50+ Best Universities in London for International Students

Darshan Shah

05 Oct 2024

Planning to study in the United Kingdom? The country has most of its best universities in London. There are some amazing universities in London for international students attracting more than 25k Indian students to study in the city. Public universities in London offer thousands of programs to choose from. There are 24 fields to choose from including law, engineering, computer science, medicine, business, fashion, finance, and arts.

Why Study in London?

There are multiple reasons why you should consider studying at the best colleges in London and here are some of them:

Happening Student Life

 Studying in London first means that you’ll never be bored! There are infinite things to do and explore around the city, adding a layer of international exposure in your study abroad experience.

 The city is filled with attractive spots such as museums, parks, clubs, cafés, restaurants, historical buildings, art galleries, churches, balls to attend to, bridges, gyms and dungeons as well! 

All of this makes London an entire color palette for students to explore and the best student city to be in.

Excellence in Education

Universities in London are deemed prestigious in the global scenario. It is considered a privilege if you’ve studied at the best universities in London. University of London, King’s College London, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), and University College London (UCL) are just a few of the most popular universities in London for international students.

Studying in London automatically puts you in a place where you can get literally everything. Excellent public transport, opportunities to network, travel links to all over the world, and the biggest libraries are just a few of the perks you get living in one of the largest metropolises in the world.

Top 5 Universities in London for International Students

Out of 51 different universities in a single city, there are some of the best universities in London that we picked, and here’s what students think:

Imperial College London

Imperial College London is one of the most eminent public universities in London. It is currently ranked as the 2nd best university in the world after MIT and esteemed for its research. 

It is considered the most reputable university to study sciences, medicine, and engineering. The university’s acceptance rate is 14.3% making it extremely competitive to get into.

ICL offers world-class facilities and equipment to its students, making them competent enough to take up any challenge that comes their way in the real world, boasting an employment rate of 94 percent!

Students who graduated from Imperial College London are most seeked after by global employers resulting in offers of bigger paychecks. The university has 800 current Indian students and 3000+ Indian alumni.

Annual fees are around 31,750-33,000 GBP per annum for international students.

University College London (UCL)

Ranked as the 9th best university in the world, UCL is among the reputed and some of the best colleges in London. Its world-class research and wide range of courses has a global impact.

The acceptance rate for UCL is around 30-38 percent, making it a bit selective. The college has an excellent employability rate of 92 percent and annual tuition fees for international students range from 24,200-41,000 GBP depending on your course and level of studies.

There are over 1000 Indian students studying at UCL, and a wide range of practical courses make UCL popular—architecture, archaeology, anthropology, pharmacy, psychology, geography, and medicine.

King’s College London (KCL)

University College London and King’s College London are two of the founding universities of London. Both of their degrees are offered by the University of London. It is ranked 40th globally by QSWUR.

With an acceptance rate of 13%, it is one of the best colleges in London to get into. Regardless, the college welcomes 740 students from India and neighboring Asian countries every year. 

You can choose popular and globally reputed courses in humanities, law, sciences (psychiatry, medicine, nursing, dentistry), and social sciences. Tuition fees for international students cost 27,970 GBP per year.

The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

LSE is another of the best universities in London and ranks 50th in the world currently. The university is well-respected for its pioneering step toward social science research.

The university’s acceptance rate is 8.9% making it extremely tough to get into. LSE’s tuition fees are 26,784 GBP per year for both local as well as international students. 

There are several scholarships available that will help you to study in LSE without the financial burden. The university has 685 Indian students currently studying UG and PG degrees at the institute.

Queen Mary University of London

Queen Mary University of London is ranked 120th in the world by QSWUR. It is a significant institute for degrees in medicine and related research. It is one of the 24 prestigious universities of the Russell Group.

The university has an acceptance rate of 41 per cent for international students. This makes it less competitive to get into the top 3 universities in London for international students mentioned.

The university boasts an employability rate of 93% for its students within 15 months of graduation. It charges an annual tuition fee of 25,670 GBP per year from international students.

Complete the London University List

Here’s the complete list according to the best universities in London ranking.

Public vs Private Universities in London

Public universities in London for international students tend to be more affordable when it comes to tuition fees as they’re funded by the government unlike private institutions. You might be able to enjoy a larger campus too. The education however is excellent at both public and private universities. Both types offer equal and personalized support services to their students. However, public universities do offer a wide range of courses as compared to private ones.

It ultimately depends on the course you wish to study, the college that will offer the best faculty for it, and how much money you’re willing to invest in your degree.

London Universities List - Public

These are some of the public  universities in London:

• University of London
• University College London
• Imperial College London
• King's College London
• Queen Mary University of London
• University of West London
• London Metropolitan University
• Goldsmiths, University of London
• University of East London
• Middlesex University London
• City, University of London
• University of Westminster
• University of Roehampton London
• London Business School
• Royal Veterinary College - Camden Campus
• Ravensbourne University London
• Brunel University London
• Royal College of Art
• Kingston University Penrhyn Road Campus

London Universities List - Private

Here are some of the private universities in London:

• Regent’s University London 
• St Mary’s University (Twickenham, London)
• Richmond, The American International University in London
• European School of Economics
• BPP University College
• British Institute of Technology BITE

How to Apply to Universities in London as an International Student?

The application process for universities in London for international students is not that complicated. Firstly, you must choose a university and the course you wish to study. 

After this, you can easily apply through the UCAS once you have collected all the required documents (this will include academic transcripts, SOP, LORs, and IELTS/TOEFL/PTE scores).

Once you receive an offer letter from your university, you will be required to arrange the funding for the first year tuition fees after which you can apply for your visa.

Once your visa is done, you can start finding accommodations and prepare for the move. This process can be time-consuming, long, and hectic. But by taking help from someone who has been doing this for 12+ years and for over 13000+ students, you can make your study abroad journey hassle-free. So feel free to reach out to our expert study abroad consultant here at D-Vivid who can give you personalized guidance at every step.

Cost of Studying at Best Universities in London

Public universities in London are the most affordable when it comes to tuition costs. On average, tuition fees at the universities in London for international students range from 9,000-38,000 GBP.

It depends on your university, course, and whether or not you have been selected for a scholarship. Many universities offer scholarships to their students and there are several others to study in the UK such as the GREAT Scholarships, Fulbright Scholarships, Chevening Scholarship Scheme or Commonwealth Scholarships. These will cut your tuition costs.

As for the living costs in London, Indian students should expect to spend 1,300-1,400 GBP per month. This is around 1.4-1,5 Lakh INR. To save some extra bucks, living on the outskirts may lower the cost further.

Those were all the best universities in London for international students. We hope you got a detailed idea on the best colleges in London, university list, universities in London ranking, and public universities in London. For any more doubts or assistance, call us anytime and we can solve those questions.