Studying in London as a working adult: universities, costs, commuting and part-time options
You can study for a degree in London while working, but the decision is usually made on three practical things rather than on the course itself: how far the campus is from your job, how many days a week you are required on site, and whether your living costs still work once you a...
The London campuses, and where they actually are
University | Campus location | UAPP courses | Nearest transport |
|---|---|---|---|
Anglia Ruskin University London | Import Building, 2 Clove Crescent, Poplar E14 | 30 | East India DLR |
Brunel University London | Uxbridge, west London | 20 | Uxbridge, Piccadilly/Metropolitan |
London Metropolitan University | 166–220 Holloway Road, N7 | 18 | Holloway Road, Piccadilly |
University of Sunderland in London | 4 Harbour Exchange Square, Isle of Dogs E14 | 10 | South Quay DLR |
Bloomsbury Institute London | 7 Bedford Square, WC1B | 9 | Tottenham Court Road |
University of Law | 2 Moorgate, Bunhill Row, EC1Y | 6 | Moorgate |
London College of Contemporary Arts | Sceptre Court, 40 Tower Hill | 5 | Tower Hill |
Middlesex University (QA) | St James’ House, 10 Rosebery Avenue, EC1R | 3 | Farringdon |
UWTSD London | 1 Westferry Circus, E14 | 3 | Westferry DLR |
Global Banking School | 153–159 Bow Road, E3 | 1 | Bow Road |
Arden University | Holborn, Stratford and Ealing study centres | 32 (blended) | Multiple |
What it costs to study in London while working?
Three cost lines: tuition, living, and the income you give up. Tuition for Home students across UAPP’s London courses sits between £9,535 and £9,790 a year [VERIFY against the CMS at publication]. Living costs in London are higher than the rest of the UK, and the maintenance loan reflects that with a separate London rate for students living away from home.
Which subjects have real choice in London?
From the current catalogue: business and management 41 courses, accounting and finance 31, computing and cyber security 20, health and social care 14, law 9, marketing 9, project management 7. Link each subject to its London city page once those are live. Check details ->
Routes in if you do not have recent qualifications?
Thirty-five of the London courses include a foundation year, eleven are one-year top-ups and seven are CertHE or foundation degree routes. One short paragraph, three links.
Yes, and thousands of people do - but be realistic about which delivery model makes it possible. Blended and study-centre delivery, part-time routes and courses with concentrated teaching days are what make it work; a standard three-days-a-week daytime timetable usually does not. Check the attendance pattern before you fall in love with the course content.
Answer this once attendance data has been collected from each partner. Until then, say honestly that timetables vary by course and offer a consultation rather than publishing a list that might be wrong - an incorrect answer here wastes someone’s application.
Students living away from home and studying in London qualify for a higher maintenance rate than elsewhere in England, because living costs are higher. The amount is means-tested on household income. [VERIFY the current London rate at gov.uk/student-finance.]
Yes, above the intensity threshold, and part-time students in England can apply for maintenance support as well as a tuition fee loan. The mature-student finance guide explains how intensity is calculated and what it means for how long your funding lasts.
No. Commuting in from the wider south-east is common, and for some people it is cheaper than moving. The campus table above gives the actual locations, which is usually the deciding factor - a course in Uxbridge and a course on the Isle of Dogs are very different propositions depending on where you live.
Three routes are open to you: a degree with a foundation year, which adds a year at the start; an Access to Higher Education Diploma, designed for adults returning to study; or a CertHE or foundation degree, which are shorter qualifications in their own right. Thirty-five of the London courses in the UAPP catalogue include a foundation year.
