Pros and cons of being a student in London

Aside from being at the heart of England, a tourist goldmine and the country’s cultural capital, London is an academic hotspot for students to come and study from home and away internationally. With over half a million home students and over a hundred thousand international students studying in England’s capital, it’s safe to say the city has quite a list of incentives as reasons for drawing in as many students now as it does currently. From quality teaching, tourists galore and as hard as it is to believe lower tuition fees in rare cases than other countries, it’s no surprise students are opting to travel abroad to pursue further education or move down to London if already a previous England resident. Just like every other city, London has its drawbacks as well as benefits, so in order to help you figure out if it’s the right city for you, here is a list of the pros and cons of being a student in London.

PRO #1 – Explore the city

London is unarguably a cultural melting pot often taken for granted by the city’s current residents. However, this could be a persuading factor in choosing to study there. With over two hundred museums and galleries filled to the brim with ancient artefacts and one-of-a-kind exhibits, as well as your standard tourist checklist sights such as the London Eye, Big Ben, and Horse Guards Parade, there is no doubt that if you choose to enrol in a London university, exploration of the city would be endless. Aside from the chance to be enriched with culture, the city has an endless list of activities to get up to over the course of study free weekends/ regular downtime.

CON#1 – Travel expenses

Whilst the city has great transport links, specifically its world-renowned bus and train line service TFL (Transport for London), travel costs to get around the city can be off-putting to prospective students. Whilst there have been recent attempts to cut transport costs, such as introducing a cut-off fee of £5.25 for unlimited bus use per day despite the standard fee being £1.75 and the 30% discount off for students in possession of an 18 + oyster when buying travel cards or bus and tram passes, travel costs in London are much higher in comparison to other cities within the country. For students looking to visit home frequently or explore the city regularly, travel could prove to be an unexpected expense once all their travels begin to add up.

PRO#2 – Networking opportunities

Making the choice to attend university in London offers a rare chance to network in a major city serving as a magnet for various industries to operate in. From industry giants in fields such as media, entertainment, technology, and finance having renowned business establishments or looking to emerge in the London market, opting to study in London gives a fantastic opportunity for students to network with industry professionals. This could result in possibly securing a beneficial placement year or, better yet, a place on a graduate scheme after their time at university.

CON#2 – The city can be overwhelming

If you’re someone who becomes easily overwhelmed or prefers a less fast-paced atmosphere, then maybe you should reconsider choosing to study in London and opt for another destination instead. With a total population of over eight million residents, the concept that it would be overwhelming for a student from abroad or across the country trying to adapt to life there isn’t far-fetched, not to mention the individualistic culture among Londoners.

PRO#3 – Excellent teaching

A valid reason as to why studying in London would be beneficial is the common knowledge that the excellent teaching as well as research opportunities offered there is acknowledged across the globe. This provides excellent opportunities for students post-graduation. As well as doors of opportunities, London graduates earn a higher starting salary with over £28,000 on average in comparison to their regional counterparts.

PRO or CON: Tuition fees

Depending on where you’re from, tuition fees to study in London could either be a deterrent from studying there or, shockingly enough, an incentive in this current economic climate. For home students, the price of tuition fees may serve as a drawback. Studying in England costs a whopping £9,250 per academic year, not to mention maintenance costs. The thought of having to pay such high fees to study in their home country whilst residing in unarguably the most expensive city in England would be a reasonable deterrent from studying in London. For prospective international students, tuition fees may be an incentive to pursue the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of studying abroad. Students based in North America, for example, would find it much cheaper to study abroad with fees starting at £11,400 with a cap off at £38,000 per year compared to paying up to a staggering $41,540 to study at a private non-profit college. Study fees for North American students vary depending on the type of university they attend and the length of their degree. European students may also see tuition fees as an incentive to study abroad, with study costs being similar, lower, or slightly higher, combined with living costs in countries such as Portugal, Poland, or Italy.

Which choice should I make?

Studying in London is an amazing opportunity. However, despite the common draws that usually reel students in to pursue their studies in the city, there are also reasonable drawbacks convincing students otherwise. Reading the following above on the pros and cons of being a student in London, it is evident that there is no definitive clear answer as to what the right decision is, but is frustratingly rather subjective. From industry giants to network with being within distance, tourists galore and excellent quality teaching, London is arguably a city destination you simply cannot ignore when considering a university to further your studies. Once you’ve committed to living in London (or if you have that is!), you now need to decided where the best area for students in London to live is.