Women’s History Month: how UCL helped open higher education to women

This year, UCL is marking two significant milestones. In 2026, the university celebrates 200 years since its founding – and 25 years since the launch of its formal Widening Participation (WP) strategy. Both anniversaries reflect a shared ambition: opening higher education to people who might otherwise have been excluded.

As part of Women’s History Month, we’re looking back at UCL’s role as a pioneer in expanding access for women in higher education, and what these histories mean for the work we do today. 

Early steps towards women’s education 

When London University – as UCL was then known – began teaching students in the early nineteenth century, opportunities for women in higher education were extremely limited. 

In 1832, women first appeared on the university’s student roll. Over the following decades, access gradually expanded. In 1868, women were able to sit special examinations, while the London Ladies’ Educational Association organised lectures delivered by UCL professors. A decade later, in 1878, women were granted full membership of the university and the right to graduate with degrees.  

At a time when many universities educated women separately from men – often in single-sex colleges – UCL’s model of co-education represented a significant step forward. Women studied alongside men and participated in the same academic community.

Barriers and breakthroughs 

However, progress was not always straightforward. Women were often a small minority in classrooms and were not always welcomed by their peers. Some disciplines remained closed to them for decades. 

Medicine, for example, did not admit women at UCL until 1917. In response to these barriers, the London School of Medicine for Women was established nearby in 1874 as the first medical school in Britain where women could train. Students from the school completed their clinical studies at the Royal Free Hospital from 1877. More than a century later, in 1998, the institution merged with UCL’s Medical School. 

These intertwined histories highlight the determination of pioneering women who challenged barriers to education and professional careers. 

Why these histories matter today 

Reflecting on these stories is an important part of understanding UCL’s wider mission to expand access to higher education. While progress has been made, challenges remain. Women graduates are still more likely to enter lower-paid sectors, and women continue to be underrepresented among academic staff in some disciplines. 

“For me, these histories have been directly impactful as I have been researching into them through my part-time Masters alongside working for the Access and Widening Participation team. Being able to share these histories with participants on our activities has helped to enhance their sense of belonging and further insights await learning more from these rich histories of underrepresented groups at UCL.” – Lucia Qureshi, Access Officer