External (non-UCL) users

Members of staff and students on placement at affiliated NHS Trusts with whom we hold a Service Level Agreement are entitled to join as a library member and take advantage of our extensive range of resources and facilities. 

• Full details on how NHS staff and students can use the library.

Alumni

Ex-students of UCL are entitled to re-join the library. Reference access is free of charge; a borrowing membership costs £50 per year. 

Borrowing membership does not allow access to UCL electronic resources from outside the library.

A reference ticket allows browsing of our physical collections and use of our Explore Access points to access UCL electronic resources on-site, only. 

Please note: Former UCL students wishing to apply for Alumni membership need to ensure that the library account they used when a student is clear before their application is processed.

To apply

To apply for membership, applicants must complete the online registration form and attach:

1. A passport style photo (colour, facing camera).
2. A photo/scan of proof of home address (for instance, a valid driving license or recent utility bill).
3. One of the following:
   1. A photo/scan of expired UCL student ID card.
   2. A photo/scan of UCL Alumni Benefits card.
   3. A photo/scan of UCL degree certificate.
   4. A photo/scan of official UCL degree results transcript.

Retired UCL staff

Staff who retire from UCL service are entitled to free borrowing membership.

To apply

To apply for membership, applicants must complete the online registration form and attach:

1. A passport style photo (colour, facing camera).
2. A photo/scan of proof of home address (for instance, a valid driving license or recent utility bill).
3. Evidence of UCL retired status (for instance, a letter from HR / the department confirming your retirement from UCL).

Staff who are not retired

Former UCL staff who have not retired from service, are not entitled to free borrowing membership and are only entitled to access in line with their current situation and status. Please see specific information below, for further details on qualifying criteria.

• SOAS students and staff
• University of London staff and students

Information on access to our libraries for staff and students of British universities not part of the University of London.

• Academic staff and research postgraduates
• Taught postgraduates and undergraduates

Visiting academic staff and research (doctoral) postgraduates from overseas universities can apply for free reference access to the library for up to a year by completing an online application in advance of visiting the library.

Other students from overseas universities must pay to use the library.

Current charges are:

• £7.00 for one day.
• £20.00 for a week.
• £30.00 for a month.
• £120.00 for six months.
• £200.00 for a year.

Members of overseas universities are not permitted to borrow books.

Please note: when applying for membership, please allow at least two working days for your application to be processed before you intend to visit the library. 

The start date for short term paid memberships (one month and less) will be set when the card is collected.

To apply

To apply for membership, applicants must complete the online registration form and attach:

1. A passport style photo (colour, facing camera).
2. A photo/scan of your home institution ID card with level of study / status in English.

Apply now »

Members of staff and research postgraduates from the following M25 Institutions can borrow up to 5 books:

• British Library
• British Museum
• German Historical Institute London
• Horniman Museum
• Imperial War Museum
• Lambeth Palace Library
• The National Archive Library
• Royal College of Nursing
• Royal Society of Chemistry
• Royal United Services Institute
• Science Museum
• Victoria and Albert Museum
• The Wiener Holocaust Library

To apply

To apply for membership, academic staff and research level postgraduate applicants must complete the online registration form and attach:

1. A passport style photo (colour, facing camera).
2. A photo/scan of your home institution ID card showing your level of study / status.
3. A photo/scan of proof of home address (for instance, a valid driving license or recent utility bill).

Apply now »

UCL-affiliated Learned Societies

The following Societies have deposited their collections at UCL and their members are entitled to join the Library and borrow books.

• Folklore Society
• Gaelic Society
• Geologists Association
• Hertfordshire Natural History society
• Huguenot Society
• Jewish Historical Society of England
• London Mathematical Society
• Malacological Society
• Museums Association
• Royal Historical Society
• Viking Society for Northern Research

Members of the following Societies are entitled to reference access, but are unable to borrow books:

• Royal Statistical Society
• Linnean Society
• Philological Society

However, Royal Statistical Society members have the option of paying a £50 annual fee for borrowing membership.

The following Societies can apply for access to a specific UCL Library.

• Friends of the Petrie Museum (UCL Institute of Archaeology Library).
• Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (UCL Language & Speech Science Library).
• Society of Light and Lighting (UCL Bartlett Library).

Finding societies' collections

Further information is available on where in the library the Societies' collections are kept.

To apply

To apply for membership, academic staff and research level postgraduate applicants must complete the online registration form and attach:

1. A passport style photo (colour, facing camera).
2. A photo/scan of learned society membership card, or copy of correspondence confirming current membership.
3. A photo/scan of proof of home address (for instance, a valid driving license or recent utility bill).

Apply now »

Information for:

• Commercial users
• Members of the public
• Prospective UCL Students and A-Level Students