makes commuting super easy. Lots of social spaces and the study room is useful when essays are due. The new staff have my ex...

3.87 /5

(60 reviews)

North Lodge 3.87 /5

I love living in North Lodge, which provides a fantastic accommodation for students who left home for the first time. People here are very nice, espec...

3.85 /5

(12 reviews)

Goldsmiths House 3.85 /5

Overall very positive, would highly recommend. I like that it's female-only, there are great social spaces and common room, the staff are friendly and...

#10

3.78 /5

(34 reviews)

Camden Hawley Crescent 3.78 /5

Very convenient location because it is right next to a tube station and a supermarket, good facilities in a studio and friendly management team....

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29th June 2024