The next stage of reopening campus begins on Monday 17 May. It’s been a long and difficult few months, but we’re slowly getting back to doing all the things we love so much.

From Monday 17 May, you can return to campus. This means that on-campus, indoor activity can start again. You may not have much, or any, in-person teaching left this year, but you can still get involved in in-person club and society activity – and there’s a lot going on.

We’re reopening all of our activity spaces in the Bloomsbury and Lewis’s buildings, and clubs and societies have already started to book these spaces for dance classes, music practice, theatre rehearsals, workshops and more.

Club and Society social activity off campus, within Government guidelines, is also back on, with picnics, food tours and trips to venues all on the menu.

Our Jazz Band will be back doing what they do best, K-Pop Soc are back doing in-person rehearsals, and so are Musical Theatre. We're also excited that our arts groups will be back in their spiritual home, The Bloomsbury Theatre – we’ll be live-streaming workshops, rehearsals and performances as our arts societies prep for shows in the Bloomsbury Theatre. It’s all starting to feel like UCL again.

If you’re in London and want to make the most of the last few weeks of term three, get involved with sports and societies – there’s so much about to happen and we’d love for you to join in.

Have a look at our What’s On calendar, there’s loads going on.

Institute Bar

You’ve been loving the terrace these past few weeks, but from Monday you’ll be able to sit indoors too. There are still Covid restrictions in place to keep you safe, but we’re ready to welcome you back.

Institute Bar – indoor and outdoor, no booking required

Opening Times: Mon – Wed: 17:00 – 22:00* Thur - Fri15:00 - 22:00*

*Service ends at 21:30 * Service via our app only. 

Around UCL

  • Your department will contact you with specific arrangements for your programme. 
  • Many facilities are already open for students, including study spaces, library services and limited catering outlets. See What’s open on campus.  
  • UCL is home to many incredible museums, including the Grant Museum of Zoology, the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology and UCL Art Museum. See everything from dodo bones and the world’s rarest skeleton, the quagga, to Hawara Mummy portraits and the Tarkhan dress from ancient Egypt. They are now open again with reduced opening times, safety measures and pre-booking in place. Find out more.
  • The main buildings on campus are open and you will need your student ID to get in and out. If you have lost your card, or are in your first year of study and have not collected this yet, please ensure that you book an appointment to collect a card.
  • Find out what’s going on across UCL with UCL Events and Activities, a new resource open exclusively to UCL students.
  • Libraries are nearly all back open, you can book a study space here.
  • If you’re planning to be back on campus and don’t have Covid symptoms you should get tested for every three-to-four days, and add your results to UCL’s Connect to Protect tool: You can book a free test here and you can see Carol getting her test below:

What’s happened so far

29 March

TeamUCL clubs with approved covid-19 risk assessments in place will be able to resume outdoor sporting activity

12 April

In-person society activity outdoors can resume within the rule of six for societies with approved covid-19 risk assessments.

Bloomsbury Fitness reopened with new opening hours of 9:00 – 18:00.

The Hanger, our on-campus shop, reopened 10:00 – 14:00.

14 April

The Institute Bar (outdoor terrace) reopened.


Stay safe