London has long been an attractive destination for international students. Indeed, the 112,200 international students who came to study in London between 2016 and 2017 (HESA 2016–17) prove just how popular it is!
However, you might not know that London is celebrating another impressive achievement — being named the world’s top student city!
A world-class student city
The well-respected QS Best Student Cities (2025) rankings compare academic cities all over the world, and London was named number 1 student city! The UK’s capital beat tough competition from top international destinations, including Tokyo in Japan and Melbourne in Australia.
The rankings consider a number of different factors, and London excelled in several of them. In the Student View category it ranks a brilliant 2nd in the world. Even more excitingly, it’s 4th for Employer Activity. This means studying in London could be your first step towards an amazing career!
London is a great place for international students. It is an exciting, diverse city, where you’ll find people from almost every country on the planet. There are lots of historical and cultural attractions like Buckingham Palace and the National Gallery, so you’ll never be short of things to do.
Plus, you’ll be able to enjoy fantastic nightlife, and find food from all over the world!
Top universities
The city is also home to some top UK universities, including 3 Kaplan partners:
City, University of London ranks in the top 15 in the UK for International outlook (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024). And it invests in its students’ futures: it ranks top 20 in the UK for the amount invested in each student according to the Guardian University Guide 2023.
Queen Mary University of London is a Russell Group university and ranks among the top 20 universities in the UK overall (QS World University Rankings 2025). It also has a fantastic ranking for international outlook, coming in at #4 in the UK (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024).
The University of Westminster enjoys some great rankings too. For example, the University is 7th in the UK for Land and Property Management (Complete University Guide 2023) and is ranked 14th (joint) in the UK for teaching effectiveness for Fashion and Textiles (Guardian University Guide 2024). It also ranks 22nd in the UK for Building (Complete University Guide 2025).
Study in London
If you want to study at a top London university, you have a number of options with Kaplan. At Kaplan International College London, you can study a Foundation Certificate or International Year One to gain entry to an undergraduate degree.]
Alternatively, study a Pre-Master’s to start your path to a postgraduate degree. You can even study a Pre-Doctorate, to get ready for the highest level of study.
Explore the links below to see how Kaplan can help you follow your path to a great degree in one of the UK’s most exciting cities!
