London is an excellent city for attending university, and there are numerous excellent institutions to choose from. There is a vibrant student scene, numerous historical and cultural sites to visit, world-class sporting, music, and theatre venues, and excellent transportation links to the rest of the UK. However, London itself can be intimidating for a student; the city sprawls over many miles, and with universities and student accommodation areas scattered throughout the city, it can be difficult to know where to live while studying.
Working out where to live in London as a student is the first step on a huge adventure. While rents in London can appear to be expensive, there is affordable student housing available all over town; it’s just a matter of knowing where to look.
Best student neighbourhoods in London
Camden, North London
This neighbourhood is most well-known for Camden Market, a sprawling treasure trove of vintage clothing, arts and crafts, and antiques. Camden, with its buzzing live music scene, is a vibrant, colourful part of town with easy access to the rest of the city via both branches of the Northern Line. For a taste of what’s on, go to The Roundhouse, one of Camden’s top live theatre and music venues. For the best balance of student life, consider affordable Student Accommodation London in this area that combine a variety of dorm-style studios and double suites with 24 hour security, a café, lounge, and a gym.
Tower Bridge, East London
This historic area of London is both fascinating and inspiring to live in. You can enjoy the cobbled streets, buzzing bars, and bargain hunting at the street markets on the outskirts of London’s trendy East End. Experience and enjoy the colourful its markets’ kaleidoscope of tastes and smells. Find student discounts at London’s best curry houses during the week. Tower Bridge is ideal for Queen Mary University of London, London Metropolitan University, and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, but with access to the Circle, District, and Metropolitan lines, you can get pretty much anywhere else.
Bermondsey, South-east London
Bermondsey is a hip student neighbourhood with a quirky mix of historic and industrial architecture, art galleries, bars, and delectable street food. Lose yourself in Borough Market’s divine foodie offerings. Take on the challenge of completing The Bermondsey Beer Mile. Bermondsey, which is served by both the Jubilee line and overground trains, is within walking distance of South Bank University, Kings College, and London Bridge.
Shoreditch, East London
From indie shops to delicious street food, this is London’s creative district, complete with galleries, nightclubs, hip pubs, and cafes. Explore Rivington Street’s incredible collection of street art, which includes works by Banksy and Thierry Noir. Dive into the massive Spitalfields Market and look for hidden treasures among the endless craft, jewellery, fashion, and food stalls. This area is close to the Northern Line and is walking distance from the London College of Fashion and Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Richmond, South-west London
Richmond, a leafy residential district a little further out, is well connected to the city centre by multiple transportation links to accommodation. Riverside walks and pubs like the White Cross provide fantastic views. Richmond Park has miles of walking and jogging trails, as well as gardens and woods. Living here is obviously ideal for Richmond University, but many other destinations are easily accessible via the District Line, overground, and national rail services, with a direct route to London Waterloo taking just 20 minutes.
Brixton, South London
Brixton offers a huge range of restaurants, tonnes of live music, and some of London’s best clubs. Such as Phonox, from its Caribbean roots to classy roof bars. There are also lovely green spaces to relax in accommodation, such as Brockwell Park. While this area has become very trendy in recent years. There are still affordable options for students, especially if you are willing to share. Brixton is only one stop on the Victoria Line from Victoria and is directly connected to the city centre by overground rail.
Kings Cross, Central London
It is home to a large student population, is a vibrant and cosmopolitan part of the city with a plethora of great value places to eat, drink, and stay. The Circle, Piccadilly, Hammersmith & City, Northern, Metropolitan, and Victoria lines are served by its active underground station, making it London’s busiest interchange. It’s also the departure point for the Eurostar, which connects you to the rest of Europe. There’s always something going on at the Sadlers Wells and iconic London nightclubs like Scala and Big Chill Bar near accommodation. And if there isn’t, you can always go to the world-famous British Library and do what you’re supposed to be doing and study. UCL, City University, SOAS, University of Westminster, and Kings College are all within 20 minutes of Kings Cross.
Docklands London
Despite remaining in central London, Docklands is a much more affordable neighbourhood accommodation in comparison to others. This area is also more relaxed than the rest of London. But you can easily get to the hustle and bustle of the city centre. Simply take the DLR to connect with various tube links that will take you anywhere in the city. Greenwich, a beautiful district with historical buildings and antique markets, is also nearby.
The University of Greenwich is easily accessible. However, all other universities are easily accessible by public transportation.
