London is the most popular city for international students in the world, including over 2000 Singaporeans. What makes the city such an attractive destination for so many students? After all, it’s cold and rains all the time, right? Well, we’ll come to the weather later on but London is the leading choice for seven very good reasons.
- London is home to over 45 universities in London, including some of the world’s top multifaculty universities and specialist institutions. There is quality and quantity, with a huge range of courses for all levels of study and to suit every interest.
- It’s not just about the universities - London also offers additional academic opportunities through world class academic organisations such as the Francis Crick Institute,which is a newbiomedical discovery institute;specialist institutions such as the Royal Geographical Society, the British Library which contains over 150 million books..…the list goes on, and these opportunities are accessible to students in London.
- There are extensive opportunities to plan for your career and make the right connections. As the capital of the UK, London is a hub of all major activity – a huge range of business and finance companies are based here, as are creative industries, technology enterprises, government and policy to name just a few. The networks are on your doorstep and your university will help you access them.
- It is true that London can be expensive, but you don’t have to be a millionaire to live here or enjoy what the city has to offer. The size of the student population means students have buying power – there are student discounts on all sorts of goods and services such as travel, shopping and entertainment. And some of the best things in life really are free – entry to the British Museum for example.
- There are almost boundless opportunities to enrich your life with the cultural, entertainment and sporting opportunities available within London. Whatever your tastes London will have something for you, so there is no excuse for not stepping away from your studies every now and then to discover something new.
- Despite its size, everyone can feel at home in London. It’s one of the most global and ethnically diverse cities in the world. 300 different languages are spoken across the capital and within the student population over 200 nationalities are represented. Make friends with students from all over the world, but rest assured that when you need a fix of roti prata or chili crab, you can find it in London.
- It is drier than in Singapore, with only 590mm of precipitation each year in London compared with 2340mm in Singapore. Come to London to escape the Singapore rain – but always keep an umbrella to hand as the weather is a lot more unpredictable. Which is probably why those of us who live here talk about it a lot.
So that’s seven good reasons to choose London (well, six very good reasons at least), and why this vibrant, global city is the top destination for international students. We look forward to welcoming you!