The City

London is one of the largest - and most expensive - cities to live in the world. Londinium was founded by the Romans more than 2,000 years ago. It has since grown into a hub of legislative, political and regal activity for one of the most powerful civilizations in Europe.

The English capital survived plague, fire and two world wars to become the largest conurbation of the continent, with a population of more than 7.5 million. The postal area of London covers 241 square miles in total. It can take hours to travel across London, which makes deciding where to live almost as important as where to study.

City Centre

The city of London is geographically a small area inside Greater London and denotes the financial centre of the urban mass. Although this part of London has a population of fewer than 10,000, the ‘city’ or ‘square mile’ employs almost 350,000 people.

The North

This part of London is popular with international students for its wealth of transport links - there are far more tube stations north of the River Thames than the south - and for its trendy hot spots, such as Camden’s alternative goods and the entertainment around Soho.

The East

This area is home of one of the UK’s most popular television soap operas, East Enders, which focuses on Cockney London. The markets in this area have gained notoriety among international students for their competitive prices and eclectic offerings, with the foreign vibes of Brick Lane proving a big hit.

The West

Although there are entertainment venues all over London, a large amount can be found here. Hammersmith Apollo, Palais and Lyric Theatre attract several comedy acts, gigs and shows. The west of London is also home to the city’s largest public festival, Notting Hill Carnival, which takes its name from the tube stop and provided the name and setting for a hit Hugh Grant film.

The South

The south of the River Thames is perhaps most famous for Clapham Common and the festivals that go with it. One of the most popular attractions for international students is Balham’s pub and club scene and Greenwich Park.

The Universities

London has one of the largest concentrations of universities in the world, with more than 40 higher education institutions and a student population of 400,000. According to London Study, there are more than 90,000 international students - more than any other city in the world - from about 200 countries. The University of London is one of the oldest higher educational institutions on the planet. It is made up of 19 self-governing colleges, including the famous Kings College London, which is one of the world’s top 25 universities.

Entry onto some of London’s 30,000 courses is competitive. Each university has different entry requirements, which are governed by the UK’s admissions bureau UCAS. For tips on studying in London, international students can visit a dedicated social networking site to answer questions and swap ideas.

Transport

London is famous for its red double-decker buses, Hackney carriages or black cabs and the tube, which is the world’s oldest underground railway, dating back to the 1850s. The special 18+ Student Oyster grants 30 per cent discounts on buses, tubes and some overland trains. Registration is £5 with a passport photo, course dates and enrolment number at travel information shops around the city.

The transport planner at Transport For London can help international students find their way around. The famous red buses are generally the cheapest way to travel, but they can also be the longest. Although there is now a congestion charge for private vehicles, the city roads can still get very busy, especially during rush hour at 09:00 and 17:00.

There are more than 250 underground stations, which are categorised in zones ranging from one, nearest the city of London to nine on the outskirts. By far a better, but less frequently taken option, is to walk short distances using a good map. London tube guides can be deceptive, with some stops fewer than five minutes walk away from each other. Do not be afraid to explore on foot, it might lead to some surprising finds.

London houses three busy airports, with thousands of companies flying from Heathrow, Gatwick and Stanstead. The good news for international students is that you are never far from home. Air fares are cheaper flying from an airport like Luton, which is an hour’s drive away from London city centre.

Hop on the Eurostar train at St Pancreas train station to be on the continent in under an hour. There are direct trains to Paris and Brussels as well as plenty of connections to other destinations. Single tickets for young people from London to Paris range from £40 and there are special night clubber fares for party-goers at the weekend.

Try to stick to black cabs when hailing a taxi. Not only is the Hackney carriage a symbol of England, but their drivers have to be licensed by the London authority. Black cab drivers must pass an entrance exam before they can work on one of these taxis and are more likely to know where they are going than a private hire cab.

Food and drink

International food is one of the highlights of living in London. Expect everything from Ethiopian cuisine in Kentish Town to 24-hour bagels in Finsbury Park. Although London rents are high compared with the rest of the country, eating out does not have to be expensive. High street cafes, dubbed greasy spoons by the British for their deep-fried take on food, usually serve up English breakfast from £3, including pub chain Wetherspoons. Traditional fish and chips comes cheap at about £3 and there are plenty of foreign foods on offer, including Halal and Kosher.

A popular place for international students is Borough Market at London Bridge tube station. It is London’s largest market for global food and drink. Prices are reasonable and there are plenty of opportunities for shoppers to try before they buy. Marinated tofu, French cheese and succulent Mediterranean olives are among the specialities.

Things to do

London is the epicentre for almost everything - celebrity-spotting, fashionistas, theatrical spectaculars, cinema premieres and sporting activities. If you want it, London has probably got it. VisitLondon is a great place to start looking, but there are some places international students seem to love besides the traditional favourites of Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament.

A must-see for international students are the cool and kooky hangouts, Camden markets, between Camden and Chalk Farm tube stations in the north of London. They are a sprawl of market stalls selling alternative goods, fashion and food. An increasingly popular attraction is the markets’ Shisha pipe venues, where people can puff on flavoured tobacco in-between sampling global cuisine.

Brick Lane in the east of the city is another hip hangout that has become increasingly popular with international students, some of whom even run some of the stalls at the Sunday flea markets. This area is renowned for its cheap curry houses and spice shops as the heart of the capital’s Bangladeshi community, fondly nicknamed Banglatown.

A place to go people-spotting is Hyde Park to catch a glimpse of London’s Pearly kings and queens. This charitable movement was started by a market stall holder who wore buttons, a tradition which has been carried on by Londoners to this day. At Hyde Park, visitors can listen to people have their say at Speakers Corner, which is a popular meeting point for student debates.

Sports fans should book early to experience Pimm’s and strawberries at Wimbledon tennis ground, the ‘beer-snakes’ of glasses at Lords cricket ground, the English Lion’s rugby at Twickenham and for tickets to football matches, such as Arsenal, Fulham, West Ham, Tottenham, Charlton and Chelsea.

Tip offs for people who want to spot celebrities are to trawl Totteridge for football players, Camden for Amy Winehouse or look-a-likes and St John’s Wood for actors, like Jude Law. London is as popular with celebrities as it is with students and it is not uncommon to bump into a star in the street.

Out on the Town

Homesick international students need look no further than London for music from around the world. There is a large variety of music venues and visiting artists in this metropolis. Admission varies from free for students to £30 on the door, which makes checking listings guide, like Time Out, a good idea before heading out.

Fabric near Farrington tube station is one of the most popular dance clubs in the city, with discounted admission for international students while the Ministry of Sound Club is big on beats and world famous acts like Judge Jules and Timo Mass.

People who want to party somewhere different can visit the backpacker haunt The Church on Sundays. Goldfish-swallowers, rat-lovers and other unusual acts feature from midday to 16:00, with admission from £7. The Church is at The Forum in Kentish Town in the north of the city.

The University of London Union (ULU) provides indie and dance at Bloomsbury at discounted prices, with a special monthly night featuring tracks from a specific decade that were hits in the UK. The Kings College London’s Macadam Building on the Strand has regular indie nights called Collide-A-Scope every Saturday.

Soho is good for all-round entertainment in the north, with lots on in nearby Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square. It isn’t all about strip shows, there are some cheap pubs, clubs and restaurants. Street performers put on a good act in Piccadilly Circus and A-list celebrities at world-famous premieres hone in on Leicester Square’s red carpets. For last minute entrance to theatres in London’s West End it is worth asking at the box offices. Unusual highlights include drinking on the decking of the Queen Mary ship anchored on the River Thames a short distance from Embankment tube station and trying an expensive tipple in Vertigo Champagne Bar at Tower 42 (NatWest Tower) overlooking the skyline at sunset.

Day Tripper

If there wasn’t enough to do inside the city limits, London is an hour’s train ride away from the southern coastal city of Brighton - the gay capital of England and popular with international travellers. To the west is the cider town of Bath nestled among the apple orchards. Bath has the only source of natural hot spring water in the UK. Check out Leeds Castle in Kent for a taste of medieval England and some fresh air. Due to advances in rail, train times are also being slashed year-on-year making it easier to reach cities in the north. Manchester, for example, is two-and-a-half-hours away.

However, those that want to get away but cannot afford it can take advantage of London’s plentiful green spaces. There are eight royal parks in total, four of which join up to provide a sizeable green belt in the west. Hampstead Heath in the north of London is much-talked about for its vantage points over the urban area as is Greenwich to the south. Cemeteries also provide breaks in the city sprawl, with tours around Highgate Cemetery’s famous graves, such as those of Karl Marx and Michael Faraday.

How to make your life easier

Savings on travel could pay dividends for international students keen on exploring, as transport can be more than £40 per week. The average weekly shopping budget in London is £60, with many convenience stores open 24 hours in the city, including liquor shops. Markets are great places to makes savings, but charity shops and swaps events are also good for keeping costs low. Two-for-one deals or discount coupons in local publications can lower spending, and booking entertainment or travel well in advance or at the last minute can produce some of the best deals. International students with a London addresses can join local libraries, which are handy for free access to books, CDs, DVDs and the Internet.

Finding Student Accommodation in London

Here is a very quick guide to help you find your ideal student accommodation in London. First of all you should check out our London student residences and our private student accommodation in London lisitings. Your next port of call should be to contact the university. The University College London (UCL) student accomodation website is UCL Student Accommodation. The Kings College London student accommodation webpage can be found here: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/about/structure/admin/facser/accomm/. The London School of Economics (LSE) student accommodation website is here Student Accommodation at LSE, University of London Student Housing, City University London Accommodation, University of Westminster Student Accommodation.

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