Where it ranks in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, what it’s really like to study there, and what halls and living costs look like.
UAL isn't one campus but six colleges across London, from Central Saint Martins at King's Cross to London College of Fashion in Stratford, Camberwell and Wimbledon. Your college shapes your day-to-day life far more than the university as a whole, so research it as carefully as your course. It's a magnet for creative students from all over the world.
London living is the big catch. UAL's own estimate for living costs is £19,750 a year, and most hall rooms cost £230–£300 a week for 2026/27, often on 50-week contracts. There's no first-year accommodation guarantee, so book early and budget carefully.
Known for
The University of the Arts London is 33rd out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 52.7, above 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Bath Spa University | 53.1 |
| 32 | Liverpool John Moores University | 52.8 |
| 33 | University of the Arts London | 52.7 |
| 34 | Cardiff University | 52.6 |
| 35 | University of Southampton | 52.6 |
Each award ranks all 124 universities on one part of student life. Click through for the full table.
11th of 124 · Sustainability Score 68.7
15th of 124 · Innovation Score 66.4
16th of 124 · Social Score 69
21st of 124 · Societies Score 64
28th of 124 · Nightlife Score 60
28th of 123 · Happiness Score 56.2
31st of 124 · Inclusion Score 70
60th of 124 · Balance Score 43
82nd of 124 · Freshers Score 50.9
86th of 124 · Safety Score 34.2
90th of 124 · Wellbeing Score 44.1
101st of 124 · Value Score 35.7
110th of 124 · Affordability Score 17.3
117th of 124 · Employability Score 17.2
116th of 122 · Careers Score 16.6
London as a student city
Ranked 72nd of 72 UK university cities in our Best University Cities 2027 ranking, with a score of 32.
The University of the Arts London appears in 17 of our subject league tables. Here’s where it places in each, best first.
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 28th | of 102 | 168 |
| Robotics | 9th | of 32 | 97 |
| Journalism | 17th | of 59 | 119 |
| Animation (2D/3D) | 15th | of 52 | 116 |
| Graphic Design | 22nd | of 68 | 138 |
| Fashion Design | 17th | of 49 | 113 |
| Film Production | 33rd | of 87 | 154 |
| Data Science | 19th | of 50 | 103 |
| Media and Communication | 31st | of 79 | 142 |
| Interior Design | 15th | of 36 | 72 |
| Subject | Rank | Table size | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture | 24th | of 55 | 105 |
| Product Design | 19th | of 43 | 95 |
| Fine Art | 26th | of 58 | 120 |
| Drama, Theatre and Performance | 29th | of 60 | 102 |
| Performing Arts | 19th | of 37 | 80 |
| Costume Design | 6th | of 10 | 32 |
| Photography | 28th | of 44 | 68 |
Subject tables compare universities on graduate earnings, student satisfaction, teaching quality and academic support. Scores aren’t comparable between subjects.
At UAL, your college is your community. Each one has its own buildings, studios, shows and identity, and Arts Students' Union (Arts SU) runs societies, events and support across all six. The university's halls life team runs an events programme for residents. Beyond that, London is the campus: galleries, museums, gigs, markets and fashion events. The ArtFund Student Art Pass and student discounts help keep the cost down.
University halls cost £166–£429 per week (2026/27 UAL halls; tenancies of 38–50 weeks depending on hall) (2026/27 prices).
First-year accommodation guarantee
UAL doesn't publish a first-year accommodation guarantee. Any student who has accepted an offer can book through the Student Accommodation Portal, giving their top five room preferences; the accommodation team then offers a room based on availability. UAL prioritises students who've told it about a disability or health condition, and students who'll be under 18 when their tenancy starts. For 2026/27, bookings were still open in October 2026, but UAL warns that availability is limited and changes quickly.
| Hall | Area | Rooms | From | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland House | Camberwell | twin, shared bathroom, en-suite and studio rooms | £166/wk | Refurbished Georgian townhouse, convenient for Camberwell. The cheapest beds in UAL halls are twin rooms here (£166–£204); single rooms with a shared bathroom are £224.50–£237.50. 50-week tenancy. |
| Hawthorne House | Stratford | en-suite | £185.10/wk | Five minutes' walk from Stratford station and 15 minutes' walk from London College of Fashion. 251 partially funded rooms for eligible UK home-fee students at £185.10 (42 weeks); other en-suites £330 (45 weeks). |
| Signal House | Wimbledon | shared bathroom, en-suite and studios | £199.35/wk | New for 2026/27, 12 minutes' walk from Wimbledon College of Arts. Partially funded rooms are £199.35; en-suites from £298.50. 39-week tenancy. |
| YourTRIBE Southwark | Peckham | partially funded rooms | £204/wk | 94 partially funded rooms on a 38-week tenancy, with good links to Camberwell and LCC. You must be 18 or over. |
| The Costume Store | North Acton, West London | standard rooms and studios | £231/wk | UAL's biggest hall (730 rooms), opposite North Acton tube station, handy for Central Saint Martins and LCF. 50-week tenancy. |
| Archwood House | Camberwell | shared bathroom, en-suite and studios | £234.50/wk | Modern hall ideal for Camberwell and LCC students. En-suites are £280 a week. 50-week tenancy. |
| Town Hall Camberwell | Camberwell | shared bathroom, en-suite and studios | £242/wk | Moments from Camberwell College of Arts. Premium studios here are the most expensive UAL rooms, at £429 a week. 40-week tenancy. |
| Sketch House | Finsbury Park | standard rooms and studios | £298.50/wk | 475 rooms with easy links to Central Saint Martins and LCF. 50-week tenancy. |
Prices are the university’s published weekly starting prices and can change. Always check the official accommodation site before applying.
Creative south London neighbourhoods close to Camberwell College and LCC, with lots of students.
Home of London College of Communication: central, busy and well connected.
East London, near London College of Fashion at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Around Central Saint Martins: very central and very expensive.
Top tip
Work out which college you'll be at first, then pick halls with an easy commute: UAL's colleges are miles apart. Once you've accepted your offer (allow up to 72 hours to get portal access), register on the Student Accommodation Portal and list your top five halls. If you're a UK home-fee student, check whether you're eligible for a partially funded room: these are much cheaper (from £185.10 a week). Check tenancy lengths too, as some halls charge for 50 weeks.
London is expensive, and UAL is honest about it. The Dean of Students office estimates average living costs of £19,750 a year (2025/26). For 2026/27, UAL hall rooms cost £166–£429 a week, but most single rooms are £230–£300, and many tenancies are 50 weeks long. Partially funded rooms from £185.10 are available for eligible home students. Budget for travel and materials too.
Getting around
You'll probably use public transport most days, since UAL's colleges and halls are spread across London. An 18+ Student Oyster card gives 30% off Travelcards and bus and tram passes (not pay-as-you-go fares). Adding a 16-25 Railcard gets you discounted off-peak pay-as-you-go fares. Walking and Santander Cycles are the cheapest options for short trips.
Weighing up your options? Here’s how nearby universities compare in the Unifresher Rankings 2027.
The University of the Arts London is 33rd out of 124 UK universities in the Unifresher Rankings 2027, with an overall score of 52.7. Its strongest results are for sustainability (11th), innovation (15th), social life (16th).
No. UAL doesn't publish a guarantee. Once you've accepted an offer, you can apply through the Student Accommodation Portal with your top five choices, and you'll be offered a room based on availability. Students with a disability or health condition, and under-18s, get priority.
For 2026/27, UAL hall rooms range from £166 a week (a twin room at Portland House) to £429 a week (a premium studio at Town Hall Camberwell). Most single rooms cost £230–£300 a week, and many tenancies last 50 weeks.
They're cheaper rooms in some newer halls for UK home-fee students. For 2026/27, they cost £185.10–£246 a week, at Hawthorne House, Wick Park, Signal House and the two YourTRIBE halls.
UAL's Dean of Students office estimates average living costs of £19,750 a year (2025/26), including rent. Getting an 18+ Student Oyster card saves 30% on Travelcards and bus passes.
It depends on your course. UAL's six colleges are Camberwell, Central Saint Martins, Chelsea, London College of Communication, London College of Fashion and Wimbledon, and they're in different parts of London. Pick halls near your college.
UAL is a specialist creative university, so its courses are in art, design, fashion, communication, media and performance. If you want a broad range of non-creative subjects, a general university will suit you better.
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.
