London was ranked number one in the world for university students by the QS Best Student Cities 2018. Along with other indicators, the rankings are also based on a survey of 50000 students. So, what makes London a great choice for international students?

1. An academic hotspot
   
   

   Image Credit: London School of Economics

   While not a university town like Cambridge or Oxford, London has a concentration of great institutions such as Imperial College London, London School of Economics, King’s College London, and others. This means that although it’s a big city, you have a chance to build a vast student network. You can also find out whether universities offer walk-in classes, or short-term programs, which will allow you to sample a range of academic fare.
   
    
2. Great courses across disciplines
   
   

   Image Credit: South Thames College

   While London has sterling institutions such as LSE, UCL and Imperial College, many lesser known universities in the city also have reputed arts and design courses. Something that employers know very well. That means you will get quite the bang for your big bucks – in terms of the return on investment.
   
    
3. National and cultural capital
   
   

   Great Court British Museum

   London offers international students the chance to visit some of the world’s best museums, galleries, theatres and markets. You can take a tour of the Buckingham Palace, Madame Tussauds, the British Museum, Tate Britain, the West End, and innumerable other places. Whatever your interest: history, art, fashion, music, nightlife, London offers a sizeable bite of whatever it is you want to chew.
   
    
4. Thriving jobs market
   
   

   Shooting BBC Sherlock

   Yes, there are concerns with Brexit but London is still home to multinationals such as Marks and Spencer, Harrods, the Arcadia Group, Liberty Global (responsible for Virgin Media in the UK), Google, Facebook, BBC, Unilever, Aviva, Barclays, HSBC Global, and many others.
   
   There are also a number of opportunities in terms of part-time, temporary and seasonal jobs.
   
    
5. The big city experience
   
   

   Commuting in London

   One of the main psychological pay-offs of studying abroad is learning to be independent. London can certainly facilitate that. Since it is unlikely that you will live on campus, you will have to learn how to manage a house, commute, and be responsible for all aspects of your life. University will also include surviving a big city. Perhaps it will feel like being thrown into the deep end of a swimming pool but, hey, don’t you want to swim?

A city is a great part of your university experience. But, here are other things to think about –
3 simple steps to choosing the right university