University College London

University College London (UCL) was established in 1826 with the aim of inclusive and non-discriminatory provision of higher education. The main campus is located in Bloomsbury in central London. Its comprises of 11 faculties ranging from the Arts and Humanities to Medical Sciences.

UCL is considered to be one of the top universities for research, and has produced 29 Nobel Prize winners, as well as notable alumni who include Alexander Graham Bell, Mahatma Gandhi and Christopher Nolan.

School’s Main Website | International / Exchange Student Website

Minimum GPA requirement: 

The qualifications requirement for entry depends on the degree course you wish to pursue. More information can be found under the individual degree pages.

Language of instruction:

English

Courses:

UCL offers two main programs for international students:

1. UCL Study Abroad Programme, which runs for the whole academic year, and
2. UCL International Summer School for Undergraduates, which runs in 2 blocks of 3 weeks in July and August.

Students on exchange will be under the Study Abroad Programme, and they can choose to study in either term 1 or 2, or for the whole year. Similarly, Summer School students can choose to do only one block of 3 weeks, or both blocks of 6 weeks.

More information about these programs can be found here.

The school year runs for 3 terms of 10 weeks each. The first two terms are when most of the teaching takes place, with most departments operating a reading week after 5 weeks, followed by another 5 weeks of school, then a month-long winter/spring break. The third term mainly consists of the examination period, and the school year is pretty much over after your last paper. Term dates can be found here.

Flying Chalks’ tip: If you’re concerned about timetabling, you can build a custom timetable by inputting your modules at: https://timetable.ucl.ac.uk/

Course registration process:

Students register for modules on Portico, a portal where you can access important information such as results, fee notifications and examination schedules. Course registration is done during induction week, after introductory talks are given by your home department.

Modules are typically allocated on a first-come-first-serve basis, although some departments might give priority to students from their own faculty over affiliate students. Take note that some modules run only in either term 1 (Autumn) or 2 (Spring), while others might run in both terms.

Attendance policy:

Most courses require a minimum 70% attendance. Students who fail to meet this requirement may be barred from taking the end-of-year examination or other summative assessments.

Campus map:

The UCL campus map can be accessed here.

Flying Chalks’ tip: Download the UCL Go! App for easy access to the map (the ‘place finder’ option is infinitely useful!) as well as other information like timetables and library services.

Selected facilities:

The Student Central building has facilities such as a gym (Energybase), bars and cafes.

The Bloomsbury Theatre on Gordon St houses a gym (Bloomsbury Fitness) and rooms available for societies.

UCL has many libraries scattered throughout the campus, the most popular of which are the Main Library and the Science Library (open 24 hours!). The Senate House library, located on the corner of Russell Square, a 5-minute walk from the main campus, is also a good alternative option during the pre-examination period.

Students are given £12 of printing credit a year. Black and white printing costs 5p per A4 sheet, and a list of printing facilities can be found here.

UCL has a number of museums within the main campus with incredibly comprehensive collections, including the Grant Museum of Zoology, and the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology. Spend a day exploring the collections, or keep an eye out for the many events hosted!

Food on campus:

Every Thursday, the farmer’s market at Torrington Square offers a wide-range of tasty food at affordable prices – perfect for a quick bite in between classes.

The Refectory in the main building also offers some drinks and sandwiches. In addition, UCLU operates a number of cafes and bars throughout campus, including the Print Room Café which sells snacks, meals and drinks in the centre of campus, easily accessible through Malet Place and Gordon Street entrances.

Flying Chalks’ recommendation:

Food in school is often limited to sandwich and other snacks. For a heartier meal, head to the nearby Charlotte Street or Tottenham Court Road. (Check out our ‘Surrounding Environment’ tab!)

Campus transportation:

At the main Bloomsbury campus where most classes are held, you can easily get around on foot! 

Orientation program:

The first week of term is a designated ‘induction week’ for incoming freshmen. Faculties will organise talks and activities during this week for you to get to know the school and your course mates better.

The International Student Orientation Program (ISOP) usually takes place around a week before school officially starts. You can learn more about it here.

For Singaporean students:

UCL Singapore Society (UCLSS) organises a pre-departure talk and orientation camp every year at the end of July. The society also hosts events such as Chinese New Year lunch and sports friendlies against other universities.

The British Council in Singapore also holds a pre-departure briefing for UK-bound students, usually held at the end of July.  

Buddy program:

The UCL Transition Mentor program runs for the first term of school and is introduced as part of induction week. Incoming freshmen and affiliate students are placed in a transition mentor group that meets weekly with a senior from their department, to discuss anything from school and academics, to London life in general.

Student clubs:

There are over 250 student clubs and societies for you to choose from in UCL. You can find the full list here.

UCL has a policy of keeping Wednesday afternoons free of teaching – allowing you plenty of time to pursue your other interests in clubs, societies, or volunteering!

University events:

The Freshers’ Fair takes place in the first weekend of school, with clubs, societies, and various other charities and companies setting up booths in the main building. It’s a great chance for you to check out the wide range of opportunities available to you at UCL, as well as grab some freebies along the way.

There are also various volunteering and career fairs held throughout the year, as well as cultural fairs organised by societies such as the Taiwanese society. 

UCL is centrally located in Bloomsbury, within close walking distance to Soho, Covent Garden, and Oxford Street. Bloomsbury has a large student population, and is also host to many tourists due to the large number of hotels in the area. There are numerous small gardens and squares, which are perfect for picnicking or lying on the grass on a warm day. 

For food:

Flying Chalks’ recommendations:

• Nyonya along Warren Street serves generous portions of rendang, curry chicken and other Singaporean delicacies for around £6 per box
• There are various options along Goodge St and Charlotte Street, including Bibimbap, Thai Metro and Wok to Walk.
• Franco Manca (along Tottenham Court Road) and ICCO (on the corner of Goodge St and Charlotte St) serve pizzas from £5-7 each.
• Patty & Bun at Soho serve arguably the best burgers in London for £7.50-8.75. Another option for burgers is Honest Burgers (new branch at Tottenham Court Road) with burgers and fries for £8.50-10.50.
• Kanada-ya along St Giles High Street serves great ramen and also offers a 10% student discount.
• Weekend markets are held all over London and are a great weekend activity! Other than the famous Borough Market, also check out Broadway Market at London Fields, Maltby Street Market at Bermondsey and Brick Lane Market at Shoreditch.

For nightlife and entertainment:

There are a number of musicals running in London, mostly held in the Soho area. A limited number of tickets are available for a discounted price in the mornings. Otherwise, book tickets in groups of 10 or more for a cheaper rate.

Flying Chalks’ tip: Societies such as Give It A Go (bookings on the UCLU website) also organise events for members to purchase musical tickets or go on daytrips, often at a lower price.

For daily necessities and groceries:

Sainsbury’s along Tottenham Court Road and Tesco’s on Goodge Street are within a 10-minute walk from UCL. Both are supermarkets where you can get groceries for a smaller budget. For better quality but pricier groceries, there is a Waitrose at the nearby Brunswick mall and a Marks & Spencer along Tottenham Court Road.

H Mart is a Korean grocery store located on Tottenham Court Road, which sells Asian groceries at an affordable price.

See Woo, New Loon Moon and Loon Fung Supermarket at Chinatown also sell a wide range of Asian sauces, noodles, frozen and fresh food. 

For shopping:

The iconic Oxford Street is just a 10-minute walk from UCL, with shops like Primark, Sports Direct and department stores Debenhams, John Lewis and BHS.

Wembley Designer Outlet is half an hour by tube from Euston Square station. The outlet mall houses brands such as Nike, Adidas and Superdry, all for a much cheaper price than the high street shops.

The nearest tube stations to UCL are Euston Square (2 min), Euston (8 min), Russell Square (15 min) and King’s Cross (15 min).

Getting from the airport to UCL:

The most often used airports are Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Luton Airports. Airport transfer options include:

Taxi

The London black cab is probably the most expensive option; a cab ride into central London can cost upwards of £50.

Pre-booked cab

Companies such as BA Transfer and Addison Lee will send you to your destination for a fixed price, depending on your pre-set destination. A trip from Heathrow to central London will typically cost around £40.

Heathrow/Gatwick Express

Pricier but faster trains that get you from Heathrow to Paddington, and Gatwick to Victoria in 15 and 30 minutes respectively. From there, change to the tube to complete your journey. Book online in advance for cheaper rates!

National Rail

Thameslink Railway runs trains from Gatwick and Luton Airports to King’s Cross. It takes around an hour from either airport. Tickets can be bought online and mailed to you, or collected at stations. If you have a railcard, or are travelling in a group, you can get significant discounts on your trip.

Coaches

There are several coach companies that run airport transfers from central London. National Express is the most extensive one, covering all the airports, but may also be pricier than the other companies. easyBus provides (usually) the most affordable services to/from Gatwick, Stansted and Luton, while Citylink runs from Stansted Airport to King’s Cross, a great option if you live in the area.

Tube

The Piccadilly line runs from Heathrow to central London (Russell Square/King’s Cross). The journey takes around an hour, and costs $5.10 during peak hours (0630-0930/1600-1900, Mon-Fri) and $3.10 off-peak.

Flying Chalks' tip: Do note that not all tube stations are equipped with elevators or escalators. There is a likelihood that you will end up struggling to carry your baggage up many flights of steps while trying to beat the crowds inside the station! Hence this method is not advisable if you are arriving with big pieces of luggage!