Our first review focuses on colleges and universities located directly in the British capital.
University of London (City, University of London)
The City University of London offers courses in a wide range of fields, from engineering and economics to criminology, law, music and creative writing.
Who studies: is rightfully considered one of the most sought-after universities in the UK among foreign applicants - today about 18 thousand people from 160 countries of the world study here (in addition, no British university can boast as many Russian-speaking students as this one).
Location: The University is located in the very center of London in close proximity to the main capital financial, legal and media companies, which opens up great opportunities for university graduates for practice and subsequent employment.
Interesting facts: all archaeological finds discovered during construction or reconstruction work in London are sent for radiography to the City University of London. Some of the scenes from the movie "Provocateur", starring Euan McGregor and Michelle Williams, were filmed in the main university square of Northampton.
Famous alumni: graduates of the "political" university - Jawaharlal Nehru, Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair - have achieved special heights. However, within the walls of the institution you can try to become a successful businessman: this is how the founder of the British low-cost airline Easy Jet Stelios Hadji-Ioannou and the head of Coca-Col Mukhtar Kent graduated from it.
Cost: £ 9,250 per year.
University College London
It was founded on February 11, 1826 as the "University of London" as a secular alternative to the religious universities of Oxford and Cambridge and became the first university in London to admit students regardless of their religion or gender.
Who studies: 11 thousand employees and 38 thousand students from 150 countries of the world.
Location: in the heart of London on Gower Street.
Interesting facts: the "spiritual father" of the college Jeremy Bentham bequeathed to dissect his corpse for the sake of science and put it in a box behind the glass in the walls of the institution. After his death, the skeleton was indeed wrapped in hay and dressed in the clothes that Bentham wore during his lifetime. It was not possible to save the real head, but it was replaced with a wax replica. This eerie artifact, called "Jeremy Bentham's auto-icon", can still be seen in the main building of University College London.
Notable alumni: 26 Nobel Prize winners worked or studied at the college. In 1996, as freshmen, the future members of the British band Coldplay Chris Martin and Johnny Buckland first met here (they thought about creating a band for a whole year, and in 1997 Guy Beriman and Will Champion joined them - and the Coldpay group was born) …
Christopher Nolan, one of the most prominent directors of our time, the creator of the world famous blockbusters "The Dark Knight", "Inception", "Interstellar" and "Dunkirk" also studied here. In college, he led the student film community, and during his studies he began filming his first short films (1996 "Steal", in 1997 "Beetle Horse"). Many students at University College London are entering the film industry today, thanks in large part to Nolan's contributions to film.
Cost: from £ 16,340 to £ 32,670 per year, depending on the program chosen.
University of Westminster
Founded in 1838 as the Royal Polytechnic Institute, it is one of the oldest universities in the UK. Today, the university offers many faculties that teach architecture, computer technology, social sciences, engineering, political science and other disciplines.
Who studies: more than 22 thousand students, 4 thousand of whom are foreign students from 160 countries of the world (included in the top 15 international universities in terms of the number of foreign students, according to Times Higher Education, 2017).
Location: Directly in the center of London.
Interesting facts: The Polytechnic became the first institution in London to demonstrate a new science - photography. The first photographic studio in Europe opened here in 1841, and was located on the roof of the building.
It was the University of Westminster that once restored the Regent Street Cinema, which dates back to 1848 (now the cinema provides students with discounts on tickets and constantly invites them to events in the TV and film industry).
Notable alumni: The distinguished bacteriologist Alexander Fleming, who discovered penicillin, studied here, as well as Vivienne Westwood and Christopher Bailey, the current creative director of Burberry.
Cost: £ 7,500 - £ 12,500 per year.
University of the Arts London
It was named the UK's best institution of higher education by the Sunday Times and was twice named University of the Year. The specializations of the institution cover six colleges that form the London University of the Arts ─ here they study fashion and costume design, fine arts, interior design, space and objects, courses in graphic and industrial design; media, animation and communication; film and photography, as well as mastering acting.
Who studies: 20 thousand students from more than 100 countries study here, and the London University of the Arts is the largest educational institution of this kind in Europe.
Location: University campuses are located in different areas of the British capital.
Fun Facts: More than half of the designers who have ever taken part in London Fashion Week are graduates of the London University of the Arts. More than a thousand teachers themselves are professional artists, practicing artists, designers, critics or theorists. Graduates from all six colleges work for renowned fashion houses, top galleries, theaters, communications and publishing companies around the world. Thanks to its extensive contacts, the university provides students with all the necessary recommendations and helps them in finding employment for two years after graduation.
Notable alumni: Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, John Galliano, Rafe Fiennes, Tim Roth, Colin Firth, Jimmy Chu, Michael Fassbender, Tom Hardy, Florence Welch (lead singer of Florence and the Machine).
Sarah Burton is an English fashion designer and creative director of the Alexander McQueen fashion brand (as well as an officer of the Order of the British Empire), who designed Kate Middleton's dress for the royal wedding with Prince William in April 2011. And her professional education she received at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design - one of the colleges of the London University of the Arts. By the way, immediately after receiving her diploma in 1996, Sarah went to work at the Alexander McQueen Fashion House, and four years later she was appointed chief designer of the women's ready-to-wear line of the cult British brand.
Cost: £ 17,920 per year.
King's College London
It is one of the oldest universities in Great Britain after Oxford and Cambridge: the college was founded in 1829 by the order of King George IV himself. Despite the fact that earlier his policy lay within the framework of the traditions of the Anglican Church, now people of all religions and beliefs can study and work here. It is included in the famous "golden triangle" of elite universities in the United Kingdom along with the London School of Economics, University of Oxford and University College London.
Who studies: More than 29,600 students from almost 150 countries of the world (the faculty is about 8 thousand people).
Location: The university is located in the heart of London and consists of 5 campuses (Strand Campus, Waterloo Campus, St Thomas' Campus, Guy's Campus and Denmark Hill Campus).
Fun Facts: The 12 Nobel laureates who have contributed to the discovery of the structure of DNA, in-vitro, stem cells / mammalian cloning and the development of radar, radio, television and mobile phones are college alumni or professors.
The main university library was the setting for popular films such as V for Vendetta, The Imitation Game and The Da Vinci Code. And in the second episode of the first season of the television series "Sherlock", you can see that King's College London is listed on Dr. Watson's resume.
Notable Alumni: Tom Hiddleston (Thor, The Avengers, Midnight in Paris) graduated from The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art at King's College. Also among the students can be distinguished Thomas Hardy, bass player of the Queen band, writers Virginia Woolf and Somerset Maugham, British theater and film actor Sean Bean, known for his role as Boromir in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Eddard Stark in the TV series Game of Thrones, and See also Vice-Rector of Cambridge Alison Richard. In addition, the list of famous alumni includes many famous actors, sports celebrities, musicians, scientists, writers and politicians (for example, the first lady of Syria, the wife of President Bashar al-Assad, graduated from this university).
Cost: from £ 17,050 to £ 22,800 (medical education is more expensive - £ 39,200).
The editors would like to thank the British Council for their help in preparing the material.
Photo: Getty Images
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