Falling in love with London

German student Laura Ihm (MSci Applied Medical Sciences) fell in love with London as a teenager, on a family trip with her parents. So when it came time for her to look at universities, UCL was an obvious choice.

“Even from the open day, everyone was really friendly and enthusiastic,” she says. “The university looked amazing, and I found the perfect course for me. Also, London is an amazingly multifaceted city. There is always something to do, to see, to experience.”  

Now in her third year, Laura has taken up a Student Ambassador role alongside her studies, to help support other students and encourage fellow Europeans to study overseas. It is testament to the positive impact UCL has had on her. 

She says: “I’ve joined a lot of societies, made friends both on my course and halls that I am still close with. I’ve tried to experience anything and everything, and have had the best time doing it. But I actually also feel like I have missed out on a lot, just because of the sheer number of things that are available to do!” 

In various student representative roles, Laura has mentored others, acted as a student's voice during departmental meetings and, as a curveball, she’s currently the treasurer for the Muay Thai Society.

She believes that taking up opportunities beyond your course, and embracing new experiences are the keys to making the most of your time at UCL. “Extracurriculars were basically the core of my first year. I started two different sports, both of which I still love doing. The clubs and societies are what makes life at UCL great,” she says.  

When asked what she’d say to other Europeans considering UCL as their next step, Laura says it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “UCL itself is amazing, the extracurriculars are so diverse that you are bound to find ones you’ll enjoy, the city is indescribable, and what really matters is the people: I’ve met my closest friends here at UCL.”  

As the UK exits the European Union, UCL remains committed to the close international partnerships that have made us a top 10 global university. Because of this, we’ll continue to welcome students from the continent and beyond to join our diverse and thriving student body.