The best areas in London for students

London is the biggest student city in the UK, home to hundreds of thousands of students across universities including UCL, King's, LSE, Imperial, Queen Mary, and Goldsmiths. It's also ranked the best student city in Europe, and third in the world, in the QS Best Student Cities 2026 ranking, after six years in the top spot. Because the city is so spread out, there's no single best student area. The right one depends on where you're studying, what you can afford, and how you like to live. Below, we've broken down the main student areas and which universities each one suits. 

What to weigh up before choosing an area

In a city this size, a few things tend to decide where students end up: 

1. Which university you're at, since a 20-minute commute in London beats a central postcode that's an hour from campus

2. Your budget, and whether you want everything in one rent payment or bills on top 

3. Which zone you can afford, as rent generally drops the further out you go 

4. Whether you want a traditional shared house or a purpose-built studio or ensuite with bills included 

5. The vibe you're after, from busy and social to quiet and green 

As a rough guide, purpose-built rooms in London run from around £215 a week in Zone 4 to £550 or more in Zone 1. Shared houses can come in lower, though bills usually sit on top. 

The best areas for students to live in London

Bloomsbury (Central London) 
Bloomsbury is London's academic heart, home to UCL, SOAS, Birkbeck, and the University of London, so it's one of the most popular areas for students who want to live a short walk from campus. Scape Bloomsbury is on Woburn Place, a few minutes from UCL's main campus, with the British Museum and the leafy squares the area is known for right on the doorstep. Russell Square on the Piccadilly line is the nearest Tube station, and King's Cross and Euston are both a short walk, so the rest of the city is easy to reach. Being this central, rent sits at the higher end. 

Mile End (East London) 
Mile End is one of the more affordable areas close to Central London, with Queen Mary University of London running right through it. Scape Mile End sits on the Queen Mary campus, so lectures are only a few minutes from your room. The Central line gets you into town in under 15 minutes, and you're a short walk from Victoria Park, one of London's oldest, which backs onto the Regent's Canal towpath, so you can walk or cycle a good chunk of the way to campus along the water. Roman Road Market and nearby Bethnal Green keep weekends busy. 

Stratford (East London) 
Stratford was rebuilt for the 2012 Olympics, and the transport that came with it is hard to beat: the Central, Jubilee, Elizabeth, and DLR lines all stop here, plus the Overground. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park brings more open green space than you'll find almost anywhere this close to town, along with a lido and the new East Bank arts quarter. UCL East is based here, Queen Mary is a short hop away, Westfield is next door, and rents sit below the central areas. 

Camden (North London) 
Most people know Camden for its market and its music. Venues like the Roundhouse and Electric Ballroom have been putting on gigs for decades, and the Regent's Canal runs right through it. It's an easy reach for UCL, SOAS, and the other central universities, and it suits you if you'd rather live in the thick of things than somewhere quiet. Rent runs at the higher end. 

Hammersmith (West London) 
Hammersmith sits on the river in West London, with four Tube lines through the station: the Piccadilly, District, Circle, and Hammersmith & City. Scape Hammersmith, our newest London building, is around 15 to 20 minutes from Imperial's South Kensington campus and about 15 minutes from its White City campus on the Hammersmith & City line. It's also close to Shepherd's Bush, Fulham, and Notting Hill, and the Thames path here is one of the nicer walks this side of town, with the Eventim Apollo and Lyric theatre keeping gigs and shows within walking distance.

Canada Water (Southeast London) 
Canada Water is a quieter, greener part of the city south of the river, quick on the Jubilee line to London Bridge, Waterloo, and Stratford. Scape Canada Water is a 5-minute walk from the station, in the middle of an area being rebuilt into a new town centre. There's still proper woodland close by at Russia Dock and Stave Hill, and Bermondsey's food and drink is a short walk north. It works well for King's College London, including Guy's campus, along with LSE, South Bank, and Goldsmiths on the Overground. 

New Cross (Southeast London) 
New Cross has Goldsmiths at its heart, which gives it a creative, music-led feel, with small independent venues and cafes dotted around. It's part of Lewisham, one of London's cheaper boroughs, so rent tends to be lower, though you'll spend a bit longer getting into the centre. 

Wembley (Northwest London) 
Wembley sits out in Zone 4, but it's well connected on the Jubilee and Metropolitan lines, plus the Overground, and it's the cheapest of Scape's London buildings. Scape Wembley is a short walk from Wembley Park station, next to Wembley Stadium and the OVO Arena, so the big gigs and events are on your doorstep. The London Designer Outlet and BOXPARK sort out shopping and food, and you can reach central campuses in about 30 minutes, which makes it a popular choice for students at the University of Westminster, Brunel, and Middlesex. 

Scape London buildings at a glance 

Booking from abroad? What matters most for international students

If you're moving to London from overseas, the area you choose often matters less than who you book with. Booking from abroad comes with its own checklist: no UK guarantor, bills included so there are no surprise costs in your first term, and support to help you settle in. 

The main thing is to pick by your university, not by postcode. Scape's seven London buildings cover most of the main university clusters, with Bloomsbury in the centre for UCL and the central universities, Mile End on the Queen Mary campus, Hammersmith near Imperial, Canada Water for King's and south of the river, and Wembley for value with fast central links. Every Scape building is all-inclusive, needs no UK guarantor to book, and runs a regular events calendar to help you meet people from your first week. 

FAQs

What is the best area to live in London as a student? 
There's no single best area, because it depends on your university and budget. East London around Mile End and Stratford is popular for value and transport, central and west London suit students at UCL, LSE, and Imperial, and outer areas like Wembley offer lower rent in exchange for a longer commute. 

Where should UCL students live in London? 
It depends which campus you're based at. For UCL's main campus in Bloomsbury, living nearby keeps you within walking distance of lectures, and Scape Bloomsbury is a few minutes from campus. For UCL East at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, East and Southeast London work better, with Scape Mile End and Scape Canada Water both around 20 minutes away. 

Where should I live if I study at Queen Mary University of London? 
Mile End is the natural choice, since the Queen Mary campus is based there. Scape Mile End is on the campus itself, so you can walk to lectures. 

Which area is best for Imperial College London students? 
West London suits Imperial students best. From Scape Hammersmith, Imperial's South Kensington campus is around 15 to 20 minutes by Tube or bus, and its White City campus is about 15 minutes on the Hammersmith & City line, so both main campuses are within easy reach.

Where should King's College London students live? 
Areas south of the river work well for King's, including Guy's campus. Canada Water connects quickly on the Jubilee line, and Scape Canada Water is a 5-minute walk from the station. 

Which area is cheapest for students in London? 
Rent generally drops the further from Zone 1 you go. Wembley in the northwest, along with Mile End and Stratford in the east, tend to offer better value than central areas while staying well connected by Tube. 

Do students pay council tax in London? 
Full-time students are exempt from council tax, and a household where everyone is a full-time student pays none at all. It's worth checking your status with your local council when you move in. 

Do you need a UK guarantor to rent student accommodation in London? 
Many providers ask for a UK-based guarantor, which can be difficult for international students. Scape doesn't require a guarantor to book at any of its London buildings.

Student accommodation in London with Scape 

Whichever part of the city you're studying in, there's a good chance Scape has a building nearby. Scape Bloomsbury and Scape Kings Cross sit in the centre for UCL and the central universities, Scape Shoreditch suits City and the creative universities, Scape Mile End is on the Queen Mary campus in the east, Scape Hammersmith is a short commute from Imperial in the west, Scape Canada Water connects fast to King's and central London from the south, and Scape Wembley is the cheapest of the seven, out in the northwest. Every room comes with bills included, no guarantor is required to book, and residents get access to a gym, cinema room, communal spaces, and a regular calendar of events.