Aldgate was originally one of the gates in the wall of London and is now part of the City of London and Tower Hamlets. It’s known for being close to the City, Liverpool Street Station, Fenchurch Street and major office districts – plus you’re well placed for East London’s food scene and weekend markets.

Angel sits on the northern border of the London Borough of Islington and is a popular student-friendly area for cafés, shops and easy transport links. From Angel station, you can jump on the Northern Line for quick routes to Euston, Camden Town and the City Centre.

Bloomsbury is a classic student area in London’s West End, known for its academic vibe and leafy squares. It’s home to institutions like University College London and has brilliant library-and-coffee energy (with plenty of places to grab a bite between seminars). It’s also great for hanging out around Bloomsbury Square, Russell Square and Bedford Square.

Central London puts you close to the best-known attractions and some of the busiest student hubs. 

Fitzrovia is an area of Central London that includes Camden and Westminster. It's close to the British Museum, the iconic BT Tower and everything else you need with Marylebone, Mayfair, Covent Garden and Soho nearby.

Liverpool Street is mainly known for its railway station and excellent transport links. It's home to one of the busiest railway stations in the capital, which makes it extremely easy to get around the city and beyond.

The East End of London is packed with student life – from markets and street food to parks, galleries and nightlife. Areas like Bethnal Green are well connected and popular with students, especially if you’re heading to Queen Mary University of London.

Islington is mainly residential but full of brilliant food spots, shops and places to go out. It’s also famous for venues like Arsenal F.C., The Union Chapel, Finsbury Town Hall, Canonbury Tower, The Almeida Theatre, The Business Design Centre and Ironmonger Row Baths.

King’s Cross is one of the most connected areas in London (and a handy base for getting across the city or heading home by train). You’ve got the British Library nearby, plenty of food options, and easy access to both central London and North London.

It’s famous for London King's Cross railway station and St Pancras railway station. It’s also home to the British Library, London Canal Museum, St Pancras Old Church, Charles Dickens Museum and The Foundling Museum.

London Bridge is ideal if you want riverside London on your doorstep. You’re close to The Shard, Borough Market, Tower Bridge and the Tower of London, the Old Operating Theatre, Southwark Cathedral, HMS Belfast, the Fashion and Textile Museum and the Unicorn Theatre. It offers refreshing walks along the Thames, plus excellent transport links across the city.

Mile End is a lively East London student area, close to big green spaces like Mile End Park and Victoria Park. It’s well connected via the Tube, and it’s a popular location for students studying at Queen Mary University of London and University of London.

It’s a characterful neighbourhood in London that’s mainly known for the Green Bridge but is also home to Mile End Hospital, Mile End Stadium, Mile End tube station, Mile End Park and Roman Road.

Shoreditch is a creative, social part of London with street art, independent cafés and a big nightlife scene. It’s a trendy area to live in, home to Boxpark, Hoxton Square and Brick Lane – just to name a few. If you like a “never-boring” neighbourhood, this one’s a favourite!

Spitalfields is in the East End of London and is known for its markets: Old Spitalfields Market is a big one, with others including Brick Lane Market and Petticoat Lane Market.

It’s a popular spot for vintage finds and great food. It’s also a quick hop to Central London and Shoreditch, so it’s a strong location if you like being near everything.

Southwark is a brilliant base if you want Central London with a slightly more “local” feel. You’re close to the South Bank for museums, galleries and riverside walks (and of course London South Bank University).

Waterloo is one of London’s best-connected areas and a great choice for students who want quick links to campuses and central attractions.

Whitechapel is a brilliant East London base with quick links into the City and central spots. You’re close to Brick Lane, Spitalfields and Shoreditch for food and nights out, plus great Tube connections via Whitechapel and Aldgate East.

Canary Wharf is best known for its riverside skyline and big-city energy, but it’s also handy for commuting and placements. With the Jubilee line and DLR nearby, you can get around London easily — and you’ve got the docks, cafés and waterside walks when you need a breather from studying.

Elephant & Castle is a super convenient, central-ish South London spot with quick routes into the West End, the City and down towards the South Bank. It’s ideal if you want easy transport, plenty of shops nearby and a short hop to London Bridge and Waterloo.

Vauxhall is great if you want to be close to the Thames and well connected for getting around London fast. With a major station (Victoria line and National Rail), you can get to lectures, central sights and nights out easily – plus you’re close to Nine Elms and Battersea for food spots and riverside hangs.

Stratford is a go-to for students who want amazing transport links and loads to do on the doorstep. Think Westfield for shopping, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for chilled days and sports, and quick connections across London via the Central line, Elizabeth line, Overground and DLR.

Birkbeck University is a public research university with a focus on humanities, social sciences, law, and business. It’s best known for its flexible evening, daytime and online study options, which makes it popular if you’re balancing work, placements or other commitments. The university is based in Bloomsbury – a classic student area for libraries, cafés and quick links around Central London.

View our Birkbeck University accommodation.

City St George's is the new institution formed by the merger of City, University of London and St George's, University of London in August 2024. The merger has created one of the largest multi-faculty higher education destinations for students in London, with a strong focus on professional education and research at the cutting edge of practice. It has campuses near Clerkenwell/Islington and Tooting, offering a blend of professional courses with a city focus and specialist health and medical courses. It provides great links for work placements and offers easy routes into Central London from its various locations.

View our City, University of London accommodation.

Imperial College London is one of the best-known STEM-focused universities in the UK, with major sites around South Kensington and beyond. If you’re looking to study a science, engineering, technology, medicine or business course, it’s a huge name.

View our Imperial College London accommodation.

King’s College London (KCL) has five main campuses across Central London (Strand, Guy’s, Waterloo, St Thomas’ and Denmark Hill), so your location and travel routes can really shape your day-to-day student life. It’s a brilliant option if you want the “proper London” campus feel right in the middle of the city. It’s known for dentistry, oral and craniofacial sciences, life sciences, medicine, psychiatry and related fields.

View our King’s College London accommodation.

London Metropolitan University (or ‘London Met’ as it’s known) has central campuses and a diverse student community, with a very “London” feel to student life. It includes the Guildhall School of Business and Law, School of Computing and Digital Media, School of Human Sciences, School of Social Professions, School of Social Sciences and the School of Art, Architecture and Design. The university is a popular choice if you want a city-centre university experience with good transport links for commuting.

View our London Metropolitan University accommodation.

London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is right in Central London and is famously competitive – so if you’re studying there, being in a well-connected location can make a big difference on busy timetables. It’s a top pick for social sciences, politics, economics and related subjects.

View our LSE accommodation.

London South Bank University (LSBU) is based near London Bridge and the South Bank – a great location if you like having the river, galleries and central nightlife close by. It’s known for practical, career-focused courses and a strong London student community, with subjects including business, arts, science, engineering, health, social care and law.

View our London South Bank University accommodation.

Queen Mary University of London has five main campuses across East London and Central London in Mile End, Whitechapel, Charterhouse Square, West Smithfield, and Lincoln's Inn Fields. It’s a popular option for students who want a strong academic set-up with great links to creative and cultural areas nearby. The university is recognised for its courses in research, medicine, dentistry, English literature, language, drama and materials technology.

View our Queen Mary University of London accommodation.

SOAS is based in Bloomsbury and is a specialist  institution for the study of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. It’s renowned for its world-leading international studies including regional languages, cultures, economics, politics and law. The university is a great fit if you want a campus experience with a really international student community.

View our SOAS accommodation.

UCL is a major London university with a strong academic reputation and a huge student community. In fact, it's the second largest in the UK, behind the Open University! Its courses span a wide range of subjects, from the arts and humanities to sciences and engineering. With Central London locations, being well connected can make your daily routine much easier.

View our UCL accommodation.

UAL is made up of several specialist colleges across the city, so your timetable can mean bouncing between areas. If you’re heading into fashion, art, design, media or performance, it’s one of the biggest names out there.

View our UAL accommodation.

Chelsea College of Arts is a prestigious, interdisciplinary art and design college in Central London that’s part of the University of the Arts London. Dedicated to art, design and curating subjects, it’s one of the leading colleges of its type in the world. The college provides undergraduate and postgraduate courses, offering research degrees, short courses and more. 

View our Chelsea College of Arts accommodation.

The University of Westminster has four Central London campuses (including Regent, Marylebone, Cavendish and Harrow), and a big student community that feels properly woven into the city. It offers many courses in business, fashion, media, law and arts, attracting around 20,000 domestic and international students.

View our University of Westminster accommodation.

The University of Greenwich is a modern public university with two campuses in London and one in Kent. Its iconic Greenwich Campus sits on a stunning riverside site in historic Greenwich (within a UNESCO World Heritage setting), while Avery Hill offers a greener, more tranquil campus in south-east London. The university is well regarded for strong industry links, graduate outcomes and highly rated career-focused teaching, offering a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

London is one of the biggest student cities on the planet, with world-class culture and a huge choice of courses and campuses. From day one, you’ll have endless options: museums and galleries, food from everywhere, live music, sport, markets, parks and neighbourhoods that all feel completely different.

With 40 prestigious institutions to choose from, London’s top four unis are within the top 35 in the world. London offers an unparalleled student experience. Not only are four of the capital's top universities globally ranked within the top 35, but students also have a choice of 40 prestigious institutions to choose from. Add to that some of the best attractions, nightlife and eateries right on your doorstep, you’ll be truly spoilt for choice!

It can be pricey, but student living in London is more manageable when your rent is all-inclusive and you’re in Zones 1 or 2 with easy transport links to get around. You’ll also find loads of student discounts and free things to do, so you can keep your budget under control while still making the most of the city.

Living in London is all about the balance: being close to what you need (campus, mates, supermarkets, coffee) while still having a place that feels like home. Sanctuary Students’ private student accommodation in London is purpose-built for student living, with practical features and a community feel across Zones 1 and 2.

London has one of the largest student populations in Europe, with over half a million domestic and international students studying across its many universities and colleges. In fact, University College London (UCL) attracts over 50,000 students from around 150 countries alone!

That means a massive student community, endless societies and events – but also a high demand for student accommodation in London, especially in well-connected areas.

As a large capital, London has areas that are busier than others and does experience some crime, but the levels are no higher than any other major global city. 

However, most students feel safe day-to-day and small measures (and a bit of common sense) can significantly lower their personal risk. For example: ensure bicycles are securely locked, keep valuables secure, travel with friends where possible and avoid walking home alone in the dark.

Sanctuary Students’ London uni accommodation includes secure entry, CCTV and on-site support to give you peace of mind and help you feel more at home.

Absolutely. London is one of the most international cities in the world, with over 300 languages spoken. The capital is home to over 150,000 international students, so it really is a great place to study for international and domestic students alike.

Here at Sanctuary Students, we’re proud to have a fantastic student community and welcome lots of international students from across the globe each year. 

We’re here to help make your transition to student living in the UK as smooth as possible. We’ll allocate you a room with fellow international students to help you settle into your new home, and our on-site teams are on hand 24 hours a day to make sure everyone in our student community is happy, healthy and safe. We have a wealth of knowledge about the local areas in London, and we’ll tell you everything you need to know, from using the laundry to the best way to get to university.

Learn more about how we support international students.

The “best” area depends on your course, your vibe and how you like to spend your time. East London areas like Mile End, Bethnal Green and Spitalfields are popular for creative scenes and campus links. King’s Cross is ideal for travel connections and access to Central London, and Islington is a strong shout if you want North London living with loads of cafés and easy transport.

Sanctuary Students have eight properties in great central locations across London Zones 1 and 2 that offer safe, comfortable and budget-friendly student rooms:

• Whitechapel: Don Gratton House and The Craft Building

• Southwark: Manna Ash House

• King's Cross: Dinwiddy House and Paul Robeson House (postgraduates only)

• The East End: Coopers Court

• Newington Green: Alliance House

• Spitalfields:Lilian Knowles House

Our student housing in London is centrally located across Zones 1 and 2, so you’ll find all your local amenities close by and within walking distance. However, if and when you do need to travel, transport links are easy to come by – whether it’s the London Underground, buses or trains.

London is made for getting around without a car. The easiest way to travel is with a 18+ Student Oyster card and the Transport for London (TfL) network which gives you access to tubes, buses, trains and more. Many students also use Santander Cycles for quick trips around Central London.

All of our London student flats are just a short walk away from a tube or train station, linking you to the rest of London and further afield. For example, Manna Ash House is a four-minute walk from Southwark tube station, and Coopers Court is quite literally around the corner from Mile End station.

Being based in London Zones 1 and 2 means you’ll have plenty of supermarkets, convenience stores, cafés and takeaways nearby. Plus, services like Uber Eats and Deliveroo offer bike delivery for other takeaway options further afield, so you're never stuck for choice!

If you’re looking to do a ‘big shop’, our friendly team will also be happy to offer advice and point you towards the best options locally.

• Find your nearest National Health Service (NHS) doctor or dentist: NHS Services website

• Free legal advice: Citizens Advice Bureau

• Travelling and planning journeys in London: Transport for London (TfL)

• Student Oyster Card and contactless travel information

• Bike Hire in London: Santander Cycles

• Coach travel: National Express and Megabus

• Guide to London and best places to visit

• Applying for your student visa.

• UK Border Agency

• UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA)

• Guide to Culture Shock

• National Union of Students (NUS)

Prices vary by zone, room type and how close you want to be to central hotspots. Our student accommodation in London is located in Zones 1 and 2, with competitive prices from just £216.35 per week. These Central London locations near popular university campuses mean you're close to class and everything that's going on in the city, so you can also save time and money on travel costs. And because bills are included in your rent, it’s easy to budget and avoid unexpected costs.

Read our guide to the cheapest student accommodation in London. 

We don’t offer on-site parking at our student accommodation in London, but most of our students find they don’t need a car in Zones 1 and 2. We generally advise against bringing a car to the city anyway, as driving in London can incur extra costs like the Congestion Charge (£15 daily) and ULEZ charges (£12.50 daily), depending on your vehicle.

With plenty of public transport options near to each of our student halls, getting around London is a breeze – you certainly won’t miss having a car!

If you’re moving into your new London student flat, we may be able to accommodate your car for a couple of hours during check-in, subject to availability.

When you’re considering where you want to live for your Master’s degree or PhD, it’s important to think about whether your needs have changed since those fresh-faced undergraduate days. Here at Sanctuary Students, we’re home to students of all ages at various stages of their studies.

Our uni accommodation in London is a perfect option for postgraduate students. We allocate our postgrad rooms near fellow postgrad students, so you’ll be surrounded by like-minded people in the same position as you. We offer value for money and an easy setup (including all-inclusive bills and on-site cleaners), so you can focus on your studies. Plus, our high-speed Wi-Fi is ideal for helping you tackle that heavy workload!

When you stay with Sanctuary Students, the rent for your student accommodation in London is all-inclusive, which means you’re not juggling separate utility bills and won’t have any hidden costs to surprise you later.

Here’s what you can typically expect with your London student room:

• All bills included (electricity, heating and water)

• Fast 250 Mb/s broadband and Wi-Fi*

• Free contents insurance

• Secure entry and CCTV

• On-site laundry facilities

Room types vary by property, but you’ll find a mix of:

• Standard and double en-suite rooms

• Small, medium and large studio apartments

• One-bedroom flats

• Options suitable for couples

All student properties have a shared kitchen and social spaces where you can cook, catch up and actually get to know your flatmates. We also have 24-hour security staff and emergency helplines, secure entry and CCTV, while our maintenance teams are on hand to make sure everything runs smoothly.

*The building-wide Wi-Fi and ethernet broadband service give you a reliable and secure internet connection suitable for all your academic and personal needs. Please note the exact broadband service can vary by property – please check the ‘Additional information’ section on the relevant property page for details.