West London
61 Reviews by Students #29 out of 81 University locations
Living costs aside, London is by far one of the most amazing cities in the world to live in! As large as it is, there is a ridiculous amount of areas to visit and places to explore, all of which have their own disinct feel. Beyond its beauty, the great nights out and the plethora of places to visit, London is home to an unparalleled public transport system in terms of convenience, safety and regularity. If you can afford the rather steep living costs, London is an absolutely brilliant city to live in!
Student Review: 5 /5
By Conessi On 1st November 15
Study in West London
Across the boroughs of West London you will find the following universities: Royal Holloway, University of West London (UWL), Brunel University and St Mary’s University, Twickenham.
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Royal Holloway, University of London
Royal Holloway, University of London is a public research university founded in 1879 and located in the neighbourhood of Egham, situated outside the M25 orbital motorway. The university is well recognised for its Founder’s Building and is made up of around 11,000 students and has been awarded a TEF Silver rating.
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Brunel University London
Brunel University London, located in the Uxbridge area of London (Zone 6), was founded in 1966 and named after the famous Victorian engineer. Brunel has 15,520 students organised into three colleges: the College of Engineering, Design and Physical Sciences, the College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences and the College of Health and Life Sciences. Brunel is especially know for their top research within engineering, public health, sports science and art and design, and has been awarded a TEF silver rating for teaching.
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University of West London (UWL)
University of West London (UWL) is made up of 8 schools across 2 campuses located in Zone 3 in the neighbourhood of Ealing. The university was founded in 1860, is home to around 12,000 students and has a TEF Silver rating.
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St Mary's University, Twickenham
St Mary’s University, Twickenham is located in Zone 5 in the neighbourhood of Twickenham. The university was founded in 1850, is now home to around 5,500 students and has a TEF Silver rating.
Study in West London? Review your location
West London Student Life
Leafy West London offers a lot for students. Whether you fancy city living or the more suburban neighbourhood feel, you’ll be able to find an area to suit you. It’s well connected to the rest of London and offers everything you need from restaurants and nightlife spots to parks and cultural attractions.
Cost of Living
London is a very expensive city, need to have aa lot of money to have fun or else you'll be stuck inside every weekend. But if you budget properly London is an amazing city to live in
Student Review: 5 /5
By member946904 On 22nd March 20
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Nights Out
It’s hard to keep up with where ‘the’ place is to go out in London. There is so much choice, whatever type of nightlife you are into, you’ll be able to easily find it! Keep a close eye on the Fatsoma app and Design My Night, which are up to date with the latest nightlife trends. The West London universities tend to have good SUs offering fun nights out that don’t cost London prices!
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Public Transport
Public transport is the best way to get around West London. You can hop on a bus or a tube very easily that has quick access to Central London and other parts of the city too. Remember as a student to get an Oyster card as you get 30% off. Depending where you live and study, getting around by foot can be easy as well as cycling. Just make sure you are kitted out with all the safety gear before hitting the roads.
Eating Out
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Da Maria is a family-run Italian restaurant located right in the heart of Notting Hill. It may be small in size but they serve up wholesome and tasty Neapolitan dishes in a no-frills style. You can get a bowl of pasta from £8.50 or a pizza from just £7.
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The Waldegrave Arms is just a stone’s throw away from St Mary’s University and is a favourite among students, affectionately known as the Waldy. They have student drink deals and special student meal deals, which helps with those precious pennies!
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Pillars is the University of West London’s award-winning training restaurant. From Monday to Friday you can get a three course lunch for just £14.50! Dine on some delicious food, whilst supporting fellow students training.
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Shopping
Living in West London you have the easy access to one of the best shopping centres in London, Westfield. It’s in Shepherd’s Bush which is on the Central Line, overground and has excellent bus connections. Everything you could want is here, it’s huge and keeps getting bigger!
Top 10 free things to do in West London
The Natural History Museum is one of the most iconic museums in London. Walk in to the famous great Hintze Hall which houses a massive T-Rex skeleton, from there you have 36 galleries to explore, each delving into different areas of the natural world. And it’s all free!
Tucked away on a quiet street in Chiswick is artist Carrie Reichardt’s house. It’s an incredible vision as it is covered from top to bottom with colourful mosaic tiles, telling a thousand stories. Definitely one to check out.
Twickenham’s Strawberry Hill House and Garden is an impeccably designed gothic house that is a sight to behold, dating back to 1724. The garden is free to explore and if you want to go inside the house it's £6.50 for students.
One of the most famous and important festivals in London takes place on the August bank holiday weekend, celebrating West Indian culture. Notting Hill is taken over by epic carnivals, street food, sound systems and a whole load of fun. Worth coming back early to uni for.
Stroll around Portobello road in Notting Hill on a Saturday and you will find amazing stalls of vintage clothes, antiques and all sorts of knick-knacks. It’s got a laid-back, chilled atmosphere which can be enjoyed whilst walking along the pretty pastel streets.
Enjoy the treasures inside the V&A Museum for free. There are thousands of years worth of decorative arts and design history to see that are all housed in a Victorian architectural triumph. A must visit!
Holland Park is a lovely park in West London, but something that makes it stand out from others is the Japanese ‘Kyoto Garden’. It’s a little haven of relaxation; there’s coy carp, waterfalls and calming ponds.
Take some time away from the books and go for a stroll down the picturesque Little Venice, a canal and waterway system that has an abundance of narrowboats and a fantastic pathway alongside.
Osterley House was described by Horace Walpole as ‘the palace of all palaces’. You’ll agree once you’ve seen it. The house is set in 350 acres of parkland where there is a recently upgraded cycle path that stretches the perimeter of the park.
It may not be the most likely place to spend your free time but this isn’t just any old cemetery! Thousands of people have been buried here since 1840 and many are of note such as Emmeline Pankhurst, Dr John Snow, Elizabeth Le Bond and so many more. It’s really worth a visit, just keep your eye out for the ghostly driver...
Top 10 West London Accommodation
Parish Hall
Perfect location right next to the high street so easy access to shops.parking very close to the Accomodation while also bus stops literally outside. ...
Hox Park
Hands down the best place to live in Egham/Englefield Green. The facilities are great, the rooms and kitchens are well decorated and spacious, they lo...
Gowar
Hall was wonderful. Very spacious room and modern kitchen facilities. Only criticism would be of the lack of room for socialising with others apart fr...
Williamson, Tuke & Butler
Best in-College accommodation. Gotta experience this over nay other accomod, maybe Gower comes close as it's quite similiar, It comes down to if you w...
Founder's
Great place. I am extremely happy and satisfied....
Highfield Court
I loved the people at Highfield, we got on so well!!!...
Wedderburn
Super modern, comfortable, aesthetically pleasing and lovely to live in...
Reid
clean accommodation and nice stay and near the university which is a big advantage....
Runnymede
Good value for money as it has a well sized bedroom, a very very large desk, plenty of wardrobe space and an okay ensuite. The kitchen isn't nice but ...
Kingswood I
I am surprisingly happy living at Kingswood! The location is not ideal and the wifi connection is weak. But the new bathrooms and pantries are lovely,...
Read West London Reviews
this area is a go...
this area is a good place to live. lots of shops are convenient and the transportation is also good read more
It’s in a great l...
It’s in a great location surrounded by restaurants read more
Heathrow is only...
Heathrow is only a 15 minute drive while the SU , medicine and atik provide a great night out for students read more
Parish hall is ve...
Parish hall is very close to the train station and the town center read more
Close to anything...
Close to anything a student needs, not as exciting night life though. read more
A great location...
A great location for studying if you're looking for easy access to London and the surrounding areas read more
The town is quiet...
The town is quiet and safe, with a strong sense of humanity read more
Lots of places to...
Lots of places to visit and transport is very near read more
Not many good hig...
Not many good high street shops that are near and prices for essentials are much higher than what is normal. Good transport links to london and surrounding areas read more
Living costs are...
Living costs are high but not higher than in any other University in London read more
Plenty of options...
Plenty of options to go to when not at university when you want to relax read more
Very good fresh a...
Very good fresh air and quiet steet read more
Again i am new ,...
Again i am new , so i don;t know what i just reviewd read more
the city centre i...
the city centre is the best part about the place! read more
Lots of shops in...
Lots of shops in Uxbridge and lots of food shops around read more
Main club now clo...
Main club now closed. Some good bars around read more
It is very expens...
It is very expensive as to where we are living as although we have access to the metropolitan line it is still very expensive. Additionally the one campus is town has shut down read more
Close to the tube...
Close to the tubes and easily accessible into London. read more
It's so boring, f...
It's so boring, far from anything, not something I'd consider a good place for students to live. More suited for old people read more
Cute little town....
Cute little town. But not much to do read more
I always stayed i...
I always stayed in accomodation but the houses around were expensive. There are some restaurants to eat out in but in general it's just a really small town with some coffee shops and charity shops. There are some nice pubs though, but no clubs if that's your thing (although you can train it to london if you want!) Staines is close by and easy to get to by the train if you need something bigger. We used to go there quite a bit for the cinema and restaurants. If not London is only a short train journey away. I'd really recommend a railcard read more
The night life an...
The night life and places to eat are limited partially due to the pandemic but also in general, and public transport is expensive. read more
Egham is a all to...
Egham is a all town and there are a few places where you can go out and have a fine dining experience. The SU really provides the only venues for nightlife which were really good before the pandemic. Generally I tend to go either to Windsor or London to eat out, but Egham is in proximity to both which is amazing. read more
Shopping is very...
Shopping is very easy as the bus services are fast and timely read more
Egham isn’t the b...
Egham isn’t the best town for students! Not much to do, although staines is close by and accessible by bus and train read more
Great for student...
Great for students, everything is close read more
Close to London a...
Close to London and great public transport. read more
So great love it...
So great love it here xxxxxxxxxxx read more
Egham is a quiet...
Egham is a quiet town located outside the M25, in order for many things a car journey to larger areas is reauired read more
Though a quiet to...
Though a quiet town, Egham is a lovely place to live, especially at Hox Park read more
Unfortunately Egh...
Unfortunately Egham is quite a secluded area, you either love it or hate it. Though i have enjoyed my time here, Egham has not got much to offer for students who want to eat out and also students on a budget - as the area is very expensive, even when compared to london rates! Nights out are decent given the university tries to make an effort and also the neighbouring areas such as staines have cinemas and eating places available. Shopping too is lacklustre as there is not much besides basic grocery shops such as tesco, etc read more
The real benefits...
The real benefits of the area lie in the nature in terms of local facilities. read more
If you are a part...
If you are a party animal, then Egham probably isn't for you. However, it is very pretty and it is definitely worth it to visit Egham just to see the Founder's building of RHUL. read more
Not the best town...
Not the best town, barely a night life just a few pubs and SU, the town is pretty dull, Windsor and Staines are a bit better but of course London is close! read more
Not much to do bu...
Not much to do but transport links to London read more
The south is expe...
The south is expensive. Its not a huge town so eating and going out is limited, though its only a 30 min train ride from London. read more
Nice enough, noth...
Nice enough, nothing special. Not much to do unless go to Staines or Windsor read more
Nice area, nice p...
Nice area, nice people, nice places to go read more
nice city with a...
nice city with a lot of places to go but I personally didn't like the food that much but there are some amazing restaurants. read more
Great place. I am...
Great place. I am extremely happy and satisfied. read more
Egham is dead pla...
Egham is dead place, there is nothing to do. Subway where you can have your meal and one Indian restaurant, dominos, tesco and iceland. No place for shopping. read more
Egham is a nice l...
Egham is a nice little town, but you have to keep in mind that it is a small town, not a city. It's about a 20 minute (or a sweaty 15) walk from RHUL, but there is a uni bus and public bus too. The high street is fairly decent (Tesco, Waitrose, Iceland, kebab, Chinese, Subway, coffee) but not for clothes shopping (go to Staines). Staines is only 5 mins away on the train, and you're near to Windsor and can walk to Virginia Waters which is beautiful. There is literally no nightlife in Egham itself, but that doesn't mean that you can't go out. You'll just spend more time at the SU or Medicine (on-campus), or at flat parties, than going out clubbing. Having said that, check Facebook and leaflets for nights out in London via coach (Ministry of Sound, Qube, Fabric etc) that are about £20 including entry and travel. Plus Windsor has a club, so it's not as if you can't go out, it just requires a bit more planning than if you were in a bigger town or city. read more
Cost if living is...
Cost if living is high..gee. Food aint good either. Not many options! egham lacks soo many good facilities! such as a cinema, etc. n a shopping high street. u always gotta travel out of egham sigh. lol. such as staines or windsor. read more
Egham has everyth...
Egham has everything you need. But not much more than that. It's perfect. read more
It is expensive,...
It is expensive, as it is a wealthy urban, residential area. Fastfood wise there is only Subway and a bit far away BK. Nonetheless, there are a couple of nice restaurants, mainly Italian and Asian. There is absolutely no shopping in Egham, however, there is some one train stop away in Staines. Public transport is great, as we have the train station a short walk away. There are always taxis available. Also, the university has its own bus system to get to the town and off campus accomodation. read more
Egham is a walkin...
Egham is a walking distance away from Virginia Waters and its lakes and gardens. Its next to Staines and Windsor which has huge shopping centres, and home to Windsor Castle. It's approx. 40 minutes from Central London making it great for the best night life and easy access! Public transport consists of RHUL'S uni bus and buses and taxis which are very efficient and very cheap! Just finished 1st year and i highly recommend Royal Holloway for its great reputation, beautiful campus, friendly atmosphere and amazing courses it has to offer! read more
Royal holloway is...
Royal holloway is a beautiful place, but my god, Egham is where dreams go to die. read more
Egham is a small...
Egham is a small town but I found I had enough to do what with the uni's Students Union, and the excellent pubs around which also do great food. There's a Tesco and Waitrose in Egham and buses/ trains to Staines where there are many more shops. London a 30 min train ride away, good for nights out, you can split a minibus back in the small hours for about £20 a head. read more
No nightclubs, no...
No nightclubs, no shopping centre, absolutely awful student town!! read more
Royal Holloway Ca...
Royal Holloway Campus is amazing (sport facilities, campus accommodations, Starbucks, Cafes, campus store). Egham town has a Tesco, Waitrose and plenty of restaurants). Housing is not a problem around campus, you can easily find nice houses to rent with other students. 2 direct trains/hours to London Waterloo and buses to go in the close area (Windsor, staines, Virginia Waters... read more