| Key Information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | London, England | ||
| Established | 1826 | ||
| Famous For | Medicine, Science, Law | ||
University College London is the oldest and largest college of the University of London and is known as ‘London’s Global University’. It is currently ranked 9th in the world (QS World University Rankings 2024) and 2nd in the UK for research power (2021 Research Excellence Framework). The University was founded in 1826, and there are over 40,000 students currently enrolled at the institution, 53% of whom are international.
UCL is a member of the elite Russell Group of UK universities and is also part of the League of European Research Universities, a consortium of European research universities that seek to influence policy in Europe and to develop best practices through mutual exchange of experience. Staff and alumni at UCL have won a total of 30 Nobel prizes, and 840 professors and 7,000 academic staff are dedicated to research and teaching across 11 faculties. UCL students benefit from close associations with several major teaching hospitals, such as the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, the Royal Free Hospital and Moorfields Eye Hospital.
In total, there are over 650 UCL master's programmes to choose from and almost 500 undergraduate degrees. The University College London acceptance rate varies depending on course type and study level but is around 63%. This means being accepted onto a UCL course is challenging but manageable if you show the required academic acumen.
University College London is currently promoting the idea of education for global citizenship in an attempt to make sure students are given the freedom and encouragement to explore ideas from different cultural perspectives while working on projects of international importance.
Prior to the start of the term, the International Office at University College London holds an orientation programme for new overseas students, helping them settle into their new surroundings so they can hit the ground running.
All undergraduates are also allocated a personal tutor, but departments have departmental and faculty tutors available. Your personal tutor can assist with:
The UCL Student Union also has one of the largest selections of clubs and societies in the UK, making it desirable for those who wish to socialise away from study.
University College London was ranked the second-best university in the UK for research power, with 93 per cent of the research graded 4* ‘world leading’ and 3* ‘internationally excellent’. UCL's research received a 'grade point average' of 3.50 (out of 4) – an improvement from 3.22 in 2014.
The UCL Institute of Education has been ranked as the best university in the world for the study of Education for the last nine years (QS World University Rankings by Subject) and also received the Queen’s Anniversary Prize, a celebration of excellence, innovation and public benefit in work carried out by UK colleges and universities, in 2015.
In addition to the number one position for education, eight other subject areas from UCL are ranked in the QS World University Rankings by Subject global top 10:
All full-time, first-year international undergraduate and postgraduate students are guaranteed accommodation which is made up of catered Halls of Residence, self-catered student housing, catered inter-collegiate halls and privately rented accommodation organised by partner organisations.
University College London is based in the heart of London, primarily in Bloomsbury, close to a wealth of academic resources that includes museums and libraries, academic and professional bodies, theatres, hospitals and medical institutes.
A new state-of-the-art UCL East campus is also currently being constructed adjacent to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park that will eventually bring together eight UCL faculties and become home to 4,000 students and around 260 academic staff.
I sincerely thank SI-UK for getting me accepted to UCL. The MSc in Urban Development and Planning is extremely competitive, but the right guidance provided by SI-UK made my dream of studying at University College London a reality. The services were exceptional from beginning to end.
Rashmi Lakshanya Urban Development and Planning at University College London
