Whether you’re living close to London or moving to the big UK apple for the first time ever for university, it’s often hard to know where to start. The majority of lists include: accommodation, budget, packing essentials, and of course whereabouts in London you’re actually going to move to! So, below is our list of universities that are local to London, including their rankings, acceptance rate, and costa for international students, so that if you haven’t started that dreaded list just yet, this is definitely a way to start.

List of London universities

Universities in London - campus
Source: Scholarship Positions

Lets go straight back to the basics here: if you’re adamant on studying in London, then it’s important to know what your choices are for university. Thanks to Complete University Guide, below is a list of all the London universities on offer in the capital, alongside their ranking in the UK from highest to lowest.

  • LSE (London School of Economics and Political Science)
  • Imperial College London
  • UCL (University College London)
  • King’s College London
  • Royal Holloway
  • Queen Mary University of London
  • University of the Arts London
  • SOAS University of London
  • City, University of London
  • St George’s, University of London
  • Brunel University London
  • Goldsmiths, University of London
  • University of Roehampton
  • Kingston University
  • University of Greenwich
  • University of West London
  • Middlesex University
  • London South Bank University
  • St Mary’s University, Twickenham
  • University of Westminster, London
  • London Metropolitan University
  • University of East London
  • Ravenbourne University London

It is important to note, however, that although some value rankings such the ones we’ve just  presented, it should be remembered that each university specialises in specific subject areas. It’s vital that you do your research when planning where you want to head off to, as the highest overall London ranked university may not even do your desired course!

We have also provided the university’s undergraduate acceptance rate below, from lowest to highest, just for some extra information on which ones are harder to get into than others.

  • UCL (University College London) – 7%
  • Imperial College London – 8.42%
  • LSE (London School of Economics and Political Science) – 8.9%
  • City, University of London – 11.26%
  • King’s College London – 12.2%
  • University of Greenwich – 15.89%
  • Goldsmiths, University of London – 16.23%
  • Royal Holloway – 16.98%
  • London South Bank University – 17%
  • University of Westminster, London – 17.24%
  • Kingston University – 17.72%
  • University of the Arts London – 22%
  • University of West London – 29%
  • Ravenbourne University London – 31%
  • St George’s, University of London – 39%
  • University of Roehampton – 42%
  • Queen Mary, University of London – 44%
  • University of East London – 55%
  • Middlesex University – 57%
  • SOAS University of London – 63%
  • Brunel University London – 65%
  • St Mary’s University, Twickenham – 74%
  • London Metropolitan University – 84%

London for International Students

Universities in London - international students
Source: American Council on Education

As far as capitals go, London is a vibrant city for anyone to move to; whether you were raised in a village up in the north of Canada or amongst the hustle and bustle of Barcelona, it can come as a surprise to many international students how much they actually learn to enjoy this city. What’s even better, because there are so many people moving to London from around the world, it’s pretty much guaranteed that you won’t be the only person who doesn’t have English as their first language. As seen in World Scholarship Forum, London has a great list of colleges that are perfect for international students, some of which include:

Birbeck, University of London

Being London’s only provider of evening education, Birbeck is great for those that are required to work full time and still wish to gain a degree at the same time

Brunel University London

One of the top 25 universities for international students, Brunel is home to over 2,500 international students, guaranteeing campus accommodation for all first-year students also

City, University of London

Well established for its international focus and employability of graduates, City is also ranked in the top 5% of universities in the world

Queen Mary, University of London

Representing 162 nationalities amongst staff and students, Queen Mary has also ranked first for overall satisfaction in London among Russell Group universities

Richmond, The American International University in London

Located on a beautiful campus, Richmond holds small classes of fewer than 20 students from more than 60 countries

Of course, the level of education you’re wishing to get should be at the forefront of your mind when deciding where to go, but unfortunately money does play a part in it, and many international students don’t have access to loans like UK students do. There is also a list of the cheapest universities in London that you might want to check out, if you are an international student on a budget:

  • University of East London – £12,100
  • University of West London – £12,500
  • LMU (London Metropolitan) – £12,700
  • Coventry University London – £12,924
  • Middlesex University London – £13,400
  • University of London – £13,942
  • University of Greenwich – £14,000
  • University of Westminster – £14,000
  • LSBU (London South Bank University) – £14,460
  • Ravensbourne University London – £14,900

There are so many factors we have to take into account when moving to university, never mind to the big capital itself! Check out our London student guide, and how it is actually possible to live in the city on a budget.