The Best Student Areas in London | Student Neighbourhood Guide

What are the Best Student Areas in London?

Coming to university presents students with many choices to make. Picking the right university and course is just one part of making sure you have an amazing three or more years while at uni. Especially where London is concerned, you’ll want to give a fair bit of thought as to where to live in London and what type of accommodation is right for you. Luckily, there are loads of amazing London student accommodation to choose from, but the process of finding it can be tricky and competitive. To save you bucket loads of time and effort, we’ve put together this list of the best student areas in London. These areas reflect the best places for students to live in London. There’s a reason why these parts of London are consistently the most popular neighbourhoods amongst students!

London is often considered to be one of the best student cities in the world, and with good reason. After all, life as a student in London has pretty much everything you could want; convenient public transport, a range of brilliant and fascinating cultures, delicious food and endless choices where nightlife is concerned. If you’re a student at one of London’s universities (or are a young professional looking to move to the capital), then you’re in a for a great experience.

With all of that in mind, let’s dive right into some of the best student areas in London.

Best Student Areas in South London

Best London student area for nightlife – Elephant & Castle

Elephant and Castle is a centrally located area of London. It’s a big favourite of ours as well and is definitely one of the best student areas in London. Rents can be a little more expensive than other student areas of London. However, for that price, you get everything on your doorstep.

The Northern Line and Bakerloo line mean students can very easily access all of London’s major universities. King’s College’s Waterloo Campus is a 12 minutes walk, the London School of Economics is only 20 minutes on foot (or you can catch a short bus journey), and University College London and the University of Westminster are no more than 25-30 mins on public transport.

Elephant and Castle is also great for nightlife and is home to the Mercato Metropolitano. Nightclub-wise, students are right next to the world-renowned Ministry of Sound which runs many student-friendly nights throughout the week.

Best London student area for independent outlets – Brixton

Brixton has built a reputation for being one of London’s most popular areas. Many people now regard it as Clapham’s cooler, edgier cousin.

Brixton is a thriving community with a number of independent shops, eateries and bars. If the lack of independent shops on 21st century high streets is a big turn-off, then Brixton is the place to be. Even for those not living in the area, Pop Brixton draws a huge crowd of people throughout the week. Convenience-wise, there are several large supermarkets and high street retailers that are perfect for catering to day-to-day needs. It also contains several affordable yet delicious restaurants, such as Effra Social.

Renting in Brixton (or its neighbouring Streatham) is a good option for students, with the strong possibility of finding desirable student accommodation at an affordable price.

Brixton is perfect for students at King’s College, University College London, SOAS and the London School of Economics.

Best Student Areas in North London

Best London student area for cultural diversity – Camden

There’s a pretty good chance that any prospective students have already heard about Camden before they even start thinking about different parts of London to live in. Its surrounding areas are some of the most colourful, culturally diverse and creative parts of the capital, making it one of the best student areas in London.

The area is home to loads of delicious restaurants and eateries. Camden is great for those occasions where you feel like treating yourself to a meal out. When on a budget, the well-known Camden Food Market has plenty of cheaper options (not to mention loads of free tasters if you head to the right kiosks). Camden is well stocked up for convenience stores as well. Students can choose from a range of large supermarkets for their weekly shop.

One of Camden’s biggest plus points is the location, with the Northern Line being just 10 minutes away from central London and all its delights. The excellent location tends to push up rental prices, with the area being equally popular with young professionals and graduates. That said, if you search early and ride your luck, then you can often find some great student accommodation options.

Thanks to the tube, most universities are easily accessible. Camden is perfect for students at King’s College, SOAS, University College London and the London School of Economics. This accessibility helps us regard it as one of the best student areas in London.

Best London student area for chilling out – Finsbury Park

Finsbury Park is another great North London location and is very popular with students in London. The London student area has all the standard high street stores, as well as lots of independent shops from all over the globe. What we love most about Finsbury Park is that it’s a lovely chilled-out spot and a great place to socialise with your new coursemates on much-needed days off.

Conveniently located on the Victoria Line – which is widely regarded as the fastest tube line in London – transport to all the main universities couldn’t be quicker.

The area is currently going through some form of gentrification, meaning that trendy new bars, pubs and restaurants are constantly popping up on every street corner at the moment. You certainly won’t be short on choice when it comes to food and drink.

Such is the popularity of Finsbury Park when it comes to student accommodation that you should look to get sorted early. Rent is fairly affordable, but you need to be organised.

Finsbury Park is perfect for students at University College London, London School of Economics, King’s College, SOAS and City University.

Best Student Areas in East London

Best London area for being surrounded by students – Mile End

If you study at Queen Mary University, then living in Mile End is definitely worth considering. Though many people haven’t heard of this London student area, it’s located just down the road from the vibrant city life of Liverpool Street and Aldgate. The area is densely packed with students – around one in five residents – so is unsurprisingly one of London’s most student-friendly areas.

Mile End has everything a student could want or need, including lots of supermarkets, eateries and great transport links to the rest of the city. Thanks to the Central Line, students can reach central London in just 10 minutes.

While the cost of renting in London can be very high, Mile End has some of the most affordable rents of all the London student areas.

Mile End is perfect for students at Queen Mary University, University of East London, London School of Economics, King’s College, University College London and Imperial College. These are all accessible via the tube from Mile End.

Best London student area for cheaper rent and shopping – Stratford

Stratford is the new heart of East London and has recently become one of the best student areas in London. Having been a central part of the 2012 London Olympics, the area underwent large-scale regeneration and is now home to the giant Westfield Shopping Centre. It’s fair to say that Stratford is a hotspot for international and local travellers alike.

Located a little further out from some of the more central spots on this list, Stratford is still packed full of amazing London student areas and has the added benefit of cheaper rent prices. Rent usually starts around £125 a week, with these fairly low costs often including bills as well.

Stratford is likely at the top of the list for students at the University of East London’s Stratford Campus. Although it’s a longer commute, London’s main universities are certainly still accessible. Stratford is also great for students studying at Queen Mary University, University of East London and the London School of Economics. University College London and King’s College are also within convenient distance via the tube.

Best Student Areas in West London

Best London student area for Imperial College students – Shepherd’s Bush

Shepherd’s Bush should definitely be on the shortlist for students studying at Imperial College. The area is tailor-made for students, with great transport links, large supermarkets and Westfield Shopping Centre. For students looking to do a bit of shopping at the weekend without having to travel too far, Westfield is a dream.

Shepherd’s Bush also boasts some impressive living costs. While it’s a little further out, the central line from Wood Lane connects you into central London in no time. Rents are really affordable for a student. You just need to book early as competition can be pretty high. In fact, if you search hard, prices can be found under £150 per week. However, the closer you get to Kensington and Chelsea, the more you’ll notice rent costs begin to soar.

Shepherd’s Bush is not only perfect for students at Imperial College, but also University College London, SOAS and the University of Westminster.

Best London student area for young professionals – Hammersmith

Neighbouring Shepherd’s Bush, Hammersmith is also one of the best student areas in London. Just like Shepherd’s Bush, it’s ideal for students studying at Imperial College. There are numerous great student accommodation spots in Hammersmith to choose from and the area itself is full of vibrancy and like-minded individuals.

Located on three tube lines – Hammersmith & City, District and Piccadilly – students living here will have no issues with being able to quickly travel around London.

Just round the corner from Kensington, Fulham, Shepherd’s Bush and also close to Richmond, Hammersmith is ideally located. Not only are you near to the shops of Kensington and Shepherd’s Bush, along with the open spaces of Richmond Park, but you can even benefit from the excellent bars and pubs in Fulham!

Student accommodation in Hammersmith is very popular. Many students and young professionals go for this area, so be sure to get in early to secure student accommodation that is just right for your budget.

Hammersmith is perfect for students at the University of Roehampton, Imperial College, University College London, SOAS and the University of Westminster.

Are you looking for a student house or studio flat for next year? Are you needing information about setting up and managing your household bills?

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