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Join The Student Room TodayBe part of the UK's largest and fastest growing student community. It's free to join and a lot of fun - Get inspired, express your ideas, interact and share University College LondonFrom The Student Room(Redirected from University College London (UCL))
TSR Wiki > University > Choosing a University > University Guides > UCL  UCL is the largest and oldest college of the London Universities. It was founded in 1826 to be a radical alternative to Oxbridge, and became the first institution of higher education to admit women, ethnic minorities, and others who would previously have been denied. UCL has been ranked as the world's 4th best university by The Times. UCL's size and location at the heart of London helps the students there enjoy a fantastic social life and working environment. Nightlife, sport, music, arts and culture are all as plentiful as one would expect from a capital city.  Oh and don't be put off by the allegedly nightmarish prices! It's really not that bad, plus you get a bigger loan if you come to London! FacilitiesLibrariesThere are about 16 libraries at UCL, although you will only probably use one or two according to what subject you study. As a student at UCL you will have access to all these libraries:
Useful link: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/Library/
IT and ComputingUCL provides several open access rooms containing groups of computers that are accessible to all members of UCL. Each room is called a cluster. UCL also has a free wireless network over parts of the campus, called RoamNet (Map of Hotspots). This is available to all students and staff of UCL. Students may also access the UCL server (including thier own files and various programmes) from thier laptops or personal computers through downloading a program. Link to the Information Systems webpage at UCL: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/is/ Map of computer rooms at UCL: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/is/clusters/map.htm SportsThere are great sports facilities, both at the uni and in the wider area and this is reflected in the the huge number of sports clubs that the SU runs - both for fun and fitness and for competition at different levels. Sports clubs include:
WelfareHealthcareUCL students benefit from membership of the Gower Place Practice (located on campus) which will meet most of your everyday healthcare needs. In the same building is a dental practice. In addition the spectacular University College Hospital has an A&E department and is across the road from the main UCL site. Very useful for those freshers who can't iron properly! ShopsUCL is situated roughly between Euston Road and Tottenham Court Road, a 10-15 minute walk from Oxford Street and 25 or so minutes from Regents Street. The immediate area in and around UCL features a number of small student oriented cafes and cafeterias, as well as a large branch of Waterstones catering to essentially all needs with regards to text books. Tottenham Court Road, a 5 minute walk from the majority of the campus plays host to what remains of daily student needs. A combination of small cafes and fast-food chains such as Subway and McDonalds grace the top of the road, with a Tesco (Metro) and Sainsburys the closest supermarkets to the main campus. Further down the the assortment of shops caters to more than the everyday needs of any student. The Brunswick Centre is also located close by, playing host to more shops and a branch of Waitrose. Further-afield, Leicester Square and China Town are within walking distance, albeit consideration for time is a must, with buses or the Tube being favourable when time is limited. RestaurantsWithin UCL itself, the most popular 'restaurant' is the Refectory, offering fair priced & fair quality food for students and staff alike. There are also various Union shops which provide cold food such as sandwiches, bagels, sushi and microwavable Indian dishes. That aside, the proximity of UCL to the very center of London puts it in a very advantageous position, given its location relative to the main arteries of Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Street as well as Euston and King's Cross stations. BanksIf you're particularly bothered about having banks nearby, then UCL again excels. The nearby Tottenham Court Road boasts branches of pretty much every major bank in the UK! There is also a HSBC cashpoint located in the UCL Union. TransportUCL is well connected to London's transport network, with several bus stops and underground stations located near to the main Bloomsbury Campus. The nearest tube stations are Euston Square (northwest corner of the campus) and Warren Street (a short walk to the northwest corner of the campus) with coverage of several underground lines. The university's website covers the various public transport links on this page. UCL students are able to apply for Oyster 18+ Photocards, giving them 30% off period travelcards and bus passes (possibly to become 30% off pay-as-you-go travel in the future). Students can pick up application forms in the student union or even easier, apply online here. For detailed information on getting around London, see Transport for London's journey planner. Careers servicePart-time jobsA number of job opportunities are usually available as part of the University itself (i.e. working for the Student Union in bar work, reception assistance, etc). A number of retail stores also hire students due to a high turn-over, and are apparently sympathetic to applicants who require holidays during non-term time. Religious facilitiesThere are many pubs with screens in the nearby area, so religious fans of football will be satisfied! Many religious societies exist within UCL, some hold weekly gatherings for prayer, and other various religous and cultural events. UCL Discussions
SocialBars, Pubs and clubsThe Uni is located in central London so travel a short distance in most directions will show you a huge number of clubs bars and pubs for pretty much any taste. But if you want something a little close to home so to speak why not try The Kris Akabusi Pleasure Lounge in the Union a studenty place during the day and often a place to watch sports events. There is also Phineas which has recently been done up and can have cheap pints for as little as 99p - pretty much unheard of in London. You also have Huntley Street Bar which proves popular and is another place you can catch sporting events. They also have regular live comedy (including the Ministry of Comedy) and other events too. EventsThe Freshers Ball isn't really a Ball, it's just a club night. In 2007 it was at Ministry of Sound and sold out a week before the night. The Summer Ball is most definitely a ball however, and it's fairly spectacular. Also, RUMS organise a few, and a couple of the larger societies have balls (e.g. Rugby Boat Ball, EFS Penthouse Party). Also, some halls organise balls, for example, the Ramsay Social Committee just did a Valentines Ball (basically black tie in an upmarket club) and we're also organising a Summer Boat Ball for after exams. Law students have their own summer and winter ball, and also a sort of black tie dinner thing during freshers week- this year it was on a boat on Thames. Clubs and societiesThere are loads of societies, perhaps more than most other unis in the country. The list includes:
There are three large societes (500+ members): Volunteering, RAG and Economics and Finance. The first two are free to join. AccommodationThe university describes itself as having "agreeable accommodation in a friendly environment at affordable prices." Housing about 4000 students, the institution guarantees all first year students housing (exceptions apply), a selling point being that over 70% of which is within a 10-15 minute walk from the main campus. UCL's Student Residences Office is located at 117 Gower Street, and their main website is http://www.ucl.ac.uk/accommodation Types of AccommodationUCL breaks down their accommodation as follows:
Examples of Student AccomodationRamsay Hall
‘A large Hall providing centrally heated accommodation for over 450 students. Five
minutes’ walk from UCL. Fully carpeted and with washbasins in all rooms. Desk, bed, wardrobe and 2-3 shelves provided. Large windows. Facilities include a TV room, games room, library, launderette, music room and bicycle storage area. Each room has a computer data point.’
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More information: Ian Baker House is a new student house which has been built in Ramsay’s inner court. Hall divided up into different sections, e.g. New York, Paris. Good points: •Very sociable; with over 450 students you’re guaranteed to find people you like •Catered (apparently fairly good food, obviously dependent upon individual tastes) •Great location: about 5 minutes from UCL walking, therefore no need to use public transport. Just off Tottenham Court Road so good access to shops, restaurants, Tescos etc. Right next to the BT Tower (if you want to visit) Bad points: •Some people I know have complained about their accommodation, not liked their room. Others I know are very happy ( I think it depends on the sector they have been put into) •Can get noisy- lots of people sharing corridor, some sectors tend to be more lively than others Prices (as of 2009, likely to go up slightly): Twin room: £113 Single room: £144
Ifor Evans Hall Located in Camden Town on the same landscaped site as Max Rayne, Ann Stephenson and Neil Sharp Houses, Ifor Evans has over 320 places available. It is 25-30 minutes’ walk from, and on direct bus and tube routes to, UCL. Centrally heated and fully carpeted. Facilities include a TV lounge, music room, computer cluster room, launderette, cycle racks and a clubhouse. Each room has a computer data point. Building works will occur on the site in 2009/2010.
Situated approximately 20 minutes’ walk from UCL, this newly built residence comprises 215 single en suite rooms and one double en suite room, arranged as cluster flats, all with their own kitchen/dining area. All rooms have computer data points. This residence is located just to the rear of Langton Close, so students at Frances Gardner can access facilities at Langton Close. •Self-catered •8 rooms per flat, therefore 8 sharing kitchen •Kitchen gets cleaned once a week, bedrooms aren't cleaned by staff. Click here for view on Google Maps: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=1R2GGLL_en-GB&q=WC1XoHD&lr=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl Good points: •very nice rooms, some say that they are the nicest rooms at UCL. Very big with ensuite bathroom, all single rooms (no need to share.) •good sized kitchens with all the necessary facilities apart from a microwave. Plenty of cupboard space as well as fridge/ freezer room. I actually had 4 cupboards, half a fridge and two draws to myself this year!! •lifts provide access to all of the 8 floors, therefore no need to walk up and down lots of stairs (especially useful when moving in with heavy luggage!!) •it is a 20 minute walk to UCL (15 if you wern't so eager to get out of bed!!) I see this as an advantage rather than a disadvantage, everyone agrees it's a nice distance to walk and it's very pleasant as well. You pass Coram Fields, the Brunswick Centre, Russel Square, SOAS and then you are there. Great for morning exercise too! •the 6th/ 7th/ 8th floor have great views from the kitchen. From my kitchen you could see St Pauls Cathedral and the City of London as well as St Pancras Tower from my bedroom...the floor which you get put on, however is down to chance. •the location - very nice, quiet and safe location. Just off Gray's Inn Road and near the Brunswick Centre which is great for food shopping (Waitrose and Tesco Express) as well as a multitude of restaurants including BBK, Hare and Tortoise, Giraffe, Patisserie Valerie, Starbucks, Carluccios etc. St Andrew's Gardens just next to Frances Gardner, with benches for a relaxing break in the sun. Nearest tube station is Russel Square station •staff at Langton Close are very friendly Bad points: •each flat is self-contained and you may find yourself needing a different key to access the next floor. Not that sociable!! Not likely to know that many people apart from those in your block unless you make a real effort. •bedrooms aren't cleaned, kitchen only once a week! •quite expensive: £144 per week for a single en-suite (although London is expensive!)
Types of roomsUCL offers a choice of single and twin rooms (i.e. sharing a room with one other person at a significantly lower rent price). Some residences also offer self-contained flats for one person with their own private kitchen (at a much higher rent). This is normally set aside for couples and/or mature students. However, one cannot choose "single" or "twin" on their accommodation application form, but can add preferences under areas like "washbasin in room" or "proximity to main campus". If an offer is given and a student is not satisfied, UCL does not have to offer them an alternative allocation unless under certain circumstances. One should consult the UCL accommodation website for a list of the different residences, which includes lists of facilities for each house and a more concise pricing list. This information can also be found in the main student accommodation booklet which is often sent to students who have been made an offer, as well as to schools. PricesAs mentioned, prices vary dramatically depending on your facilities, and should be calculated weekly as a 37 week let including Christmas and Easter holidays. Prices vary considerably beyond residences, and also rise and fall slightly each academic year. Twin rooms are typically around the £70 a week mark (about £100 for some intercollegiate halls), with single rooms at around £90-110 for self catered, and up to £145 a week for catered. 1 bed flats can cost between £150 up to and beyond £220 a week. Student unionThe Union is led by 6 Sabbatical Officers: UCL students who have been elected during the previous academic year. They are full-time Union staff and are there to ensure the UCL Union provides the best service possible. For the 2008-2009 session the Communications & Services officer is Charlie Clinton. I suggest you direct all complaints to him, even if they're not about communications or services. Student PublicationsThe Cheese Grater was founded in February 2004 as an alternative to UCL's more mainstream publication, Pi. The magazine features investigative, satirical and humorous content and is published approximately twice a term in the form of an 8-12 page photocopied magazine. LocationLocation is great - right in the very heart of central London, a short walk from areas such as Euston Station, Camden town, Regents Park, Tottenham Court Road & Oxford Street, Leicester Square and Covent Garden. It's about 20-30 minutes walk down to the Strand, and it's a pretty nice walk, but obviously the tube might be a better option for those in a hurry. There are no shortages of underground stations either with Warren Street station, Euston Square and Euston station to name a few. Environment and AtmosphereWith its central London location, it's not surprising that UCL has a buzzing urban atmosphere. Atmosphere of the university varies as in all universities, depending on where you have your lectures, what your classmates are like and who your lecturers are. What can be said, is that the central quad of UCL (which smells of puke when you first enter) with its collumned, domed exterior certainly makes you feel like you are at a highly respectable university, and this is only strengthened by the number of leading experts working within the university. There is a friendly feel to UCL and its students often develop a long-lasting fondness towards the university.
ArchitectureThe UCL Portico's impressive architecture is worth seeing for yourself.
Local areaAcademicsReputationIn EngineeringIn Chemical Engineeringijji Teaching qualityNowadays UCL is still going strong. It was awarded the Sunday Times University of the Year 2004, and consistently ranks among the top 5 universities in the country, usually following Oxbridge and tying with other London Universities such as LSE. It is frequently regarded as 'the best multi-faculty university after Oxbridge' (Sunday Times University Guide 2004). In 2009, UCL was ranked as the 4th best university in the world (The Times Higher Education (THE) - QS World University Rankings), which was three places up, from 7th, in 2008. Applying to UCLThinking of applying to UCL? Why not read some Personal Statements which were used for applying here? Pros and cons of UCLWhy you should apply to UCLStudents' points of viewBest PartsOther UCL ArticlesWhy not read these other UCL Articles? Links |
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