It’s finally here, Welcome Week 2023. We’re really excited to welcome you to - or back to - this wonderful place we call home and we’ve got lots planned to help you settle in.
There’s so much going on we know it can be overwhelming.
From finding your way around campus, to exploring Welcome Fair, going on big nights out (or quiet nights in), meeting new people, trying different foods and stocking up on your poster collection there’s a lot to fit in.
We’re here to help you navigate your way through your first few weeks at UCL.
30 September - 1 October on the Main Quad, Bloomsbury
It’s the big one with all the stalls, performances and freebies. Last year, 14,000 students flocked to the Main Quad to learn about the Union, meet clubs and societies and stock up on free pens and tote bags. It's always one of the highlights of the year, let alone the week! But with more than 200 stalls to visit, it's a pretty major affair.
You’ll be able to book your free ticket from Monday 25 September. Once you’re in, you’ll be able to find out more about all our groups. Don’t worry about deciding which ones to join, though – you can do that online at any time you like. Welcome Fair is all about asking questions and getting a taste of what student-led groups do.
We’ll have performances throughout the day in the Wilkins Terrace and the Main Quad, so you’ll want to hang around and soak up the atmosphere – the vibes are unbeatable. Block out a few hours in your schedule to truly enjoy the fair to its full extent. Read our insider's guide to the fair to find out what it's all about.
If you can’t make it, don’t worry – you can browse all of our clubs and societies online, attend their taster activities throughout the month and ask them any questions via email/their social media platforms. They’ll be more than happy to help you!
And if you're still not sure what to expect, check out this video of last year's Welcome Fair!
Find something to do
We make sure we have something for everyone - if you're a night life lover, new to London, bringing the family, here for the culture or looking for postgrad only events we have an event for you.
Join a group
Whether you're keen juggler, K-Pop fan, rugby lover, board game player, theatre kid, political thinker, looking for a cultural group or so much more - we have it all with over 400 clubs and societies for you to join. They'll all be at Welcome Fair so come along and sign up to a free taster session!
Whether you've been doing it for years, or fancy trying something new there's no limit to what you can do or what group you can join.
Discover London
London is massive (1572 square kilometres to be precise). This may seem daunting at first but the more you get to know the city, the more you’ll want to discover.
We have a whole page dedicated to everything London, from how to get around to housing and accommodation. Check it out here.
We've also got loads of great events happening throughout Welcome to introduce you to your new city, discover them here on our what's on page.
Explore campus
Where’s your first lecture going to be? What’s the quickest way to the UCL Main Library? How do you get from Malet Place to Gordon’s Cafe in under 5 minutes? How can you get from Stratford station to Pool street without going through Westfield?
There’s nothing more fun than getting lost on campus (although maybe not if you’re running late to a lecture).
Tip: Nothing is more iconically UCL than sitting on the portico steps and having your lunch. Another added bonus to being more around campus is that there is usually an event on where you can meet people or get some free food.