Sponsored by London Business School
It’s no wonder London consistently tops surveys of the best student cities to live in. Last year, the UK capital went up two places to rank third in the QS Best Student Cities ranking, and will be expected to perform well again when this year’s ranking is released in May.
Home to several elite universities, a unique blend of foreign influences and a desirable mix of Fortune 500 companies, London is an epicenter of culture, finance and business that is unlike any other study abroad destination.
Here are some of the perks which make London such a unique and memorable destination.
London’s rich legacy of multiculturalism
For decades, communities from around the world have made the journey to London and made it their home, and London continues to be a melting pot of cultures and influences. Every year, London hosts many festivals celebrating cultures around the world, ranging from the Chinese New Year celebrations in Chinatown to Notting Hill Carnival, which draws millions of people to the streets of Notting Hill to pay tribute to West Indian culture.
Most Fortune 500 companies have an office in London
While most universities will help students find and apply to graduate jobs, living in London gives you a further advantage as you have access to a much broader range of opportunities. Right in the heart of everything, London is home to the world’s biggest tech, media and financial firms and 75 percent of Fortune 500 companies have offices in London.
It’s a lot easier to network with recruiters and alumni or apply for summer internships when you live locally and can attend career events aimed at students. Accelerator and Google Campus, for example, are business incubators based in London which run events and provide office space for students and young entrepreneurs.
London graduates enjoy some of the highest-starting salaries in the country, with average payslips starting at £26,500 (US$37,900), according to the Association of Graduate Recruiters. According to the survey, graduates in investment banking and fund management were paid the highest: in average £38,250 (US$54,700) in their first job.
The high caliber of London's universities
Pictured above: London Business School
With 17 universities from London included in the QS World University Rankings 2018®, there’s no doubting the city is home to some of the best universities in the world. Among them, London Business School is ranked first in the world for its master’s degree in finance, second for its master’s degree in management and third overall for business and management studies.
A short walk from Regent’s Park, London Business School is only a few stops on the underground from the City, the capital’s financial district. They offer course modules in accounting, economics, finance, management science and operations, marketing, organizational behavior, strategy and entrepreneurship.
London’s pub scene
Image by Simon James on July 2009
From rowdy pub-quizzes to craft brews and slick decors, there’s a London pub to suit every taste. If you fancy a quiet pint, a roaring coal fire and stained glass windows, London is awash with great historical pubs, some dating back to the Middle Ages - all with a unique story to tell.
If you’re in the mood to explore every nook and cranny of a venerable London institution, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street is a great place to start. Initially built in 1538 only to be rebuilt after the great fire of London in 1667, it has vaulted cellars, interior wood paneling and a labyrinth of dimly-lit rooms.
Nearly half of London is made up of luscious green spaces
Pictured above: view of the Shard from Regent’s Park
You’d be forgiven for assuming that big city-dwellers aren’t used to spending time in nature, but Londoners are proud of their parks. The amount of green space in London is mind-boggling (just under 50 percent of the city is green), and wherever you are in the capital, you’ll find at least one major park within walking distance
Among them, Regent’s Park is one of the loveliest picnic spots in London. This 395-acre slab of green has a lake with a choice of pedalos and row boats, an open-air theatre which operates in the summer months, a tennis and netball court, as well as football, rugby and lacrosse pitches.
The British Library’s dizzying book tower
Pictured above: the British Library’s book tower
London is home to a number of spectacular libraries with impressive book collections and stunning architecture, such as the Senate House, the National Art Library and the British Library, a gorgeous building which boasts the largest collection of books and recordings in the world.
The British Library has five floors available to the public, 11 reading rooms and rare items, such as Leonardo Da Vinci’s notebook, an original handwritten copy of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and the Magna Carta.
Borough Market’s street food
Pictured above: food stall in Borough Market
London has one of the best food scenes in the world - from Michelin restaurants and food institutions like The Ivy to Instagram-friendly street vendors, there is something to suit every taste and budget.
Situated next to London Bridge station, Borough Market has been around for a thousand years. It’s one of the oldest and most renowned food markets in Britain and sells fresh breads, cheeses, fruits, vegetables and meats, as well as street food inspired by recipes from around the world.
If you’re in the mood for world street food, head to the food stalls in Borough Market to feast for less than a tenner (US$14).
Sitting at the front of the top deck of a red bus
Pictured above: a double-decker bus in Knightsbridge
Which are the best seats on a double-decker? All Londoners tend to have an opinion of their own on this contentious subject, as you will no doubt discover, but the front seat on the top deck will give you a panoramic view of London and the thrill of being king/queen of the bus.
If you’re in the mood to get comfortable and watch London roll by, route 15 will take you to Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, St Paul’s, Waterloo Bridge and Trafalgar Square, all for the reasonable price of £1.50 (US$2).
One of the best live-music scenes in the world
Pictured above: Beyonce performing Crazy in Love in London at the O2 Arena in London
The capital’s music venues have played a part in launching some the most celebrated bands in history, from the Rolling Stones appearing at the Marquee Jazz Club in 1962 to Kate Bush appearing at the Half Moon in Putney.
Today, London caters to virtually every genre under the sun and hosts the hottest gigs and music festivals in the world. The world’s most famous bands continue to grace London stages, from Tame Impala who will be headlining Citadel Festival this year, to Beyoncé, who will be playing London this June.
