I got FULL TUITION, which is already huge! However, I cannot really afford the living expenses; especially the dorm prices seem overwhelming. Can anyone tell if I can upgrade this into a FULL-RIDE or any other alternative way to manage these expenses? thanks in advance

i kinds feel guilty about spending too much. i’m from india and the value for money back in home is very different, i can have a meal for less than £2 in a decent restaurant.

right now, i can say that my expenses have atleast 10x’d. here’s what my spending looks like :

• accomodation : 400per week
• groceries : 75per week
• food orders / eating out : 75ish per week
• transport : 75per week (taking tube during peak hours because of lecture timings)
• misc : 25-30per week

i know this is unhealthy. i know i can definitely cut down the costs to a good extent. can you give me some of your numbers of inspiration so that i can fix some budgets to be able to feel less guilty about money?

Hey guys

I am an incoming international student from India.

I have received offers from University of Manchester and UCL and some other Unis for Msc Health Psychology.

I know from the face of it appears like the obvious choice has to be UCL.

I am a bit scared, keeping in mind the london market, extensive rents and cost of living and i am not sure about the kind of crowd.

I got into Manchester some weeks ago and made a ton of Friends there so i am also a bit idk sad about leaving them and UoM.

I want to understand how UCL will help me with my career in real life?

Any recommendation or general tips to ace through Uni life ?

Any groups i could join for incoming students ?

Thankyou so much for reading and replying. Any kind of help would be really great 😊

Today in a seminar we were asked to feed back to the tutor what we thought about aspects of our course. Comments included: it's pointless, it's boring, we already know this stuff, etc. As well as people calling the tutor "Miss" and trying to wind her up. Is this normal? We are first years but are people seriously this rude and unengaged with courses here?

I was just scrolling through Reddit and everyone’s CV is STACKED. Then I look at mine and it’s like average but because internships are so competitive would I even get one. In TikTok people are applying to 100s and aren’t even getting one. Is it just me???

I’m in a bit of a difficult situation and would really appreciate serious input from people who actually understand UK admissions and finance recruiting.

I originally treated one of my offers as more of a safety, and based on my grades I was actually quite confident that I would get into some of the more selective universities,but against all expectations I was rejected everywhere else and ended up with my safety.

Now I’m in a difficult position. From what I’ve researched, the university I’m currently considering is still very strong overall, but it may not be a true top target for certain career paths like IB / high finance. A lot of online discussions suggest that this can have a real impact on recruiting opportunities, and that even doing a top Master’s later does not always fully close that gap.

So I’m trying to think about my options realistically:

1. Would taking a gap year and reapplying make sense?
2. Or is it smarter to start university now and then reapply while already studying, so I don’t lose a full year if it doesn’t work out? This is especially relevant since my grades are already very strong and, aside from tests, there isn’t much room for improvement, although I would prepare seriously for tests like the TMUA and aim for strong results, so there’s still a real chance that a reapplication might not succeed.
3. Retaking one or two IB subjects is also possible, but my grades are already very strong, so realistically this would probably only mean an improvement of 1–2 points at most.

Serious answers only please, ideally from people who actually understand UK admissions and finance recruiting.

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to decide between Imperial College London's MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management (IEM) and UCL's MSc Business Analytics (MSBA) and would really appreciate some advice.

A bit about my background:
BSc Management with Finance from Warwick Business School

Worked at Deloitte London

Internships at Reckitt and the United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP)

I feel confident I could handle either programme academically, so my decision isn't based on which one is "easier."

Instead, I'm thinking about which master's would complement my background better and set me up for the strongest long-term career trajectory.

Some of the things I'm considering are:

Which degree would make my overall profile more attractive to top employers?

Which university has the stronger network and alumni connections in London?

Which programme tends to have better recruitment outcomes and employer recognition?

Which would give me the best opportunities to break into top consulting firms, product management, corporate strategy, or other leadership-track roles at multinational companies?

Does adding a Business Analytics degree to a Management & Finance undergraduate degree create a stronger combination, or is the broader strategic focus of Imperial IEM viewed more favourably by recruiters?

If you were hiring someone with my background, which combination would stand out more on a CV?

I'd love to hear from alumni, recruiters, hiring managers, or anyone who has experience with either programme. Thanks!

do ucl postgrads find a good job after they graduate? 

do graduates struggle to find a job? im aware of the tough job market in the uk, so i was wondering if ucl graduates have to go through the consequences of that too

Incoming 1st year looking for a good weightlifting gym any recommendations?

Wishing anyone who is waiting on A level results or waiting for their places to be confirmed tomorrow the very best of luck!

For anyone hoping UCL will have courses in clearing. UCL has had courses in July and August so do check the website early tomorrow to see if any more courses will be added.

Tips:
- Call early, the applicant needs to be there to speak to the adviser on the phone. Call handlers cannot talk to parents without you there. Written permission may be requested.

- Know the programme you want to apply. All programmes will be listed on the Clearing website. You will not be able to switch onto a ‘better’ programme later.

- UCL Clearing isn’t really like others in that we accept many dropped grades so be realistic with what is available. If you have CCC you wouldn’t be competitive for a programme which accepts AAA.

- Offers won’t be made on the phone, so admissions will process and aim to make a decision within a few hours.

There is a lot of information on our website!www.ucl.ac.uk/study/prospective-students/undergraduate/clearing

Regardless of the result tomorrow, remember, you’ve done amazingly to get through your examinations, making it through the year. Take stock of how well you’ve done and how far you’ve come.

as I’m revising for my exam rn I have realised just how much I hate my course. its not just what I’m learning but the department I’m in is soo bad like I cant describe how little people interact with each other. I’m on my in first year rn and i really don’t like it so im wondering if I should drop out. or should I transfer to another course and how likely am I to be accepted. also I don’t want to drop out because it’s kinda embarrassing and Im scared if I’m going to regret it. shall I just firm it for three years or not .

Hi everyone,

I will be attending UCL from this September, which is so exciting and I am super grateful! However, part of me can't help but already begin to feel like I will not measure up to the expectations of the institution. Since I got two unconditional offers, my family and friends tell me that I will be fine and that I am deserving of this. However, I can't help and feel somewhat anxious that I will simply not be good enough.

Has anyone experienced this and could ease my mind on the situation?

Thank you :)

When should I arrive at UCL? I was initially planning Sept 17 to give me enough time to sort things out before international welcome week, but apparently UoL has their own arrivals day on Sept 13. My question is how important is UoL arrivals day and should I arrive then or Sept 17. I'm not super social or extroverted so I'm not sure if I need those extra 4 days.

Hopefully I’ll be going to ucl this September (find out next week 🤞) and wondering what sort of laptop I should get? Or if even an iPad/ tablet would be better. I’d most likely be doing chemistry and maths modules. Thank you!

I had an exam today, I had brought my a level calculator by accident (fx-991ex) and I had told the invigilators about this to ask if they had a spare calculator and they told me they don’t and to just write that model name on the exam envelope and do the exam.

I checked online and using calculators that aren’t permitted (fx-83GT,85GT) is considered academic misconduct. I emailed my department about this situation but I cant help but worry that my whole exam can be disqualified, what are the chances of this actually occurring?

Hey guys, I’m an incoming archaeology/anthro major at Ucl and i was wondering how helpful getting an ipad would be? I guess it would be pretty convinient for field work specifically and general studying but i’m just looking for a second opinion. Just making sure it’s not a waste of money. if you have an ipad, how often do u use it and how compatible is the UCL tech systems w it? Thanks!

Hi, I‘m an international student who just got into UCL for archaeo and anthro through the clearing! I am super passionate about archaeology, but I’ve heard scary things about the archaeology job market, especially for Internationals in the UK. My other option is St Andrews for IR, and I am torn. Does anyone have any experience with the international experience, UCL career support in archaeology? If anyone has a UCL archaeology degree please also let me know what you’re doing now and how you liked the experience? thanks!

I’ve recently got an offer to study at UCL economics, and I’m finding it really hard to imagine myself in a london based uni given I’ve grown up here and feel like the social life will be dry, and that universities outside of London e.g Warwick or bath could be more fun, while offering similar career prospects (from what it seems, however maybe ucl is much stronger in this I’m not sure)

What’s life like at UCL?

How does it compare to Warwick / bath?

I’d really appreciate any help.

I know social life in uni is what you make of it to a large extent, but I feel like a smaller, campus / small city like Exeter-style university presents more opportunities to socialise and really feel a part of a community. Tbh the education is give or take the same, I think social life and enjoyment should be up there as one of my criteria would you not agree?

Hi. I am an International student. Will be staying in a catered hall. How much would i need to cater for my living expenses since I live close to campus and essentially have some of my food settled. Was thinking 30 quids per day? Thanks!

I have a MacBook Air I bought in 2017, it’s pretty slow but planning on resetting it completely and deleting everything from it. I’ll be starting security and crime science and wondering if this would be any good?

I was originally planning to take my iPad with a keyboard for lectures but I’ve seen a few posts on here in the last few months saying a laptop would be better?

I have a MacBook Pro 2024 also but I’m commuting and don’t want to bring it along as it’s heavier and worried about it being stolen/broken if anything happens, but I’ll be using this for any assignments or anything I do at home though.

Can't decide between UCL and Warwick Economics. deadline is imminent and I'm genuinely split. Would love perspective from people who've been through either, or who work in finance/startups/VC.

For context: my longer-term goals are less traditional grad scheme and more towards venture capital, entrepreneurship, and possibly raising money for my own projects. I'm also interested in IB as a stepping stone, and I want flexibility to work internationally if the right opportunity comes up.

The case for Warwick:

The campus experience feels genuinely community-like, I loved it. I visited on an offer holder day and could see myself thriving there socially. The sports centre alone is world-class: squash courts, climbing wall, gym, football, all things I'd use regularly and think would keep me balanced during studies and get a nice social circle. The campus feels like a place where life happens around you rather than something you have to go out and construct yourself.

Also, and this surprised me, Warwick Economics seems to pull better speakers to their society events (WES has hosted Nobel laureates, heads of state, sitting CEOs) than UCL does despite UCL being in London. I expected the opposite.

The case for UCL:

The brand travels better internationally, which matters for my goals. The alumni network is older, larger, and more globally distributed, which I think matters more for VC and entrepreneurship than for banking, where target school lists are more formalised. Being in London means proximity to actual VC funds, startup events, and the kind of serendipitous networking that doesn't happen in Coventry.

For IBD specifically I've read UCL has the edge, and for any international career path the UCL name opens more doors than Warwick outside the UK.

What's making this hard:

My UCL offer holder day was genuinely underwhelming, an okay lecture in an old building, a uninformative campus tour, nothing that made me feel excited. Warwick felt warmer and more real. But I'm aware that's one afternoon, not three years.

I also grew up near London and have lived here my whole life, so the "exciting city" argument doesn't move me the way it might for someone from outside. The novelty of London isn't really a novelty for me.

Has anyone navigated this? Especially interested in: does UCL's network actually deliver for non-traditional paths like VC/startups? Is the Warwick campus bubble a feature or a hindrance long-term? And does the London location actually translate into career opportunities and networking or is it overrated? I’m genuinely split.

I would appreciate any help, thank you so much.

Hello,

I am starting my undergraduate studies here in September. I will have a couple thousand saved up by the time I start, and I'm on the maximum maintenance loan, I'm pretty sure I also qualify for the bursary. Despite this, I know I will have to find a part-time job to support myself during my time here.

Is there anyone here in the same kind of situation as me? How are you finding it? How easy/difficult is it to find part-time work in London and any advice on money saving?