London, England: a world-class city, renowned for its heritage and culture; host to a variety of the greatest sporting occasions on Earth; a key player in the fast-changing world of fashion and the financial centre of the globe. But the city’s enduring reputation as a hub for learning, which can be traced back over hundreds of years, makes it a consistently popular choice for students every year, not only from within the UK but from over 200 countries. With more than 100,000 undergraduates and postgraduates studying at over 40 colleges and universities, London remains one of the world’s most popular destinations for students in a variety of disciplines.
Academic Excellence
With a long-standing reputation for quality in teaching and learning, London’s reputation as a centre for academic excellence is secure and is a key reason why it draws so many students from across the world. The much-flaunted league tables consistently place the city’s universities among the leading institutions not only in the UK but in Europe and worldwide, scoring particularly well for the quality of teaching and research. Auspicious with some of the world’s most respected academics and access to extensive library and resource collections, London’s universities continue to excel and attract vast numbers of applicants each year from home and abroad.
Breadth of Disciplines
Collectively, the universities in London boast one of the most comprehensive and far-reaching selections of degrees and professional qualifications anywhere in the world, and with a reputation for excellence in a number of areas, the city’s popularity among international students is understandable. Many undergraduates head to London to study medicine, law and finance and, with a wealth of postgraduate career opportunities at world-leading hospitals, corporations and, of course, in the financial district, London offers attractive career-building opportunities that are unmatched by many of its counterparts worldwide.
A Vibrant Cultural Experience
Many would argue that undergraduate study is only part of the student experience. The opportunity to embrace a diverse culture and a vibrant nightlife is a key part of the journey into independent adulthood. Let’s face it, all university cities claim to offer a student experience unlike any other, but in truth London’s cultural scene is a world leader. Acclaimed theatre, music and art combines to create a cultural scene that caters for every taste wherever in the world you come from, while the city’s rich heritage is a source of both fascination and inspiration for students from many overseas destinations.
A Truly International City
Leaving home to study at an unfamiliar university city can be an unsettling experience for many undergraduates. For the international student travelling to a foreign country, the experience can be as disconcerting as it is character building and solace can often be found in familiar routines and practices that are commonly found in their home country. London’s rich tapestry of ethnic, cultural, and religious groups means that all international students can find like-minded counterparts with whom to forge initial friendships while gradually building relationships with others from across the globe. In London every world cuisine can be experienced and every religious belief practiced because with over 300 languages spoken, it is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the world.
In conclusion, London’s popularity among students is not simply a measure of its worldwide reputation and the high regard that people hold from across the globe; it is the sheer diversity – in ethnic composition, religion, culture and academia – that attracts the annual influx of undergraduates and postgraduates who arrive in the city in the knowledge that, no matter where they come from, there is a part of London that is certain to appeal to them.
