Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
Goldsmiths is a smaller London university with a big creative reputation. It has one compact campus in New Cross, south-east London, with most university halls a two- to five-minute walk away. It's best known for art, design, music, media and the social sciences, and attracts students who want to make, perform and question things.
London is expensive, though. Hall rents for 2026/27 run from about £191 to over £400 a week, with most en-suites around £212–£249. With only around 4,500 undergraduates, it's a much smaller community than most London universities.
Known for
Goldsmiths, University of London is 123rd out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 27.8, below the UK median of 48.5. Our rankings are built around the student experience, combining employability, freshers experience, happiness, nightlife, sustainability, inclusion, innovation and societies. That means big research names don’t automatically top the table. See how we score universities.
Marker shows the UK median across all ranked universities.
| Rank | University | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 121 | University of Roehampton | 34.3 |
| 122 | Buckinghamshire New University | 33.5 |
| 123 | Goldsmiths, University of London | 27.8 |
| 124 | London Metropolitan University | 27.3 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
27th of 124 · Nightlife Score 60
53rd of 124 · Social Score 51.3
80th of 124 · Inclusion Score 51.8
81st of 124 · Societies Score 46.3
121st of 124 · Sustainability Score 23
121st of 124 · Safety Score 19
120th of 122 · Careers Score 15
122nd of 124 · Employability Score 14.9
122nd of 124 · Balance Score 22.9
123rd of 124 · Freshers Score 18.8
123rd of 124 · Innovation Score 22.7
123rd of 124 · Wellbeing Score 10
123rd of 124 · Value Score 10.2
123rd of 123 · Happiness Score 8.9
124th of 124 · Affordability Score 3.6
London as a student city
Ranked 72nd of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 32.
Goldsmiths, University of London appears in 21 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Art | 36th | of 58 | 95 |
| Software Engineering | 37th | of 58 | 74 |
| Economics | 57th | of 85 | 83 |
| History | 51st | of 76 | 78 |
| Criminology | 64th | of 94 | 63 |
| Drama, Theatre and Performance | 41st | of 60 | 58 |
| Law | 67th | of 97 | 86 |
| Art and Design | 9th | of 13 | 42 |
| Performing Arts | 26th | of 37 | 49 |
| Philosophy | 38th | of 54 | 51 |
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 72nd | of 102 | 82 |
| Media and Communication | 56th | of 79 | 72 |
| Teaching | 56th | of 79 | 62 |
| Psychology | 77th | of 108 | 70 |
| Music | 40th | of 56 | 63 |
| Sociology | 64th | of 86 | 71 |
| Journalism | 44th | of 59 | 60 |
| Social Work | 50th | of 67 | 57 |
| International Relations | 53rd | of 71 | 52 |
| Politics | 60th | of 78 | 57 |
| Anthropology | 19th | of 24 | 44 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
Goldsmiths Students' Union runs sports clubs, societies and events, and has a strong campaigning and activist tradition. The campus is compact, so it's easy to bump into people. New Cross and nearby Deptford and Peckham are known for independent bars, live music and a creative scene. Central London is a short train ride away from New Cross or New Cross Gate stations.
University halls cost £191–£404.50 per week (2026/27 halls; Loring Hall's let runs 18 September 2026 to 27 June 2027) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
Goldsmiths doesn't publish a straightforward first-year guarantee. It says that if you apply before the deadline, it intends to offer you a place, sending offers in batches through the summer, and it gives priority to new students living outside the London Travelcard zones. Only firm-choice applicants can apply. For 2026/27, students accepting an offer between 13 August and 31 October 2026 could get a £1,000 accommodation discount, which Goldsmiths says also guarantees them an offer of a place.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surrey House | New Cross (5 minutes' walk) | standard rooms with sink to large studios | £191/wk | The cheapest option, from £191 to £404 a week. Managed by Campus Living Villages. Essential internal maintenance is planned during 2026/27. |
| Ewen Henderson Court | New Cross (2 minutes' walk) | mostly en-suite | £212/wk | £212–£230 a week, for undergraduates and postgraduates. |
| Loring Hall | New Cross (Goldsmiths' biggest hall) | en-suite, flats of up to 8 | £230/wk | The largest student community, across seven blocks. A standard en-suite is £9,265.71 for 18 September 2026 to 27 June 2027; large en-suites up to £249 a week. |
| Raymont Hall | Brockley (20 minutes' walk or a short bus ride) | en-suite or studio | £237/wk | In a leafy conservation area; managed by Campus Living Villages. Studios go up to £404.50 a week. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
Right by campus: busy, creative and full of students.
Next door to New Cross, with a market, independent cafés and a strong arts scene.
Leafier and a bit calmer, with good Overground links.
Lively, with rooftop bars and galleries, a short bus ride away.
Top tip
Firmly accept your Goldsmiths offer first (insurance-choice applicants can't apply), then apply before the deadline to be prioritised, especially if you live outside the London Travelcard zones. Offers go out in batches all summer, so don't panic if yours isn't immediate. Accept by the deadline in your offer email and pay the £150 pre-payment (or a deposit for some halls). If you're applying late, ask whether a late-acceptance discount is running, as one was for 2026/27.
London living is expensive, and Goldsmiths' halls aren't cheap. For 2026/27, rents run from £191 a week (Surrey House) to £404.50 for a studio, with most en-suites around £212–£249. Loring Hall's standard en-suite costs £9,265.71 for the year. You'll pay a £150 pre-payment to secure a room. Budget for London transport, though most halls are walkable to campus.
Getting around
Most halls are within a five-minute walk of campus, and Raymont Hall is about 20 minutes' walk or a short bus ride. New Cross and New Cross Gate stations are next to campus for trains into central London. A London bus fare is £1.75 with unlimited transfers within an hour, and an 18+ Student Oyster photocard saves 30% on Travelcards.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
Goldsmiths, University of London is 123rd out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 27.8. Its strongest results are for nightlife (27th).
Not as a simple guarantee. If you apply before the deadline, Goldsmiths says it intends to offer you a place, and new students from outside the London Travelcard zones get priority. You must have firmly accepted your academic offer to apply.
For 2026/27, rents range from £191 a week (Surrey House) to £404.50 (a studio at Raymont Hall). Most en-suites cost £212–£249 a week, at Ewen Henderson Court and Loring Hall.
Most are very close: Ewen Henderson Court is about two minutes' walk, Surrey House five minutes, and Loring Hall is in New Cross too. Raymont Hall in Brockley is about 20 minutes' walk or a short bus ride.
No. It's in New Cross, south-east London. New Cross and New Cross Gate stations are next to campus, with quick trains into central London.
Yes. Goldsmiths was founded in 1891 by the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths and joined the University of London in 1904.
No. All Goldsmiths accommodation is self-catering, with shared kitchens (or a private kitchen in studios).
About this guide. Rankings data comes from the Unifresher Rankings 2027 (methodology). Facts, hall prices and costs come from the university and official sources listed below. Last updated 23 October 2026.
