Photo by Haris Malekos

UAL has a prestigious reputation, but its unconventional student social life apparently falls short. 

UAL holds prestige for many achievements: second in the world for art and design, and placing in the top ten universities in the country as ranked by The Guardian. It has a reputation as a renowned institution for creative degrees. However, there is one area that it is supposedly lacking in – student social life.

In 2025, UAL was voted 99^th out of 100 universities across the country in terms of social life for students, just beating the University of West Scotland. This raises questions as to what social lives are like for students who attend London-based, non-campus universities. 

Attending UAL is generally not going to be your typical university experience. Having six colleges scattered around London, many people live in halls, privately rent, or commute from elsewhere in the country. There isn’t a central community space for UAL students, and many often stick to visiting their own campus. As a result, some students feel it’s difficult to form a community and make long-lasting connections. 

“At the beginning, it was very difficult to get to know people because the events were too broad,” says Megan, a first-year student at Wimbledon. “Moving to London is scary enough, but having to be so proactive and independent in trying to find people was hard.” 

“It does sometimes feel like we’re limited to our campus, which is quite small,” she continues, “I do find it harder to meet people from other campuses but I’m happy with who my friends are now.” 

In a traditional campus university, there is usually a student union bar or community space where students can socialise. Often, particularly in first year, you live with or close to the people on your course. This may be true for some UAL students, but not all. LCC and CSM currently have on-campus bars, sure, but very few people will visit  if they don’t attend that college. 

The lack of proximity and community is a feeling shared frequently in online forums such as Reddit. Many users often discourage prospective students from attending UAL or other London-based universities, citing the lack of community and cost as the main factors. There is a wider concern among applicants that they won’t experience ‘typical’ university like they might at a campus university. It is a common perception that life at a London university is isolating and lonely, but that’s not always the case. 

There are still a huge number of benefits to attending university in London. First of all, it’s London, where there is something happening every day. The city as a social space offers many opportunities that you can make the most of with friends or by yourself. The countless events, galleries, and tourist attractions make it one of the most exciting places in the world. It has green spaces, music, culture, diversity; the list is endless. It also allows for a significant amount of independence, something many students enjoy. Furthermore, many of the courses at UAL encourage collaboration and have close-knit course groups and departments. 

Ultimately, UAL’s low ranking for social life reflects a different kind of university experience, rather than a worse one. For those expecting a traditional campus university, UAL may be challenging, but for many, London is part of the appeal. Rankings capture only a small part of the university experience. While life at UAL is more unconventional, it’s less about a single community but rather many communities.