Useful information
- Which areas are popular with UCL students?
The areas close to our campuses are naturally popular with our students, but UCL students live all over London. This is dictated by budget, preference, transport links, local amenities, and other factors.
People often overestimate journey times by public transport. Our campuses are close to stations serving multiple lines. The Rents Map can help you identify locations that balance affordability and convenience.
- Rental property types and sharing
We have included averages for rooms in shared properties and for whole properties of different sizes.
For shared propeties, most students will share with others. University of London Housing Services can help with this, as can offer holder platforms including Goin' (by email invitation for offer holders from most faculties) and social media.
The UCL Students’ Union and University of London Housing Services offer support and advice, including contract checking and help with disputes.
For centrally managed student accommodation, you can use our Student Residences and Halls Map.
- Prices, averages, and inflation
We use average (mean) prices. In any given postcode district, there will be a wide range of prices.
The map includes a guide to inflation.
- Public transport in London
The public transport network in London is vast. For simplicity, all are referred to as lines on this page.
Buses run 24/7 in London and routes outnumber all of the above. They are omitted for simplicity and because they are more susceptible to delays.
Similarly, commuter train lines are omitted for simplicity, lower reliability, and because travel on these lines is not covered by Transport for London (TfL) Travelcards.
- Journey times and costs
Many public transport lines stop at stations close to our campuses. The speed and efficiency of the public transport network means that living further away might not result in a significantly longer journey time if you live close to a station, especially if the line takes you directly to campus. The difference in average pricing could be substantial, and much higher than the additional travel costs. This is illustrated in the introduction inside the map.
Postcode districts are geographically large and your proximity to a station at the other end is important. Google Maps and Apple Maps will give you accurate door-to-door journey times when you have an address to check.
You can filter the Rents Map for postcode districts that contain a station with a direct Tube connection to our campuses. You can also filter for individual Tube lines.
Transport for London (TfL) prices are based on concentric zones, with zone 1 the most central. Weekly and monthly Travelcards combine zones 1 and 2, so living in zone 2 will not increase your travel costs. Higher travel costs for zones 3–6 will usually amount to a fraction of the difference in average rent prices. This is illustrated in the introduction within the Rents Map.
Only weekly and monthly Travelcards purchased with an 18+ Student Oyster Card are eligible for a 30% discount. You can find a ful list of standard and discounted prices on the TfL website.
- Postcodes in London
Addresses in the UK have postcodes (the equivalent of a ZIP code). In London they begin with letters aligned with compass points combined with a number. A smaller number is usually more central than a larger number.
The letters and numbers are not intuitively consistent. For example, London has NW postcodes, but not NE. SE16 is more central than SE3. There are central WC and EC postcodes, but not SC or NC.
The Bloomsbury campus is in WC1[E], UCL East is in E20, and the School of Management in E14.
Some postcode districts span multiple areas and vice versa
- Areas of London
In conversation, people will normally refer to areas of London, not postcode districts. You can filter the Rents Map by area too.
Some areas span multiple postcode districts and vice versa.
- Local authority (councils) in London
Municipal authorities are reposible for a wide range of local services. For parents it is useful to know these bodies from an early stage because administration for schooling and childcare runs through them.
Some postcode districts are covered by multiple local authorities.
- Sources
We use data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) via the Valuation Office Agency, SpareRoom, and Transport for London (TfL).
SpareRoom rental averages include utility bills. ONS averages do not.
Data source, period, and sample size are indicated in tooltips on the Rents Map.
Any postcode district gaps are due to gaps in the underlying data.