Welcome to London - one of the world's most international cities! Home to Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, UCL and, most importantly, you. When you first move to the city, you might have a lot of questions - that's where we come in.
We've put together our best tips, tricks and advice on living the student life in London to make things a bit easier for you.
Remember we do a Q&A on our instagram every week, so if you have any questions please get in touch.
Moving to London
Moving to a new city is really exciting, especially one as vibrant and fun as London. We want you to come to university feeling ready and prepared.
Here is all the essential stuff we recommend bringing with you for the big move:
- Your packing list
ID: You’ll need this for all the important stuff, such as picking up your UCL ID card or registering for a GP. It's a little risky to take your passport round with you all the time, so we recommend also bringing another form of ID such as your driving license - especially if you're planning on going on lots of nights out.
Visa: If applicable, here's all the info you need on that.
Bank card: A lot of places in London only accept card, including our outlets. However, if you’re opening a bank account when you get here, this might take a couple weeks – so it would be worth bringing some cash with you to start you off. Check out UCLs guide on how to manage your money as an international students.
Warm clothes and shoes: Because there's some truth to the stereotype about British weather not being great. Make sure you've got a coat, jumpers and a hoodie. Or save some space in your luggage and pick up a lovely hoodie from our merch store...
Mementos from home: To make your new bedroom a bit more homely, why not bring along photos of friends and family, or maybe your favourite mug?
Check out this blog on what to pack when moving. to London as an international student.
Our top tip: bring a Reusable coffee cup. You can pick one of these up here, but if you've got your own already then bring it along as they can be quite expensive. Loads of cafes offer discounts if you bring your own cup (including ours), and you'll be doing your bit for the environment every time you get a cup of coffee.
How to get around
London is a really well connected city. We have the underground (also known as the tube), the overground, buses, bikes, trams, trains and even a cable car.
Finding your way around can feel a bit daunting at first, but we recommend using citymapper. It shows you the quickest way to get around London, including how much it's going to cost, if there are accessible routes and it gives you a choice of different types of transport.
Another great way to get to know London is to open maps and walk around. London is generally pretty safe during the day, and walking around is a great way to get to know your new city!
- Travel tips
Consider Travel costs and Location
Take into account the location's proximity to your campus and the travel costs. Living further away from central London might mean cheaper rent, but it could also lead to higher transportation expenses.
Always compare the total cost of rent and travel between inner-London and outer-London areas here on the Transport For London (TFL) website.
Reduce your travel costs by adding a 16-25 Railcard or 26-30 Railcard to your 18+ Student Oyster photocard to get discounted travel. It will save you so much money!
Remember to get your 18+ student oyster card as it will save you so much money on travel!
Housing and accommodation
We know finding housing and accommodation in London can be tough.
We're here to help you every step of the way, whether its queries about student accommodation or entering the world of flat-hunting. Head to our housing and accommodation advice page to get all the information and support.
You can also check out UCL's guide to alternative housing here or follow us on instagram @studentsunionucl for all the latest updates, advice and information.
- Some quick facts
UCL accommodation applications are now closed for next year.
When renting private accommodation, the more rooms in a property, the cheaper the average rent per person will be.
If you are able to find a group to look with together, look on Rightmove.co.uk and Zoopla.co.uk
If you are looking on your own and can’t afford to rent a one-bed property, use spareroom.co.uk.
This heatmap, gives an indication of average rental costs for a room across different London postcodes.
Choosing who to live with is not easy to arrange. We are setting up a system to help you find flatmates through the Union which will be available shortly.
