London uni

i’ve applied for history of art at uni this september for the following universities: UEA, bristol and UCL. I really liked bristol and im wondering if anyone could tell me a little bit about their experience there/doing history of art there. i’m also torn between UEA and UCL. UCL is obviously a top uni and would give me a lot of opportunity seeing as it’s in london. it’s also only an hour on the train to get back home so it would be really easy and cheap to get home. however it’s obviously in London and im worried about how expensive and busy it is. i just wanted to know if anyone could tell me a bit about their experience in terms of the cost of living and social life? i’ve visited both london and bristol and found them equally as fun however im worried im being naive and london will grate on me in the long run as people say it will. im also worried about it not having a good social life as i’ve also heard people mention this online? just wondering if anyone had any insight

Reply 1

random_matt

20

Accommodation is the obvious thing which is expensive, that is it really (for me anyway). It also depends on how much maintenance loan you are entitled to; the max allowance would level it all out. Additionally, UCL offer an accommodation bursary.

Reply 2

uadyhddjh

3

Original post by meghanfatty

i’ve applied for history of art at uni this september for the following universities: UEA, bristol and UCL. I really liked bristol and im wondering if anyone could tell me a little bit about their experience there/doing history of art there. i’m also torn between UEA and UCL. UCL is obviously a top uni and would give me a lot of opportunity seeing as it’s in london. it’s also only an hour on the train to get back home so it would be really easy and cheap to get home. however it’s obviously in London and im worried about how expensive and busy it is. i just wanted to know if anyone could tell me a bit about their experience in terms of the cost of living and social life? i’ve visited both london and bristol and found them equally as fun however im worried im being naive and london will grate on me in the long run as people say it will. im also worried about it not having a good social life as i’ve also heard people mention this online? just wondering if anyone had any insight

from what I’ve heard, London uni accom cost is the WORST - Bristol is medium cost but still expensive (170’s). UEA is the cheapest, esp in 2nd year. UCL I would think is best for History of Art as the course, but even if it’s cheaper / easier to get home, you’ll spend £1000s more on accom in the end there in comparison to others. If you don’t know the price of accom at unis, look at 3 things - 1, the Unis own Accom, 2- private housing (go on right move, then student renting), 3- purpose built student accoms (student roost eg). Should give you a good ball park of what you’ll actually be paying 1st AND 2nd year. Also, being an art history student too - most people I know want to do masters in London since it’s only a year, but do BA somewhere else. Because London is so expensive, people I know who live there end up not being able to actually do much else. UEA is the most reasonable cost wise rn, but London is where the art is at. Id see what each Unis own art collections look like (p.s uea is still not that far from London, so you can always travel in at the weekend ?) im at York so these are mostly what I’ve heard from friends : )

Reply 3

UEA Rep Daniel

Official Rep

12

Original post by meghanfatty

i’ve applied for history of art at uni this september for the following universities: UEA, bristol and UCL. I really liked bristol and im wondering if anyone could tell me a little bit about their experience there/doing history of art there. i’m also torn between UEA and UCL. UCL is obviously a top uni and would give me a lot of opportunity seeing as it’s in london. it’s also only an hour on the train to get back home so it would be really easy and cheap to get home. however it’s obviously in London and im worried about how expensive and busy it is. i just wanted to know if anyone could tell me a bit about their experience in terms of the cost of living and social life? i’ve visited both london and bristol and found them equally as fun however im worried im being naive and london will grate on me in the long run as people say it will. im also worried about it not having a good social life as i’ve also heard people mention this online? just wondering if anyone had any insight

Hi there,

It sounds like you have some fantastic options ahead of you.

I’ll jump in with a few thoughts on UEA, since I’m doing my PhD here and know the place really well. UEA has a strong reputation for History of Art and offers a more campus-based experience in a beautiful, student-friendly city. Norwich has a great creative scene, lots of independent galleries and museums, and the cost of living is much more manageable compared to London. You get a real sense of community here, both within the university and the city itself.

London, of course, has huge opportunities and UCL is a top university. But you're absolutely right to consider the intensity and cost of living. Some people thrive in that environment, but it can also feel overwhelming or isolating at times, especially if you're looking for a more laid-back or close-knit student life.

If you're after a good balance of academic quality, affordability and a welcoming place to live, UEA really does deliver. Feel free to reach out if you want to know more about student life or what it's like studying here.

All thebest,
Daniel
PhD Biology

London uni

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