Every year we answer hundreds of questions on our Instagram page. It’s perfectly normal to have lots of questions at this stage of your journey, even if you’ve checked through all the online resources, forums and videos.
We regularly run our Wednesday Q&As on our stories, and our inbox is always open. But to save you some time, we've collated our most asked questions - and we'll be consistently adding to this page to make it even more helpful.
Freshers Week
From how to buy a nightlife wristband before you've enrolled to what events are worth going to, all your info is here:
- How do I buy a nightlife wristband before I have a UCL login?
You can create a guest account on our website and use that to buy tickets to events before you have your official UCL login. Once logged in you should be able to buy tickets / the wristband. Any problems, let us know at [email protected]
- What is Sports Night?
Sports Night is our weekly TeamUCL club night held every Wednesday at Scala, Kings Cross. If you join any of our sports clubs, you’re bound to find yourself there at some point – but you can still go along even if you’re not involved with TeamUCL.
- How can I stay safe on a night out?
We've got an article on this here, but in summary - stick with your mates, keep an eye on your drink & your belongings, and know in advance how you're going to get home.
- What is the Welcome Fair?
Welcome Fair (sometimes called Freshers Fair) is our massive two-day event held in the first weekend of term. Campus is taken over by our clubs, societies, networks, Union outlets and brands - it's basically a chance for you to meet all of our groups, sign up to those that interest you, and get a whole load of freebies from our sponsors. Expect music, performances and a vibrant and welcoming atmosphere.
Accommodation
From Camden to Clerkenwell, Wimbledon to Wembley, there's loads of places to live in London - here's how to find somewhere.
- I've applied for halls - when will I find out where I'm living?
Accommodation offers are sent out between July and the end of August in the year of study. UCL's Accommodation Team have put together their own FAQs page which is very handy and will answer 99% of questions.
- I have a medical condition & will require a specific room type - what action do I need to take?
You will need to provide the Accommodation Team with supporting evidence. Evidence needs to:
Be written in English
Be provided by a medical professional (GP, consultant, specialist nurse) and presented on official headed or stamped paper
Clearly state your diagnosis
Detail the impact of your health condition/additional requirements on a day-to-day basis
State the requirement for a specific room type
- How do I join the waiting list for halls?
Yes, the UCL waiting list will open for applications in September 2024. Rooms will be allocated based on your preferences, maximum weekly rent and availability. Please note that the demand for UCL Accommodation spaces outstrips supply, so we strongly recommend that you look into Alternative Accommodation to secure housing as early as possible. The housing marketing in London is extremely competitive and demand will increase as it gets closer to the start of term.
- How can I find flatmates/rent a room?
Try out our Flatmate Finder, there are plenty of rooms & people looking for rooms/to flathunt with on there. UCL also have a list of alternative private halls providers.
There are of course plenty of third party places to look, but we cannot guarantee there won't be scammers on here - exercise caution and always ask our Advice Service for help if you're unsure about a contract or anything else seems off. Some popular places people advertise rooms in London are:
Unofficial London University FB groups. WARNING: we do not run or moderate any of these, even if they say 'UCL' in the title, so be careful here.
Facebook groups such as Hackney Wick Spaces, Southwest London Housemate Co-op and similar groups - go for ones that have active moderators, as they are more likely to spot and ban obvious scammers.
- I'll be commuting into Uni - will I miss out?
Don’t worry about missing out on the same experience as people in halls – events and societies are where it’s at. Don’t be scared to turn up to anything on your own, as LOADS of people will be doing this and everyone at our freshers events will be open to making new friends.
As long as you organise your time well – if you’re coming in for a 9:00 class and have a huge gap until your next one, this is a great time to meet up with your friends/get some work done/get involved with a sports club. Also, if you’re attending any evening events, make sure you know when your last train home is. Alternatively, find a buddy living more centrally who has a couch you can sleep on if all else fails (we’ve all been there).
Download CityMapper, and keep an eye on when there are train strikes or delays to ensure you don’t miss classes/don’t get stuck in central London!
- Will it be difficult to manage as a main campus student living in Pool Street (UCL East)?
Absolutely not - Pool Street is seriously well connected - underground, overground, buses etc. You can get to the Bloomsbury campus quite quickly. Not all halls are close to the Bloomsbury campus, so most students end up having a bit of a commute to get in anyway.
- I haven't found accommodation in time - what do I do?
Many rooms/flats become available immediately in London, so it's worth checking Spareroom/Rightmove and similar sites in case things come up last minute. If you're really stuck, we've got a guide to finding emergency accommodation.
International Students
UCL is truly a global university, with other half of our student body being made up of international students. Here's how to get settled.
- Are there specific societies for international students?
We have a wide range of Cultural Societies, a great way to find people who meet people who are from or have an interest in your country. They hold some of the biggest events of the year, too - UCL CSSA's Temple Fair and Indian Society's Jashn are two big highlights that come to mind.
- Where can I find help with my writing?
Check out our Language + Writing Support Programme, offering support to non-native English speaking students with their academic writing and speaking. Our Peer Tutors run several different types of free activities to help you with your written and spoken English, including a regular programme of workshops and one-to-one sessions.
- How can I get proof of age to get into bars and nightclubs?
We would advise against taking your passport out, as it would be very expensive to replace if lost. You'll need a PASS accredited ID - TOTUM provide 2-in-1 IDs and student discount cards, which is a great solution.
- How many hours per week can I work?
Tier 4/Student visa holders can work a maximum of 20 hours per week in most cases - there's more information here.
EEA & Swiss nationals who have been granted status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you can work in the UK during and after your studies and you do not need the permission of UK Visas and Immigration to do so.
Academic bits
Where's my timetable? How much coursework will I have? And everything in between.
- When will I get my login?
As a new student you should receive an email from UCL with information on pre-enrolment and instructions on how to get your UCL user ID. The email is usually sent out at least two weeks before you are due to join UCL. To get your UCL user ID and set a password, please use the link within the email and follow the instructions on that web page.
- When will I get my Student ID?
Once you’ve completed pre-enrolment, you’ll be able to book a timeslot to collect your ID card.
- How do I use the libraries
We've broken all this down in this handy article.
- How do I print?
Everything you print at UCL is sent to one central queue, and you can print from any printer around campus. You'll need either your login or your ID card to access your print queue on the printer.
If you are using a UCL desktop, the printer should already be installed, but it's handy to install the printer on your own laptop/computer - here's how to do that (it's a little complicated but you'll get there).
Alternatively, you can email your document to [email protected] - this will also add it to the queue to be retrieved at any printer. It's worth noting that this is only really worth it for simple documents, as Mobile Print will only print as A4, double-sided & mono.
One last thing - you'll get £12 free printing credit in your account at the start of your first year and this is reset to £12 at the start of each academic year. You can top this up if you need to; here are the charges for printing various paper sizes and in colour.
Student Life
Our most commonly asked questions are about student life - here's a few we get a lot.
- How do I register for a doctor/dentist?
Firstly, use the NHS GP search service to find a surgery in your catchment area (near your accommodation). You can view reviews on here, but we'd generally recommend picking somewhere nearby; for example, for many UCL students living next to campus, Ridgmount Practice is the closest surgery.
Unlike the doctors (GP), there are no geographical or catchment area restrictions for dentists. The Dental Centre is located just 5 minutes from main campus – it's UCL’s partner practice and provides both NHS dental services and private dental care to UCL students.
- Should I get an Oyster Card/how do I link my Railcard to my Oyster?
You can either use a contactless card or an Oyster Card to get around London. You can top up your Oyster at most stations with either cash or card, or online, so if you're an international student and you'll need to open a new bank account when you arrive, it's definitely worth getting an Oyster.
TfL offer a Student Oyster, which will give you 30% off adult-rate Travelcards and Bus & Tram Pass season tickets. This is definitely worth it if you'll be travelling around London via bus/tube/train almost every day, and will save you a fair bit of money.
If you have a Railcard, you can link this to your Oyster - this will give you 1/3 off pay-as-you-go OFF-PEAK travel only. To link your Oyster card and railcard, you need to take your Oyster card and your railcard to an Underground station, Overground ticket office or some National Rail ticket offices and ask the clerk to add your discount entitlement to your Oyster card. It will be valid until the expiry of the railcard.
- How can I get a job at the Union?
We post all part-time jobs available at the Union on our JobShop board - that includes jobs in our cafes, bars, shops and gym. We also post other flexible part-time, seasonal and temporary work on there. Make sure to sign up to the newsletter to be the first to know about new opportunities.
- Where's good to eat around campus?
We might be biased, but our cafes are fantastic - they're run by students, and sell everything from katsu curry to iced coffees. Our cafes are shaped by our four promises; this means you'll always know you're paying a fair price, that the things you buy have been responsibly sourced, that the money you spend goes towards doing good things, and that when you visit us you'll feel at home and part of our community.
- How can I get student discount, and where can I use it?
Registering for Unidays will sort you for most places, but you can only do this when you get your UCL email. You can also purchase an NUS card, or register for StudentBeans. Look on their websites to see which retailers they offer discounts with.
- Where can I get help with my mental health?
If at any point you feel that you are struggling, we're here to support you, as are UCL - here's a useful list of resources. Our Advice Service may be a good place to start, as we can direct you to the best place for your situation.
- I'm struggling to manage my money - what financial help is available?
Money can be tight as a student, especially in a city like London. We’re here to help you manage your money and deal with any problems that might come up during your time at UCL. Our advisors can help you with budgeting and debt, and we also have hardship funding available.
Clubs and societies
Community is at the heart of what we do - and our student groups play a massive part in that.
- How do I decide which group to join?
At the beginning of the academic year, you’ll get to meet and try out as many societies as you can before deciding which ones to join for the year. Come along to our Welcome Fair, as well as any specific weekdays that interest you; for example, come along to our artsUCL takeover if you're interested in acting, writing or something else artsy. Don’t worry if you don’t get to speak to all the societies you want to during the first few weeks - the ability to join societies is there all year-round so you can join anytime.
Take a look at our clubs and societies here where you can sort by category & find the match for you...
- How many societies should I join?
It really does totally depend on you, your schedule, and how much time you want to commit to each society. All of our clubs and societies offer free taster memberships, so I really recommend getting as many of those as you want to filter out which societies you’re interested in joining full-time. It’s also up to you how much time you want to commit to your society – no one is going to force you to go to every pub quiz or movie social, and no one will judge you for it either!
- When do sports clubs train?
Most competitive sports games take place on Wednesday afternoons, which are kept entirely free of lectures to give everyone a chance to play. Lots of our sports clubs also have Postgrad teams with training timetables that will fit around your schedule.
- I can't afford to join a society/club - can I get a discount?
Not a discount exactly, but you can apply for the Participation Fund. This is a pot of money current UCL students can apply for to help enable them to take part in Students’ Union UCL clubs and societies as well as any other co-curricular or extra-curricular activities. Financial barriers can be especially hard for some students and that should not prevent them from having amazing co-curricular and extra-curricular experiences and opportunities.
The funds will be awarded based on an individual’s financial needs, and can be used to help cover the costs of membership fees, or any other associated costs (such as kit, specialist equipment, travel or room hire for example).
- How do I join a society?
All Club and Society memberships can be purchased on the Union website, but you’ll need to enrol before you can do this. We also offer free taster memberships, meaning you can try before you buy. Visit our directory to browse all your options...
Union Lingo
- Student Officer
Our student officer team are elected by you every March. They make key decisions at the Union and enact the changes you want to see so your best interests are at the forefront of everything we do.
We have six Sabbatical Officers (also known as Sabbs) - they work full-time and lead the Union on different aspects of the UCL experience. They're all UCL students who have either just graduated or taken a year out of their studies (a sabbatical year). Speak to them if you’ve got anything you’d like to change and if you’d like to become a Sabb yourself (you can even do this in your first year), make sure to apply in March next year.
Throughout the years, they’ve made huge changes to life at UCL. They’ve made sure there are free sanitary products in all Union loos, made students who work in Union outlets are paid London Living Wage, worked to have more microwaves on campus, got fair pay for PGTA’s and more.
We've also got our Student Officers, who work part-time alongside their studies to look after many things important to life at UCL including sustainability, accommodation and sports.
- The Union
We're your route to getting more out of UCL. We're led by students to represent your interests at the highest levels of UCL, and we're here to support you and make your University experience as amazing as it can be. We're your route to over 400 clubs and societies, arts, sports, volunteering, and we've even got our own advice team, gym, bars, cafes, merch and convenience stores. If you'd like to see some examples of students who've majorly boosted their uni experience through us, check out our Class of 24.
- Clubs/societies/networks
Our clubs, societies and networks are all student groups - they bring together like-minded people under one umbrella.
We have too many societies to name - they cover sport, arts, departments and things as random as Tea and Taylor Swift. They are ALL open to new people and they're great ways to form connections and find a support network at University. You'll need a membership to join these societies, but at the start of the year many have free taster sessions which do not require membership.
Our sports clubs are all part of TeamUCL. They train and socialise throughout the year, and have the chance to take part in competitions at various levels. The biggest competition of the year is Varsity, where several clubs play against Kings to take the trophy for that year.
Our networks are slightly different, and work to promote the interests of marginalised groups - we have a Trans* Network, an LGBQ+ Network, a Disabled Students Network, a People of Colour Network and a Women's Network. Networks are led by Student Officers and championed by the Equity & Inclusion Officer.
- Reps
Reps basically act as a voice for specific groups of students, participating in debates and shaping projects to improve their area.
Academic Reps, for example, are elected or appointed to work at course, department, and faculty level. They gather your opinions and work with staff at the university, primarily through attending regular meetings, to act on your priorities and make your education better.
Our Rep Elections take place every October, and you can read more about all the rep roles here.
- Welcome Week
Welcome Week is a week full of activities to help you settle in to Uni, meet new friends and find your feet. It's not all about clubbing, either - over 90% of our Welcome Week events are alcohol free and there really is something for everyone. Welcome Week culminates in the Welcome Fair, held over the weekend, with hundreds of student groups setting up stalls to chat to you and tell you why to join. There's also tons of freebies, performances and all round good vibes.
- Society Committees
Every society has a group of people running things - that's the committee. You can run for committee during our annual elections if you'd like to lead your club or society, and there's a range of roles up for grabs; you could be the President if you want to take the lead, or take up the role of Social Secretary if you're keen on organising events. Not only is it great fun, but it's an amazing way to gain skills that will look great on your CV & will be transferable to a number of careers.